A High Holidays Text Study
By Stella Fried
There are many things I love about Judaism and being Jewish, and chief among them is that learning and asking questions is heavily emphasized. I have always loved learning, especially outside of a traditional classroom. I enjoy a small group setting where I get to ask all the questions I want, and if we end up focused on a specific topic, that’s completely fine. Rabbi Scott Shafrin’s “Preparing for the High Holidays” class series at Congregation Adath Israel fits all my needs.
In this four-part class series, we have discussed everything from why G-d would forgive premeditated sins to why the period of reflection on our past sins actually starts as far back as Shavuot. Rabbi Shafrin presents us with a variety of texts taken from places like the Talmud and the Machzor and then breaks down the concepts presented for us to better understand. I have left class each week with something new to think about and at least ten new questions. For me, this is how I know Rabbi Shafrin is a great teacher. Leaving with questions means that there’s more I want to learn from this person.
Rabbi Shafrin is excellent at breaking down the texts he gives us into manageable chunks. I consider myself to be someone who has good reading comprehension, but I still have trouble gleaning what the rabbis are saying in some of these arguments. Rabbi Shafrin walks us through each piece in a way that allows me to fully understand what’s being said and gives us the support we need to come to these conclusions on our own. That “aha” moment when everything clicks into place is so satisfying and always makes me see the world differently.
Not only is Rabbi Shafrin good at breaking down the big things, but there are also many smaller elements of his teaching style that resonate with me. Many of the texts we’ve looked at use male pronouns to refer to both men and women. When reading these texts aloud, Rabbi Shafrin made changed the wording to be inclusive of all people. This was such a small change, but one that made me, a person who is not male, feel seen. It’s little moments like these that added to my enjoyment of this class series.
Rabbi Shafrin’s ability to make Jewish learning so interesting and accessible to people of all ages and learning levels has made this class series such a wonderful experience. I only wish that each class session was longer because there is so much more that I want to learn. I look forward to more text studies and other learning opportunities with Rabbi Shafrin.
