Learning is both rigorous and alive at Midreshet Amudim. Our courses cultivate deep literacy in Tanach, Talmud, and Halacha while engaging the great questions that shape faith and life: the nature of God and revelation, the meaning of suffering, the meeting of Torah and human creativity, and the challenge of living spiritually in a modern world. Students are invited to think boldly, feel deeply, and experience Torah as a source of wisdom, wonder, and transformation.
SCROLL DOWN FOR A SAMPLE OF COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Tanach
Tanach Seder and Shiur
Build textual skill and independence through guided study of Tanach and its ancient contexts. Compare the Masoretic text with sources like the Septuagint and Dead Sea Scrolls, uncovering the values and ideas that shape our understanding of Torah.
Museum Tanach: Text in context
Held weekly at the Bible Lands Museum, this class brings Tanach to life through ancient artifacts. Students explore the origins of written language, the development of the Hebrew script, the evolving nature of idol worship, notions of the afterlife, warfare in ancient Israel, royal life in Persia, and more—revealing new depth in the Torah’s stories.
The Book of Shemot: Birth of a Nation
Journey through Sefer Shemot and witness the ups and downs, twists and turns, intrigues, rivalries, and epiphanies that shape the birth of Am Yisrael. Follow Moshe Rabbeinu’s growth alongside his people’s emergence as a nation, uncovering timeless lessons about freedom, faith, and the forging of identity..
The Books of Trei Asar
Enter the world of the twelve prophets, voices of passion, warning, and hope. In this course, we uncover their timeless messages to Bnei Yisrael, tracing themes of teshuva, leadership, and faith through powerful language and poetic structure. Through close reading and literary analysis, students gain both historical insight and mastery of prophetic expression.
Homiletics and Hermeneutics
Explore how modern parsha studies make Torah speak to today’s world. We’ll ask: Is the message truly pshat? Does it matter? How far can we take our homiletical imagination, and what does it reveal about contemporary Orthodoxy?
Book of Samuel
Through close reading and modern literary analysis, we explore both books of Shmuel, tracing their profound themes of prophecy, politics, and moral leadership. Students uncover how the rise and fall of Israel’s early kings shape enduring questions of power and faith.
The Akedah through the Ages
In this class, we will examine Jewish (and occasionally Christian and Muslim) portrayals of the biblical narrative of the Binding of Isaac from antiquity to the modern period, analyzing Talmudic, midrashic and later exegetical sources, addressing the philosophical and ethical conundrums associated with the narrative and emphasizing the interplay between gender, sonship, and sacrifice within Jewish culture and inter-religious polemics.
Nahmanidean Exegesis
Enter the world of Ramban—philosopher, mystic, and master commentator. Through close study of his Torah commentary, we uncover his bold engagement with Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and medieval thought, revealing a vision where faith, reason, and mystery converge.
What’s Pshat? A Study of Rashi and Rashbam
Explore how medieval interpreters redefined peshat—the plain meaning of the text. Through the eyes of Rashi and his grandson Rashbam, we uncover a fascinating debate over context, interpretation, and the delicate balance between peshat and midrash.
Tanach and Psychology
What does it mean to be human and created in God’s image? This course reads Tanakh through the lens of modern psychology — from Freud and Jung to Maslow and Frankl, using psychodynamic, cognitive, and behavioral theories to uncover new layers of meaning in biblical characters, narratives, and the human soul itself.
Tanach Beit Midrash
Modeled on Google’s 80/20 philosophy, this course empowers students to pursue independent Tanach projects that link deep learning with real-world impact. Alongside self-directed study, students engage in reflection, collaboration, and symposia to share their insights.
Tanach for Thinkers
Approaching Tanach through a literary-theological lens, this course uncovers the deeper ideas embedded in the text. Drawing on modern and classical parshanim—from R. Liebtag and R. Sacks to Rashi and Ramban—students explore structure, language, and meaning to reveal the Torah’s enduring message.
The Midrashic Mind
Explore the vibrant world of aggadah—parables, stories, satire, and symbolism that give voice to Jewish faith and imagination. Through close study of classic midrashim, we’ll ask two guiding questions: What’s the method—and what’s the meaning?
