90198 - Jewish Language and Culture 2A

Learning outcomes

The student, after having taken the course "Hebrew language and Jewish Culture" is provided with sufficient grammatical, hitorical, literary and anthropological information to be able to read Biblical texts and, with some assistance, also of ancient and late ancient Rabbinical tests, especially the Mishnah and Jewish Medieval exegetical and juridical literature. The first module of the second year, therefore, will focus on the reading and analysis of increasingly complex Rabbinical tests, starting with ethical (Pirqe Avot) and normative texts (tractates Berakot, Niddah, Shabbat). At the end of the module, the students will be able to translate, interpret and analyze chosen texts from the Mishnah putting them into the appropriate historical and cultural context.

Course contents

The course aims at introducing the students, already sufficiently fluent in Biblical Hebrew, to Mischnaic Hebrew and to the Rabbinic  literature. 

After a general introduction on the Mishnah, its history and its structure, the tractate Sotah of the Order Nashim (Women) will be read and commented.

Students not attending the lectures are kindly required to contact the lecturer (via e-mail or during his speaking time) in order to receive a specific programme and further bibliography to be prepared for the oral examination. 

Readings/Bibliography

- M. Pérez Fernández, An Introductory Grammar of Rabbinic Hebrew, Brill, Leiden 1999.

- M. H, Segal, A Grammar of Mishnaic Hebrew, Clarendon Press, Oxoford 1979.

- P. Blackman, Mishnayoth, vol. II Order Mo'ed, Judaica Press, Gateshead 1973.

- H. Danby, The Mishnah. Translated from the Hebrew with Introduction and Brief Explanatory Notes, Hendrickson, Peabody 2012.

- Ch. Albeck, Einführung in die Mischna, De Gruyter, Berlin 1971.

- Ch. Albeck, Shisha Sidre Mishnah, vol. II Seder Mo'ed, Mossad Bialik, Jerusalem 1973, pp. 385-401.

 

 

 

Teaching methods

traditional lecture / seminarial

Assessment methods

Students who attend at least 75% of the lessons are considered to be attending.

oral exam.

The exam candidates will receive a note falling into one of four assessment ranges: 1) excellent (28-30 cum laude); 2) good (24-27); 3) sufficient (18-23); insufficient (fail), according to their capacity to express themselves, to articulate their knowledge and to answer appropriately to the questions of the instructor.

 

Students with disabilities and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible ( https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Exams

During the academic year 2025-2026 exams will be held in the following months: 

January

March

May

July

October

December

 

 

 

 

Teaching tools

The lecturer will distribute during the lecture and on the virtual page of the course additional materials supporting the learning process and the discussion. 

Office hours

See the website of Saverio Campanini