Length:
170 hours (20 weeks); in addition, 350 hours of supervised peer study.
Location:
Mercaz HaTorah, Talpiot, Jerusalem, Israel.
Dates:
August 1993 - December 2007.
Learner Outcomes:
First year students: Discuss the substance and essence of the Talmudic text; apply analytical skills in Talmudic explication; follow the dynamics of Talmudic argumentation leading to Halachic conclusions and resolutions; utilize the major medieval, modern, and contemporary commentaries to comprehend the underlying assumptions and consequences of the legal principles implicit in the text. Second year students and beyond: In addition to the objectives above, analyze abstract legal concepts and formulate abstract legal categories based on the Talmudic text.
Instruction:
The student reads and studies tractate Bava Metzia employing the major standard commentaries. Instruction and peer study involve the laws and procedures concerning the establishment of legal possession with special emphasis on lost property. NOTE: This tractate is studied by all students in a given semester. While the scope of instruction is the same, the depth of study depends upon what year of study the student is in.
