Resources for Self-Study of Torah Shebaalpeh & Halacha Biyun

amother

Fri, Dec 29 2023, 11:02 am

This is meant to be a resource thread for any women who are interested in building the basic skills to learn mishnayos, gemara, and/or learning how to cross-reference and research halachic topics from primary sources. I am very much a beginner myself, but I know there are at least a few women on here with more expertise and I hope they will contribute.

I would like to model it on the thread in the Chinuch forum, titled "** MASTER LIST OF FUN/EDUCATIONAL HOME KODESH RESOURCES **, located here: https://www.imamother.com/foru.....85619

Similar to the Chinuch thread, posters are encouraged to post resources they have found valuable. Bli neder, like the OP of that thread, I will endeavor to update the OP continually with each new addition and attempt to sort them into categories. As on that thread, if you post a resource, please include a brief description of what it is and its educational value. Thanks!

SELF-STUDY TEXTBOOKS, AIDS, AND WORKBOOKS
Bright Beginnings Workbooks - Beginner skill-building gemara workbooks, with accompanying vocabulary lists, that break down the sugya into its steps and have many exercises for review. Materials cover two pereks. Additionally, the "Haschalas Gemara" workbook explains the background and components of TSBP. These are meant to be used by children, but can work for a beginner adult too.

Gemara Card A six-sided folding card that contains key recurring terms, such as units of measurements, tannaim and amoraim, abbreviations, and words and phrases. For quick reference while learning.

Practical Talmud Dictionary by Yitchak Frank - I have seen this dictionary recommended by many people to beginner learners.

List of Online Gemara Resources - A collection of links to different tools and resources available online for learning gemara.

Otzar Roshei Teivot - A free mobile app, containing common acronyms. Very helpful if you are trying to read shailos & teshuvos.

LIVE (VIRTUAL) INSTRUCTOR-LED COURSES OPEN TO WOMEN
GPATS Online Beit Midrash - Yeshiva University's women's learning program offers online courses to the public in two 6-week "semesters" per year. The offerings vary, but a regular recurring offering is a novice-level Gemara "Crash Course." Teachers of the crash course have been women so far, but the broader program has male teachers too, so may vary in future. Suggested donations.

- Nishmat Online Beit Midrash - Nishmat in Israel offers an online beit midrash with two "semesters" and also a summer program. Multiple levels of gemara offered, may be taught by men or women. Tuition applies.

YU Torah Mitzion Kollel of Chicago - YU Torah Mitzion Kollel currently offering a weekly gemara shiur for women, taught by a woman.

YU GPATS June Zman - Live, online. Studying gemara, approx. 5 weeks long spanning each June. Time commitment is 9am to 12:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Combination of chavrusa study and shiur. Suggested donation.

International Halakha Scholars Program - Ohr Torah Stone four-year part-time learning program. 8 hours per week of virtual study, with two in-person seminars over the course of the program. Much bigger commitment than other programs listed above.

HOW-TO-LEARN VIDEO RESOURCES
Bright Beginnings - Video - Brachos- The first of four Youtube videos by Rabbi YY Horowitz, teaching the material in the Bright Beginnings Brachos workbook.

Rabbi Ayson Englander - Learn How to Learn Talmud - Teaching Perek 4 of Brachos, with an orientation on building skills, breaking down components and explaining very carefully for a beginner audience.

PORTALS
Hadran - Portal that includes many video courses aimed at beginners, including courses explaining background and components of TSBP.

Batsheva Learning Center - Portal with resources for building skills to learn mishna, gemara, and in-depth halacha, including textbooks, as well as in-person and zoom courses. Costs may apply.

DafYomi Advancement Forum - Clear outlines of the structure of each page, quizzes, Q&A's, halacha on the daf, and more. See example daf homepage here: https://dafyomi.co.il/new_dafl.....daf=2

OU's AllDaf Portal

CONTENT REPOSITORIES - These links contain text, audio, or video shiurim on mishna, gemara, and/or halacha. However, unlike the other resources above, these sites do not deal with skill-building (I.e. how to learn).

Mishnah Yomit Text and audio shiurim on each mishnah.

OTHER LEARNING PROGRAMS/RESOURCES FOR WOMEN
LIVNOS - live Zoom classes on Tanach, machshava, and halacha. Costs may apply.