Bs"d
The Torah Adult Education Programme for the Community.
Project SEED
Middlesex House, 29 - 45 High Street, Edgware, Middx. HA8 7UU. 0181 381 1555
160, Whitehall Road, Gateshead, NE8 1TP. 0191 478 5434
47 Stanley Road, Salford, M7 4FR. 0161 740 0906.
Tutors are often approached by a partner who wishes to learn Jewish History.
This should be a very welcome request. Learning history is a wonderful vehicle for the learning of Yiddishkeit.
Sefer Bereishis, large chunks of Shemos and Bamidbar, and some parts of Vayikra and Devorim are "history". Hashem Himself saw it fit to give us a Torah which is packed with historical details and which contains many mitzvos called Edos or Pekudim which testify to historical incidents. History, is, obviously, an important part of Yiddishkeit and can constitute "Torah" if presented in a Torah way.
Moshe Rabbenu told us:-
"Remember the days of yore, understand the years of each generation, ask your father (prophet: Rashi) and he will relate to you, (ask) your elders (chachomim: Rashi) and they will tell you." (Deut. 32 7)
Correct understanding of history has to come from Neviim and Chachomim. Thank G-d, we are blessed with guidance in the understanding of history. Wise tuition of this subject can lead to increased emunah and improved hashkafot.
Unfortunately, in modern times, Jewish History has been hijacked by maskilim and reformers and most secular books on the subject reek with anti-torah attitudes. These can mostly be traced back to Graetz and his "History of the Jews", a work written with an agenda to promote reform ideas.
In the past few years a few history books written from a Torah perspective have been published which may safely be given to or used with, your partner.
These include:-
Artscroll History, "Second Temple" and "Yavneh to Pumbeditha".
Rabbi Berel Weins's Echoes of Glory, Herald of Destiny and Triumph of Survival.
Rabbi Fendel's books on the history of the Mesorah, Legacy of Sinai, Masters of the Mesorah. These contain very useful charts and timelines
Artscroll "Rishonim" and "Early Acharonim".
For your own background, Hashkofo-attitudes to history, we recommend the series by Rabbi Avigdor Miller:- Behold a People, Torah Nation, and Eternal People. The "Am Olam" series is also very useful and is recommended for preparing a SEED session.
Most of what we say here is for the teaching of history by non-historians to non-historians. Should you be faced by a partner who has studied history at university, or even to A level standard, then please ask your programme leader to assign a tutor who has similar training. If you are very well versed in hashkofo inyonim you may feel you can take the task on even without having a formal training in historical studies.
Usually, the first intention of the partner who wishes to study Jewish History is to have an idea of the sequenece of events in our past and also to identify with his/her roots.
We too are aware that there are various goals to be achieved, both for ourselves and for others equally, when we study Jewish History.
Another important point which history highlights is the vanishing of non-authentic movements (Saducees, Essenes, Karaites) from the scene of Jewish history. Current surveys in the USA predict the same fate for the third and fourth generation of members of the Reform and Conservative movements.
It is assumed that the tutor has a clear idea of how to present these concepts. If in doubt, please consult your Programme Leader.
For convenience, you could present your partner with a general overview of Jewish History through the ages. This is very useful for creating a time framework into which events and personalities may be inserted. For your convenience too, we have prepared a syllabus entitled the Project SEED Panorama of Jewish History Programme which is available from your Programme Leader. This Programme elaborates on the nine periods listed below. You and your partner may use it to decide on the direction you should like your study of Jewish History to take. Take a look at it and, if you decide to use it, please request a second copy from your Programme Leader, for the use of your partner.
Rabbi Joseph Elias has pointed out that our history can be divided into sections of roughly 500 years. (The figures of 500 which follow are inaccurate. They are just given in this form for the convenience of an overview.)
Different books may be used for preparing sessions for each of the different eras.
Chumash is not viewed by many partners as being "history", they call it "Chumash", but there is no reason why selections from Chumash could not be learnt as history, aiming for the goals outlined above.
One popular way of studying Jewish history is to learn the book of щефийн in sequence. Women who have been to Sem. will have learned it comprehensively and men who have been to Yeshiva should have no trouble in preparing this text using Rashi, Radak, Metzudos, Malbim and Yalkut.
Similarly one may study Shmuel and Melochim.
Sefer Yehoshua needs some knowledge of the geography of Israel. Access to knowledge of the latest archaeological discoveries is a plus but not essential.
Artscroll editions usually contain enough information to keep most tutors and partners going and the Overviews are a must.
The books of Esther and Ruth also qualify as history but Ruth has the "disadvantage", from a history-study point of view, of concentrating on a small period and specific personalities, being more a history of the antecedents of the Royal House of David than of the nation as a whole.
People killing each other in the books of Shmuel and Melochim presents a problem. When done by Tzaddikim it was usually done because the executed person had rebelled against the king, or was thought to have rebelled against the king, or had committed, or was thought to have committed, some other Aveira.. In each case please make sure you know the Halachic justification. Many cases are, of course, illegal. It is important to know which case is justified and which case illegal.
Most secular histories are influenced by the writings of Josephus who did NOT present a Torah Hashkofo. He is responsible for a lot of the distortion found in non-Torah books. Rabbi Avigdor Miller shows this up in his works. The Artscroll books, whilst not openly taking issue with Josephus, are not influenced by his misrepresentations. Apart from the works mentioned above, Artscroll has also produced a book on Channukah which includes a history of the period
The Artscroll and Berel Wein texts mentioned above may be used.
Men who are familiar with Gemoro could be adventurous and learn the Iggeres of Rav Sherira Gaon, (also available with English translation) or the Sefer HaKabbala of Ra'avad l, or, more easily available, the introduction of the Meiri to Pirkei Avos.They are valuable in that they enhance our Emunah in the authenticity of the Torah SheBeal Peh. This lesson is one of the most important we wish to deliver within a history study-session.
The volumes by Rabbi Berel Wein, mentioned above, "Herald of Destiny" and "Triumph of Survival" are recommended.
The German reformation of the Christian church must have been responsible to some extent for German Jewish attempts at reforming Judaism. A careful study of the period of Jewish reformation, starting with Moses Mendelsohn is important for understanding modern Jewish History which leads to, Haskala, the Reform and Conservative movements, and, in a different vein, Secular Zionism
Mayer Schiller, in "The Road Back", published by Feldheim, gives a beautiful overview of modern European Jewish intellectual history which puts this period into perspective.
The Arstcroll Biography of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch comprehensively tackles the background of the Reform Movement and is highly recommended for this purpose.
A series of history tapes by Rabbi Berel Wein is available. They are highly recommended.