The Rhythm of the Gemara
In order to feel comfortable learning Gemara, one must get a feel for the Gemara's unique rhythm. The Gemara's rhythm alternates between sources and discussion, where the sources are quotes from earlier works, and the discussion is a round-table dialogue which includes
kashyas, questions, proofs, and answers.
The unique approach of this book comes from its attempt to read the Gemara from this macro level of sources and discussion instead of beginning with the time-honored tradition of analyzing the words of the Gemara line after line and explaining them. Our goal is to first enable the student to feel comfortable with the whole, only later bringing him to an understanding of the parts.
Today, in any published book, it is a given that cited material will have undergone a rigorous editorial process so that a complete idea can be expressed in an organized and grammatically correct fashion. This was also true in the time of the Gemara, where sources also adhered to particular rules of grammar and language usage. However, confusing the issue, each one of the Gemara's types of sources has its own rules of presentation, language usage, and style. Some types of sources even require that we ask: Does this type of source explicitly state its messages, or are we expected to delve to find the hidden messages within it? Happily, however, once the pattern for a certain source type has been established, the student can use this code to unlock the contents of all other sources of that type.
In contrast, the pattern of the discussion, while more complex than the patterns of the various source types, is also more uniform. Its shape is that of a dialogue or round-table discussion. Reading it is like studying the protocol of a committee meeting or of a group discussion - brainstorming abounds as the reader experiences the points and counterpoints of the Gemara. The discussion can be made up of comments, queries, and brief questions each dealing with a different issue, or it may be comprised of lengthy arguments containing many different components.
We can perceive in the various parts of the discussion radically different emotions. The person attacking the stated position of his colleague may emit a certain aggressiveness, while the respondent may be calm and self-assured. A question may seem relatively meek and hesitant, while an attempted proof may either be uttered in a strong, self-confident tone, or with a sense of humility and searching. Thus, one who reads the Gemara with a sensitivity to the emotions and vitality contained in it will express many types of emotions which will fascinate both him and his listeners.
By locating and setting the sources' boundaries at the beginning of one's study, islands of calm are established in the Talmudic ocean. These islands become the foundation for the Gemara's discussion, enabling the student to begin studying the discussion after he has studied the source on its own. While studying the discussion, the student will become aware of many rules, some still unwritten, which will help him navigate the rough seas of the Gemara. Should he feel lost in the heavy weather of the discussion, he can return to the reassuring harbor of the source to calm down, and prepare himself to re-enter the ocean of the Talmud.
In musical terms, the source itself may be described as calm music, largo, while the discussion may be described as stirring and upbeat music, allegro. The movement between these two forms of music creates a sense of tension and interest - a sense of symphony.
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