Portland Open Beit Midrash

The Stolen Lulav: Talmudic Thought and Ethics

Fall 2023 — specific dates to be announced

Rabbi Emily Aviva Kapor-Mater

The Rabbis relate the example of whether one who used a stolen lulav on the holiday of Sukkot has fulfilled their obligation. In this class, we will do a deep dive on this text from the Talmud, exploring both how the dichotomy between cheftza (object) and gavra (person) is used to resolve issues in Talmudic law, and how the larger ethical issues that arise from this text can illuminate our understanding of Jewish ethics in modern societies and under capitalism. All texts will be taught in their original languages, and learners of all skill levels and backgrounds are welcome. If you know your alef-bet you can learn Talmud with us — we’ll help you along your path.

If you’re interested in joining us for this class, please send us a message.

“Mai Chanukah?” Uncovering the History of Hanukkah

Winter 2023 — specific dates to be announced

Rabbi Emily Aviva Kapor-Mater

The holiday of Chanukah gets just a few pages in the Talmud. The Books of Maccabees, which survive only in Greek, were excluded from the Hebrew Bible. Which miracle is the “real” miracle of Chanukah—the oil or the victory of Jewish zealots? And what about all those distateful bits of the history of Chanukah that we don’t talk about so much—the religious zealotry and intolerance—how do those fit in, in our modern world? We will explore the history of this holiday through reading the original rabbinical texts as well as modern secondary sources.

If you’re interested in joining us for this class, please send us a message.

Portland Open Beit Midrash