By Josh Burg
Perhaps my favorite part of the Nachshon Project thus far has been our weekly learning at the Pardes Institute, a “co-ed and non-denominational Jewish learning community.”[1] Truthfully, I had forgotten how much I loved Judaism’s rich and complex text tradition. In my time at the Jewish Community High School in San Francisco, I had multiple classes every year dedicated to learning Jewish text. We started with Tanach and made our way to Gemara by the end of high school. I remember loving the process of learning a Jewish text. The painstaking process of translation and understanding was inherently satisfying as it felt like an adventure of sorts. Every word was a chance to discover my history and heritage. And then when those words were strung together, they imparted wisdom impossible to find anywhere else. Simply put, I loved the intellectual cat and mouse game of translation and equally loved the powerful lessons contained within the texts. I felt a part of the lively rabbinic tradition; I was reminded that I to am an owner and stakeholder in the Jewish people.
Unfortunately, opportunities like these are exceedingly rare for college students, especially those who are non-traditional Jews. As such, I forgot what is was to tap into the Jewish text tradition. Unconsciously, I found myself more and more reliant on the teachings and understandings of others to inform my beliefs and practices. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing to learn from others. On the contrary, a willingness to learn from others is a character trait that is highly desirable. However, when you rely only on others, you become at least one layer removed from the text. I was struggling with the lost intimacy, the impersonalization of my relationship with Jewish tradition.
Every Tuesday that we have had the privilege of spending at the Pardes Institute has thus been an opportunity for me to rebuild my personal relationship with Judaism through the study of Talmud. The joy of discovery, of learning that is so central to our tradition, serves as the ignition point as I blaze my way towards unencountered wisdom. At Pardes, I get to strengthen my ability to encounter Judaism intimately. I am learning how to understand and interpret this 2000-year tradition for myself. The personal exegesis that I am learning to create feels like the key to my continuing to be involved in the Jewish community throughout my life. The study of Talmud gives me direct access to the tradition, and tools of the tradition, that will allow me to find the relevance of Judaism in my own life. Perhaps, in turn, I will be able to spark the same love, relevancy, and intimacy I feel for Jewish tradition in others. Jewish text is our communal ethos and to study them is to begin understanding the DNA of Judaism and the Jewish people.
[1] Pardes website under “About Pardes”
