Yeshivat Torat Yosef Hamivtar

Educational Program

Over thirty years ago, Yeshivat Torat Yosef-Hamivtar pioneered the educational approach of facilitating "learning to learn." Rather than listening to lectures, as inspiring as they may be, we empower the student to access the classic texts of Judaism including Talmud, Tanach, the various compendia of Halacha, and the whole spectrum of works of Jewish philosophical, ethical, and Chassidic-kabalistic literature. While much of what we do in yeshiva is of a decidedly intellectual nature, our goal is to provide the context conducive to growth as Jews committed to a God-centered life of Torah.

Shacharit                                              7.00 am

Breakfast                                              8.00 am

Morning Seder                                       8:45 am

Lunch & Lunch Break                            12.45 pm

Mincha                                                 2.30 pm

Afternoon Seder                                    2.45 pm - 6.45 pm

Dinner                                                  7.00 pm

Ma’ariv                                                  8.00 pm

Evening Seder                                       8.15 pm -10.00

Morning Seder is devoted to the study of Talmud. Much of the morning is spent in the Beit Midrash studying with a Chavruta (study partner). During the course of the morning, a Shiur with your Gemara Rebbe, the Shiur will clarify points that may not have been understood as well as offer new ideas on the Sugya that is being studied.

 

Afternoon Seder gives a broader knowledge of Chumash, Halacha, Tanach and Jewish philosophy. These classes are also streamed enabling study with people on similar levels. A more advanced track in Bekiut Gemara is offered as well.

 

During Night Seder, our Bekiut program focuses on familiarity with the breadth of Torah Shebe'al Peh (Oral law). Night Seder is a good time for students to work on personal projects such as Tanach, Mishne Torah, etc…

A different Shiur is offered each night during the last hour of night Seder.    

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The study of Talmud occupies the single largest commitment of time within the curriculum. The Yeshiva offers multiple levels to meet the needs of a large range of backgrounds. The introductory levels train the student to recognize the formal structures of argumentation found throughout the Talmud. These structures employ set key words and phrases that allow the student to anticipate the type of argument that will follow. The student then inserts into these formulaic structures the specific content of the passage at hand. Initially the student studies the Talmudic text without the various commentaries, including Rashi.

As the student progresses, he is introduced to the methodology of Rashi, then Tosafot, along with the many other medieval commentators. As well, the emphasis is gradually more on the conceptual analysis of the ideas presented by the Talmud. Our teachers were students of the illustrious Rabbi Yosef Dov Solovetchik, of blessed memory, or students of his closest disciples, and the "Brisker" mode of conceptual Talmudic analysis characterizes the more advanced shiurim.

The entire morning is devoted to in-depth (be'iiyun) Talmud study. The teacher typically gives a short introduction to the passage to be studied following which the students independently prepare the material in the Beit Midrash with a study partner (chevruta). After approximately two hours of intense preparation, the classes regroup for a seminar-style discussion with the teacher. The give and take of the shiur allows for the students to correct their understanding and refine their methodological skills. The afternoon and evening program incorporates eight more weekly hours of Talmud study meant to provide the intermediate and advanced students with greater acquaintance with the vast breadth of the Talmud.

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Like the Talmud program, the Tanach curriculum offers multiple levels and the chevruta style of preparation in order to maximize the student's ability to speedily master the skills necessary to intelligently study the Tanach. The basic levels introduce the Chumash with the classic commentary of Rashi. Rather than viewing Rashi as a "beginner's" text, Rashi is analyzed as the sophisticated and masterful integration of the Talmudic-midrashic tradition into the biblical text. Never losing sight of Rashi as the fundamental point of comparison the student learns to tackle the commentary of Ramban, followed by the vast body of other commentators. At Yeshivat Torat Yosef-Hamivtar we do not allow the study of the commentators to replace the centrality of the text of the Torah itself and the commentaries become lenses for the refraction of the biblical text. In addition, the Tanach curriculum includes the weekly parsha, the weekly reading from the prophetic writings (haftara), and a special program whereby the student finishes the entire Tanach in a year.

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The Halacha program consists of two basic components: methodology of halacha and survey of practical halacha. The methodology of halacha courses provide the student the understanding of how the halachic system operates. The student is guided through the complex but elegant process of tracing the evolution of the Law from its roots in the Torah, through the basic rabbinic texts of the Mishna and Talmud, refracted through the major medieval commentators and codifiers until being formulated in the Shulchan Aruch. The process is brought up to the 21st century by examining the responsum literature of the contemporary decisors. In addition to the above approach, it is recognized that living as a Jew committed to halacha requires practical knowledge of the many details of Shabbat, holidays, Kashrut, tefilla, etc. To achieve this we offer survey courses in practical halacha not requiring the long process of textual analysis. These courses employ the innovative and clear approach in teaching practical halacha pioneered by Rav Yosef Tzvi Rimon of Yeshivat Har Etzion.