Unusual Biblical Stories
This course examines sections of Torah that leave the reader with a quandary. We study how commentators throughout the ages viewed each dilemma, looking to extract contemporary life lessons. Emphasis is placed on developing skills while at the same time understanding the depth and beauty of the Torah text.
Abravanel’s Commentary on Torah
This intensive seminar plunges into an examination of Abravanel's style, methodology, and interpretation of the Bible. Stress is placed on developing individual learning skills, while including historical background, and comparison with other commentaries.
Sefer Mishlei
Discover the timeless brilliance of Shlomo HaMelekh as illuminated by the Vilna Gaon. Through the Gaon’s penetrating insights, students uncover the hidden depths of Mishlei, a guide not only to wisdom, but to living with purpose, integrity, and spiritual awareness in a complex world.
Tiny Tanach Tales
Through close reading of 100-word biblical narratives, this course reveals how brevity intensifies meaning in Tanakh, where every word, pause, and silence tells a story.
Parsha Dialogues
put yourself in conversation with the parsha. Each week begins with a short summary and Dvar Torah, followed by guided creative writing that invites personal reflection on the week’s themes. Through writing and dialogue, students transform Torah study into a living conversation between text and self.
Gemara and rabbinics
Gemara seder and shiur
Explore the depth and drama of the Talmud through traditional yeshiva-style learning and modern literary tools. With chavruta study, analysis of Rishonim and aggadot, and comparisons across time and culture, students gain lifelong skills for questioning, debating, and thinking Jewishly.
Torah SheBaal Peh
Delve into how the Oral Torah works—its mentality, methodology, and the interpretive logic of the Rabbis. Through study of rabbinic texts, students uncover the principles, creativity, and reasoning that drive the world of Torah Sheba’al Peh.
Pirkei Avot: Ethics and Ideology
Study Pirkei Avot with the rigor of a Mishna tractate, uncovering the literary, historical, and philosophical layers beneath its ethical teachings. Through close reading and analysis, students gain a deeper understanding of the rabbis’ vision for moral and spiritual life.
Discovering Aggadah: Talmudic Heroines
Explore the stories of the Talmud’s heroines to uncover how the Rabbis portrayed women, power, and faith. Through the language and poetics of aggadah, students examine how these narratives reflect and challenge social and spiritual realities.
From Gemara to Halacha
Trace the journey of Jewish law from its Talmudic roots to practical application. Through close study of sugyot, Rishonim, and modern poskim, students explore how halakhic principles evolve and come to shape daily Jewish life.
From Gemara to Hashkafa
Uncover the philosophical and ethical ideas that emerge from the pages of the Talmud. Through close study of aggadic and halakhic passages, students explore how the Gemara shapes Jewish thought, belief, and values across generations.
Halacha
HALAcHA SEDER and shiur
Trace the living flow of halakha from its Talmudic roots through rishonim, acharonim, and modern poskim. Exploring the balance between ancient text and contemporary life, students uncover the depth, beauty, and discipline of a life shaped by halakhic commitment.
Halachot of Shabbat
This course is devoted to the intricate network of legal theories, principles, and practices that permeate Jewish life and infuse it with meaning. Focusing on hilchot Shabbat, we trace the halachah from its Talmudic origins through the rishonim, acharonim, and modern poskim, uncovering its depth and design.
Halachot of Kashrut
This course is devoted to the intricate network of legal theories, principles, and practices that permeate Jewish life and infuse it with meaning. Focusing on hilchot kashrut, we trace the halachah from its Talmudic origins through the rishonim, acharonim, and modern poskim, uncovering the depth and precision of Jewish dietary law.
Rabbis respond to reality
Explore how leading poskim of the modern era, such as R. Moshe Feinstein, R. Ovadia Yosef, R. Aharon Lichtenstein, and others, grapple with the tensions between halakha and contemporary life. Through close study of she’elot u-teshuvot, students examine issues of authority, individuality, gender, and modernity within the living process of halakhic decision-making.
