Limmud

Thank you for your interest in applying for the Torah Lishmah Learning Cohort: Key Teshuvot in Jewish History. 

To apply, please fill out this application by Friday, July 31. To fully benefit from participating in a Learning Cohort, it's essential to commit to attending each meeting consistently (barring rabbinic emergencies).

Ten Thursdays: August 13, September 3, October 22, November 12, December 17, January 21, February 18, March 18, April 15, May 20 from 1 PM - 2 PM ET (10 AM - 11 AM PT & 8 PM - 9 PM Israel [note: the start time of the March 18 session in Israel is 7:00 PM])

This learning cohort, led by Josh Kulp, is designed for rabbis who are seeking dedicated time and space for Torah lishmah. This course will trace the rich history of rabbinic responsa (teshuvot), from the earliest surviving rulings of the geonim to contemporary teshuvot. Through close study of carefully selected responsa, we will explore how leading poskim across the centuries confronted new questions and changing realities, balancing fidelity to tradition with creative legal reasoning. Along the way, we will encounter some of the most influential rabbinic figures in history, examine the social and intellectual contexts in which they worked, and consider the concrete challenges they faced—whether driven by technological developments, shifting communal structures, or broader historical forces. By reading these texts in context, participants will gain a deeper understanding not only of halakhic method, but also of how Jewish law has functioned as a living, adaptive system across time.