Facing the Unforeseen: Berakhot Perek 9
Day:
Wednesday
Date:
October 7 - November 4, 2026
Time:
8:00 am - 9:00 am EDT
Teacher:
Dr. Elana Stein Hain
Location:
Upper West Side of NYC
Description
Unlike perakim 1-8 of Masechet Berachot, which discuss consistent tefillah and berachot requirements (Shema, Shemoneh Esreh, Consumption), the 9th perek discusses berachot made on encounters that are not necessarily part of daily life, and maybe even that we would not wish to encounter in daily life. In fact, a particular concern of the perek is how to react to bad news. The perek attempts to ritualize integrating these encounters – places, things, experiences – into one’s Jewish life/personality. Given our current sense as Jews that we are encountering many things we may never have encountered before, and especially those which are challenging or upsetting, I want to spend time in this perek as foundational thinking for us in this time.
We will have a series of 4 shiurim, one hour apiece, in which we will learn Chazal, rishonim and contemporary scholarship to elucidate the ideas of the Mishnah and Gemara of this perek.
Registration for this course is limited to 15 participants.
Dates: October 7th, 14th, 21st, and November 4. No class 10/28.
Time: 8-9am
Location: IN PERSON at a private home on W 86th St on the Upper West Side of NYC
(Address provided after registration)
Sponsored by Allie Alperovich & Yuri Simon in memory of Dr. Elaine Golden Robison, who loved learning Gemara at Drisha.
Co-Sponsored by the Shalom Hartman Institute.
Teacher
Dr. Elana Stein Hain is the Rosh Beit Midrash and Senior Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute. She formerly served as clergy at both Lincoln Square Synagogue and the Jewish Center. She authored, Circumventing the Law: Rabbinic Perspectives on Loopholes and Legal Integrity and hosts the bi-weekly podcast, TEXTing, which brings Torah into conversation with the issues of today.