Halacha in the age of AI
Explore how halakha meets modernity through topics like lab-grown meat, AI, cloning, and space travel. By tracing classic and modern sources, students uncover the principles guiding halakhic decision-making and how Jewish law adapts to an ever-changing world
HIStory of halacha
Trace the unfolding story of Jewish law, from its biblical roots to modern responsa. Through case studies like conversion, pruzbul, and kisui rosh, students explore how halakha balances the timeless and the timely, revealing the dynamic process through which Torah becomes life.
Mental Health and Halacha
Explore how Jewish law confronts the complex realities of mental illness, from psychosis to depression, anorexia, and trauma. Through classical and contemporary sources, students examine the halakhic, ethical, and spiritual dimensions of care, obligation, and human dignity in moments of psychological struggle.
Women and Judaism
What does it mean to serve God as a Jewish woman today? This year-long course explores the halakhic, philosophical, and ethical dimensions of women’s religious life. Semester I: Women and Mitzvot probes obligation and opportunity: mitzvot aseh she-hazman grama, Talmud Torah, tefillah, kol isha, and hair covering. Semester II: Jewish Sexual Ethics turns to intimacy and responsibility: shomer negiah, niddah, yichud, dating and marriage, Peru u-Revu, birth control, and the agunah question. Students engage classic and contemporary sources to discover the depth and complexity of halakhic womanhood.
Mishpat Ivri: Jewish Law in the Jewish State
Examine how Jewish and secular law intersect, and at times clash, through landmark U.S. and Israeli Supreme Court cases. Students explore how halakhah has shaped, challenged, and reimagined the modern legal landscape of the State of Israel.
Practical Halacha
Bring halachah to life through the rhythms of the Jewish year. Explore the laws of Shabbat, chagim, tefillah, and kashrut in a clear, engaging way, learning not only what to do, but why it matters.
Shocking Shutim
They asked what?! Explore responsa tackling the unexpected: a missing chicken heart, a hitman hired in a brawl, or the first recorded question from the Americas about rain. See how rabbinic reasoning transforms the improbable into profound insight.
Sefer Hachinuch
Journey through the 613 Mitzvot as more than laws, as a moral, communal, and spiritual framework. Using the Sefer HaChinuch as our guide, we engage classic commentaries and focus on mitzvot unique to the Land of Israel.
Jewish Sexual Ethics
The laws of sexual practice are an area surrounded by many myths and half-truths. At the same time, these laws are of paramount An honest, text-based exploration of Torah perspectives on sexuality and relationships. Students engage classical and modern poskim to understand how Jewish law shapes ethical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of intimacy in every generation.
From Midrasha to Campus
An open and frank discussion of halachic, social and ideological issues facing Jewish students on the college campus. Topics include living with non-Jews, kashrut and Shabbat on campus, collegiate social life, inter-denominational relations and Judaic studies at university.
Methodology
Beit Midrash: Independent Learning
Three afternoons a week, the Beit Midrash comes alive with independent learning. Guided by a wide range of staff mentors, students hone textual skills, explore areas of personal interest, and learn b’chavruta or in small chaburot. Some broaden their horizons, others deepen their mastery, all growing in confidence, curiosity, and love of Torah.
Amudim and Yesodot: Problems and Methods in Judaic Studies
Learn how to learn! At the heart of Amudim’s philosophy is independent, analytical Torah study. Through case studies across Gemara, Tanakh, and Jewish thought, students encounter classic and modern methodologies, from Brisk to Torat Eretz Yisrael, and learn to make them their own.
Jewish Legal Theory: Halachic Methodology
Step inside the inner logic of halacha, where svara, minhag, and chiddush interact to create living law. Through case studies from the Talmud to modern poskim, students uncover how halakhic reasoning weaves precision, creativity, and faith into a coherent system that bridges text and life.
Methods of Writing Responsa Literature
Step into the posek’s shoes. Students study one halachic topic in depth, form independent conclusions, and learn to express them persuasively, refining both their reasoning and their writing in the art of psak halakhah.
