Q&A: Starting to Learn Gemara from Scratch
Starting to Learn Gemara from Scratch
Question
Hello, I’m an 18-year-old girl with zero background in Gemara or Mishnah and zero knowledge of Aramaic, and I want to start learning. Do you have a recommendation for how to begin? Which tractate? Should I start with the Steinsaltz / Schottenstein commentary, or is it better to try to deal with the Gemara on my own? How is the learning even supposed to work? To just read the Gemara by myself?? I’d really appreciate help, thank you.
Answer
I very strongly recommend trying to do this within some kind of framework. A women’s study program, or at least a class / study partner. If you’re finishing high school and this is important to you, go to a women’s beit midrash or yeshiva (like Drisha in Kfar Etzion, or Migdal Oz).
Definitely do not try to tackle it alone. But if you do, then use Schottenstein or Steinsaltz.
Hello Chaya, a friend of mine, Yoel Spitz, a student of Rabbi Steinsaltz and the author of two books about him, has been teaching Gemara for more than a decade to secular people and others with no background at all. He does it very professionally, all the way down to understanding the text, its structure, turns of phrase, the style of discussion used by the sages of the Gemara, etc. Of course, the women’s study programs Rabbi Michael suggested are excellent, but you could arrive there better prepared. If this interests you, this is my phone number: 0528742018