Learners’ Tapestry

I started learning at the beginning of the cycle after a friend persuaded me that it would be right up my alley. I was lucky enough to learn at Rabbanit Michelle’s house before it started on zoom and it was quickly part of my daily routine. I find it so important to see for myself where halachot were derived, where stories were told and to get more insight into how the Rabbis interacted.

With Rabbanit Dr. Naomi Cohen in the Women’s Talmud class, over 30 years ago. It was a “known” class and it was accepted, because of who taught. Since then I have also studied with Avigail Gross-Gelman and Dr. Gabriel Hazut for about a year). Years ago, in a shiur in my shul, I did know about Persians doing 3 things with their clothes on. They opened the shiur to woman after that!

My explorations into Gemara started a few days into the present cycle. I binged learnt and become addicted. I’m fascinated by the rich “tapestry” of intertwined themes, connections between Masechtot, conversations between generations of Rabbanim and learners past and present all over the world. My life has acquired a golden thread, linking generations with our amazing heritage.
Thank you.

I started learning daf in January, 2020, being inspired by watching the Siyyum Hashas in Binyanei Haumah. I wasn’t sure I would be able to keep up with the task. When I went to school, Gemara was not an option. Fast forward to March, 2022, and each day starts with the daf. The challenge is now learning the intricacies of delving into the actual learning. Hadran community, thank you!

התחלתי להשתתף בשיעור נשים פעם בשבוע, תכננתי ללמוד רק דפים בודדים, לא האמנתי שאצליח יותר מכך.
לאט לאט נשאבתי פנימה לעולם הלימוד .משתדלת ללמוד כל בוקר ומתחילה את היום בתחושה של מלאות ומתוך התכווננות נכונה יותר.
הלימוד של הדף היומי ממלא אותי בתחושה של חיבור עמוק לעם היהודי ולכל הלומדים בעבר ובהווה.

I started my Daf Yomi journey at the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic.

In July, 2012 I wrote for Tablet about the first all women’s siyum at Matan in Jerusalem, with 100 women. At the time, I thought, I would like to start with the next cycle – listening to a podcast at different times of day makes it possible. It is incredible that after 10 years, so many women are so engaged!

I started learning Daf Yomi in January 2020 after watching my grandfather, Mayer Penstein z”l, finish shas with the previous cycle. My grandfather made learning so much fun was so proud that his grandchildren wanted to join him. I was also inspired by Ilana Kurshan’s book, If All the Seas Were Ink. Two years in, I can say that it has enriched my life in so many ways.

התחלתי ללמוד דף יומי אחרי שחזרתי בתשובה ולמדתי במדרשה במגדל עוז. הלימוד טוב ומספק חומר למחשבה על נושאים הלכתיים ”קטנים” ועד לערכים גדולים ביהדות. חשוב לי להכיר את הגמרא לעומק. והצעד הקטן היום הוא ללמוד אותה בבקיאות, בעזרת השם, ומי יודע אולי גם אגיע לעיון בנושאים מעניינים. נושאים בגמרא מתחברים לחגים, לתפילה, ליחסים שבין אדם לחברו ולמקום ולשאר הדברים שמלווים באורח חיים דתי 🙂

I went to day school in Toronto but really began to learn when I attended Brovenders back in the early 1980’s. Last year after talking to my sister who was learning Daf Yomi, inspired, I looked on the computer and the Hadran site came up. I have been listening to each days shiur in the morning as I work. I emphasis listening since I am not sitting with a Gamara. I listen while I work in my studio.

I started learning Daf in Jan 2020 with Brachot b/c I had never seen the Jewish people united around something so positive, and I wanted to be a part of it. Also, I wanted to broaden my background in Torah Shebal Peh- Maayanot gave me a great gemara education, but I knew that I could hold a conversation in most parts of tanach but almost no TSB. I’m so thankful for Daf and have gained immensely.