Q&A: Rabbinical Ordination Exams
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Rabbinical Ordination Exams
Question
I’m debating whether to study for the rabbinical ordination exams in the current situation today, where the emphasis is on memorization and retaining tens of thousands of details that were created over the generations, rather than on the essence and the meta-principles that are found mainly in the Talmudic text.
Thank you very much
Answer
If you’re learning for the sake of learning and don’t need the certificate, I don’t see a reason to study for the rabbinate exams. Only if, for some reason, that kind of learning is what speaks to you.
As someone who studied for years in yeshiva in-depth,
and also got rabbinical ordination —
I have to say there’s no comparison! (In favor of the rabbinate exams.)
In terms of commitment, perseverance, getting down into the details, not cutting yourself slack (for fear of failing the exam),
and most importantly… the knowledge and satisfaction you come away with.
It has to be said!
From in-depth learning around discussions in a way that is sometimes amorphous and not clearly defined — you don’t always come out with “something in hand.”
As opposed to a binding exam on dozens of sections, with massive amounts of review.
After all, the most common learning method in the world, from school to university, is basically: study, review, test.
That’s the way!