Original Reasearch: Methods of Scholarship in Jewish Studies
Learn the craft of writing halakhic and academic responsa. Based at the National Library of Israel, this course trains students in research, organization, and clear expression using tools like the Bar-Ilan Responsa Database, RAMBI, and Otzar HaHochma. Each student publishes an article in Amud HaShara, Amudim’s annual Torah journal.
The Art of the shiur
Learn to teach Torah with confidence and clarity. This hands-on workshop develops skills in preparation, presentation, and mindset, guiding students through the full process of crafting and delivering a shiur. The semester culminates in student-led learning on Leil Shavuot.
Philosophy/theology
Jewish Ethics
Explore how Torah and rabbinic sources define and challenge the boundaries between law and morality. From Adam and Eve to Amalek, and from capital punishment to medical ethics, this course traces the development of Jewish ethical thought and its impact on halakhic decision-making and moral philosophy.
Theories of God
Does God exist? Is it epistemologically justified to believe that God exists? These two questions are addressed in this class through analyses of teleological, cosmological and ontological approaches to the existence of God. Examining Jewish and non-Jewish philosophical approaches to the topic, students are introduced to arguments based on evidence, the absence of evidence, practicality, rationality and faith.
Pathways to God
What does it mean to truly know and walk with Hashem? Through the 13 Middot, students encounter God’s attributes as a living blueprint for compassion, strength, and holiness. Blending deep text study with personal reflection, this course invites students to transform divine wisdom into daily connection and spiritual growth.
Discourses of dress
Not your standard tzniut class! This course examines the “subtexts of dress,” fashion theory, semiotics, and the philosophical underpinnings of beauty and identity, alongside Torah sources and halachah. Students learn the laws of dress and discover a modesty that transcends clothing itself.
Jewish-Christian Polemics
This class focuses on the historical split between Judaism and Christianity, early Christian approaches to Jews and Judaism, and arguments harnessed by Jews, mostly in the Middle Ages, against fundamental Christian doctrines and Christological readings of Tanakh.
Science and Religion: Jewish Views on Evolution
Explore how leading Jewish thinkers, from Rav Kook to Rabbi Sacks, grappled with questions of creation, evolution, and truth. Through these debates, students examine the nature of mahloket and practice principles of constructive disagreement, learning how to think and differ with depth and respect.
Philosophy of prayer
Why do we pray — and what happens when we do? This course explores the big questions of tefillah: Can prayer change God’s mind? What is its purpose and mechanism? And why did our sages fix the words we use to speak with the Divine?
Maimonidean Thought
Delve into the thought of Rambam, one of Judaism’s most brilliant and debated minds. Through his Mishneh Torah, Moreh Nevukhim, introductions, and letters, students uncover his fusion of halakhah and philosophy and how generations have interpreted his complex legacy.
Introduction to Kabbalah
For millennia, Jewish mysticism was a closely guarded, orally transmitted tradition. This course introduces the core principles of Kabbalah and explores how its ideas have shaped diverse expressions of Jewish thought, spirituality, and practice, from classic texts to contemporary interpretations.
Chassidic Pathways
What makes Hasidut both revolutionary and deeply traditional? This course traces the movement from the Ba’al Shem Tov to the Piaseczner Rebbe, exploring teachings from Tanya to Mei HaShiloach. Through text and story, students encounter Hasidic thought on joy, prayer, the Tzaddik, and the quest for divine connection.
Comparative Religion I: Judaism and Abrahamic Religions
Grounded in Jewish sources, this course explores how core ideas, such as the soul, prophecy, revelation, sin, covenant, and the afterlife, are understood in Judaism and considered in relation to Christianity and Islam. Through comparison, students deepen their understanding of Jewish belief and its theological foundations.
Comparative Religion II: Judaism and Eastern Religions
How does Torah differ from the spiritual paths of the East? This course examines Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism through a Jewish lens, exploring their views of God, the soul, and life’s purpose. Students consider points of contrast and resonance while deepening appreciation for Judaism’s unique spiritual vision.
