Philosophers know how to philosophize, theologians know how to teach theology, and writers know how to craft literature. The Sages, however, knew how to do all of this while speaking halakha. They embedded their thoughts and ideas within halakhic discussions, requiring us to dig beneath the surface of the text to uncover the subtext. In this class, we will study passages from the Mishnah (and perhaps a bit of Talmud) in Tractate Megillah, seeking the hidden and surprising messages the Sages wove into their words. No prior knowledge is required, but a willingness to engage with complex texts is essential.

Dr. Elyashiv Cherlow grew up in Israel and studied and taught at several yeshivot. He holds a Master’s and a PhD in Talmud from the Hebrew University and is currently a Starr Fellow at Harvard University. His research focuses on rabbinic literature as a whole, with an emphasis on the Mishnah and the Jerusalem Talmud.