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Yeshiva (
Hebrew, pl. Yeshivos) is an institution for the study of
Torah. As covered here it refers to Lithuanian Yeshivos. (Institutions based on the model that was developed by Jews in
Lithuania).
The largest Yeshivos currently include Beis Medrash Govoha of Lakewood, NJ, The Mirrer Yeshiva of Jerusalem and The Pononvezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak[?], a suburb of Tel Aviv.
There are three types of Yeshivos:
- Yeshiva High School - also called Mesivta, combines a secular high school education together with Torah Study
- Beis Medrash - Is for High School Graduates
- Kollel - For married students
They following is a typical daily schedule for Beis Medrash students
- 7:00 am - Optional Seder (Study Session)
- 7:30 am - Shacharis (morning prayers)
- 8:30 am - Halacha Seder
- 9:00 am - Breakfast
- 9:30 am - Morning Seder - In depth study of Gemara
- 12:30 pm - Lecture - Advanced students sometimes dispense with this lecture
- 1:30 pm - Lunch
- 2:45 pm - Mincha - afternoon prayers
- 3:00 pm - Second Seder - Rapid Gemara study
- 7:00 pm - Supper
- 8:00 pm - Night Seder - Review of lecture, or study of choice.
- 9:25 pm - Mussar Seder - Study of Jewish Ethics
- 9:45 pm - Maariv - Evening Prayers
- 10:00 pm - Optional Seder
This schedule is generally maintained Sunday through Thursday. Fridays afternoons are free and Saturdays have a special Shabbos(Sabbath) schedule.
The year is divided into three periods called zmanim. Elul[?] zman starts from the beginning of the Jewish month of Elul and extends until the end of Yom Kippur. This is the shortest (approx. six weeks), but most intense zman as it comes before the Yamim Noraim[?] (High Holidays[?]).
Winter zman starts after Succos and lasts until after Purim, a duration of five months, or six months on a leap year.
Summer zman starts after Pesach (Passover) and lasts until the beginning of the Jewish month of Av, a duration of three months.
Studying is usually done together with a partner called a Chavrusa.
The most common text studied is the
Mishna Berura[?] written by the
Chofetz Chaim[?]. The Mishna Berura is a compilation of all Halachic opinions rendered after the time of the writing of the Shulchan Aruch.
A week is typically taken to study one Amud (column or page) of Gemara (Talmud).
Study partners read a few lines together with Rashi (a commentary on the Talmud) and Tosfos[?] (another commentary), and then look at various other Meforshim (commentators).
Typically an Amud is covered each day, and only the only commentary used is Rashi.
The preeminent Mussar text studied in
Yeshivos is the
Mesilas Yesharim[?] (Path of the Just). It was written by
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato. It was lauded by Rabbi Eliayahu of
Vilna (
Vilna Gaon[?]) for not having any words that did not convey important information.
Other prominent Sefarim[?] include:
The weekly Torah portion is usually read together with Rashi and an Aramaic translation by Onkelos.
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