Must-Reads: Survey of Contemporary Jewish Writings
This course examines some of the seminal, most profound and impactful articles on Jewish topics, primarily Jewish philosophy, written by Modern Orthodox thinkers in contemporary times. Students are required to read the articles prior to class in order to substantively facilitate discussion during class.
Philosophy of Rabbi J.B. Soloveitchik
Is humanity meant to master the world or surrender before God? Can faith withstand the challenges of modernity? In this probing study of The Lonely Man of Faith, students explore the Rav’s struggle between creation and covenant, loneliness and community, and the sources on which he drew in composing one of the 20th century’s most profound works of religious philosophy and Jewish faith.
The meaning of Shabbat
Far from a day of restriction, Shabbat is a spiritual technology for joy, focus, and divine connection. Through halakhic, philosophical, and mystical sources, from the Talmud and Shulchan Arukh to the Zohar, Rambam, Rav Kook, and Rav Shagar, students uncover Shabbat’s deeper purpose as a celebration of presence and peace.
Landscapes of Jewish Thought
Become truly conversant in contemporary Jewish life. This course surveys the figures, movements, and ideas shaping today’s discourse, comparing Rav Kook and Rav Soloveitchik on Religious Zionism; Haredi, Modern Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform streams; Litvaks and Hasidim; Sephardi halakhic paths (Rav Ovadia Yosef vs. Rav Mordechai Eliyahu); women’s practice (Rav Moshe Feinstein vs. Rav Yehuda Herzl Henkin); and messianic thought (Lubavitcher Rebbe vs. Religious Zionism), while examining responses to kibbutz galuyot and the State of Israel.
Israel and the middle-east conflict
This course provides an in-depth understanding of the Zionist narrative and how it conflicts with the Palestinian narrative. Topics covered throughout the course include Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, settlements, border disputes, security concerns and the struggle for peace. By addressing these complex issues head on, students will gain the knowledge to effectively articulate an informed position regarding one of the longest running modern conflicts.
theories of Religious Zionism
What does it mean to be a religious Zionist today? This course traces the development of Religious Zionist thought from the early Zionist movement to the present, examining the roles of messianism, statehood, and halakhic authority, as well as the voices that opposed them, to uncover the depth and complexity within this cornerstone of modern Orthodoxy.
Theories and theorists
Meet the great Jewish minds of the modern era, from Rosenzweig and Buber to Levinas, Heschel, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe. This course explores how twentieth-century Jewish philosophers wrestled with faith, ethics, and existence, revealing how their ideas can guide a life of meaning and belief.
The HolocaUST in FILM
Can the Shoah truly be represented on screen? This course explores how filmmakers have grappled with depicting the Holocaust, from original footage to educational documentaries and historical fiction. Students examine questions of memory, ethics, and artistic responsibility while developing tools for critical film analysis and interpretation.
The Jewish Historical Experience
Taught by three faculty members specializing in ancient, medieval, and modern periods, this course traces the evolution of Jewish thought and culture through its essential thinkers and texts. From Tanakh to Kabbalah, students examine how surrounding civilizations shaped Jewish ideas — and how those ideas, in turn, transformed the world.
50 Big questions
Fifty questions. Hundreds of answers. This fast-paced course tackles the biggest challenges people ask about Judaism, from “Does prayer work?” to “Can a woman be a rabbi?” and “Is Judaism the only truth?” Students explore belief, practice, and meaning through deep conversation, critical thinking, and classic sources.
Mussar: Philosophy of the self
Where philosophy meets self-refinement. This course introduces the classic writings and practices of the Mussar movement, exploring its insights into character, ethics, and spiritual growth. Students engage both textually and personally, cultivating self-awareness and applying timeless wisdom to modern life.
Rav Kook’s mystical revolution
Dive into the luminous thought of one of the 20th century’s most visionary rabbis. This course explores Rav Kook’s spiritual, philosophical, and psychological writings, his bold reconciliation of faith and science, his transformative view of Zionism, and his belief in the divine potential of the modern world.
Faith and Paradox: The World of R. Tzadok HaKohen
A bridge between Chassidut and Mussar, Reb Tzadok HaKohen’s thought combines analytic brilliance with mystical depth. This course explores his bold, text-based approach to Torah, revealing how Hasidic ideas emerge from Chazal themselves, and why his teachings remain both illuminating and provocative today.
Cheshbon HaNefesh: Encountering the Self
Drawn from the third chapter of Kohelet -- “a time to be born and a time to die…”-- this course uses Torah study as a lens for living more deeply and purposefully. Through exploring life and death, laughter and tears, creation and destruction, students uncover Torah’s vision for a life of meaning.
Art and literature
Midrash Agnon
Where the Beit Midrash meets modern literature. Through the short stories of Nobel laureate S.Y. Agnon, students trace how centuries of Jewish text and tradition are reborn in the language of modernity. Reading Agnon as both storyteller and exegete, the course explores themes of faith, exile, memory, and the sacred role of literature in a religious life.
Hebrew Letters and the Scribal Arts
Discover the mystical life of Hebrew letters through midrashic, kabbalistic, and hassidic writings, from the Zohar and Tanya to Moshe Idel. Then bring text to touch by crafting kosher letters with authentic sofer’s materials. Along the way, delve into halakhic sources like the Mishnah Berurah and Keset HaSofer, and consider the role of women in the sacred scribal tradition, all while finding creative, graphic expression within the ancient art of writing holiness.
Contemporary jewish short stories
In this class, students read, analyze and reflect upon Jewish short stories, from Kafka to Nathan Englander. Stories are chosen based on the following criteria: Variety, substance, intellectual level, Jewish content, relatability, readability and manageability.
Jewish Art: Biblical Portraits
Where Torah meets creativity. This two-part course begins with close study of biblical texts to uncover the inner worlds of Tanakh’s most complex figures. Students then give visual form to these insights, creating original “Biblical Portraits,” works of visual midrash that bring ancient characters and timeless struggles vividly to life.
Visual Theology of Kabbalah
Zoharic texts lend themselves to and encourage visualization of the cosmos and divine elements. This special haburah is for select students interested in diving deeply into Kabbalistic theology and rendering lofty concepts in visual artistic form. Assignments include diagnostic analyses of specific texts and artistic representation of the concepts therein.
Theater and Theology
Where stage meets soul. This course explores how dramatic literature and performance can illuminate spiritual and moral questions at the heart of Jewish thought. Through reading, discussion, and creative expression, students examine the intersection of faith, doubt, and the human experience, discovering how theater itself can become an act of theology.
All the rav’s men
This philosophy and fine arts course was inspired by the phenomenon (mostly in the Haredi community) of hanging “gedolim pictures” in the home, a behavior that emphasizes the physical presence of revered thinkers and leaders of the Torah world. With an eye on orienting the focus onto the gadol’s thought and philosophy (rather than physique), this course examines the typologies of mankind as they are presented in the writings of R. J.B. Soloveitchik. After each study session, students are asked to pictorially represent the philosophies discussed, either on canvas or paper, with the goal of creating an art exhibit entitled “All the Rav’s Men.”
TanyArt
Bring the teachings of the Tanya to life through artistic expression! Blending deep text study with personal creativity, this course invites students to explore the soul’s journey, Divine unity, and spiritual transformation, expressing these ideas through visual form. Each artwork becomes a personal meditation on the Tanya’s timeless wisdom and the soul’s connection to God.
Hebrew language
Ulpan
Weekly ulpan classes utilize a highly interactive specialized method that has proven enormously successful in the development of Hebrew language skills. Students’ Hebrew language skills are assessed at the beginning of the year for placement purposes and classes are tailored towards differing needs within each level.
Hebrew Immersion
Select classes at the midrasha are taught in Hebrew by instructors who specialize in improving the Hebrew language skills of their students via Torah study.
UNIVERSITY LEVEL CLASSES
One day each week, students may opt to study side by side with Israelis at an institute of higher learning, where classes are conducted entirely in Hebrew. Venues have included the Midrasha at Bar-Ilan, Herzog College and Matan.