Midrash

Professors
Alan Cooper, Bible
Judith Hauptman, Talmud and Rabbinics
David Kraemer, Talmud and Rabbinics
Burton Visotzky, Talmud and Rabbinics, Program Adviser

Associate Professor
Robert Harris, Bible

The program in Midrash is interdisciplinary, designed to enable students to gain expertise in the broad varieties of rabbinic biblical exegesis and rabbinic narrative. Students are exposed to critical study of the Bible, Talmud and codes; current methodologies in the study of Midrash; and appropriate cognate literatures. Background is offered in the social history of late antiquity. A concentration in Midrash focuses on exegesis of rabbinic texts from the second through the twelfth centuries.

Degrees

Bachelor of Arts
Master of Arts
Doctor of Hebrew Literature
Doctor of Philosophy

Bachelor of Arts

Admission Requirements
For admission to List College, please click here.

Degree Requirements
From the Core Curriculum

  • TAL 1011–2011: Introduction to Rabbinic Literature (3 credits)
  • TAL 1021: Introduction to Talmud I (3 credits)
  • TAL 1022: Introduction to Talmud II (3 credits)

For Midrash Majors
Twenty-one credits beyond the core curriculum as follows:

  • TAL 3323: Mishnah for Majors (3 credits)
  • One Talmud text course, numbered 3000 or higher
  • One parshanut or biblical narrative course
  • MID 3944: Midrash for Majors (3 credits)
  • 6 additional credits in Midrash (MID 6101: Introduction to Exegesis [3 credits] is recommended)
  • One course in the cognate literature of the period (e.g., New Testament, patristics, Greco-Roman literature, Islamic or gnostic literature) or in the social history of the period (taken at JTS, Columbia University, Barnard College or Union Theological Seminary)
Master of Arts

Admission Requirements
For admission to The Graduate School, please click here.

Degree Requirements
Courses
Students entering the program will be expected to take the following courses, or their equivalent, if they have not had the equivalent previously:

  • BIB 5013: Pentateuch with Rashi
  • MID 5022: Midrash for Beginners

Students are permitted to register for courses counting toward the degree while fulfilling these prerequisites.

In addition to courses required of all students in The Graduate School, 30 graduate credits are required as follows:

  • MID/MDS 6101: Introduction to Exegesis (3 credits)
  • MID 6307: Miqraot Gedolot I (3 credits)
  • MID 8525–8526: Critical Methods I and II (6 credits)
  • HIS 6117: Jews and Judaism in the Ancient World (3 credits)
  • 6 credits of electives in Midrash, Talmud or codes at the 5000 level or above
  • 9 credits chosen in consultation with the adviser

Comprehensive Examinations
Oral: Students must exhibit the ability to read and translate with fluency from an unmarked text (previously prepared): fifty chapters of Genesis Rabbah, all of Leviticus Rabbah or the equivalent (with approval of the adviser).

Written: Students must answer essay questions on a reading list (to be determined annually by the adviser).

Doctor of Hebrew Literature

Admission Requirements
For admission to The Graduate School, please click here.

Additionally, students must have a master’s degree or its equivalent in Midrash or a cognate field with the approval of the Midrash program adviser.

Degree Requirements
Courses
In addition to courses required of all students in The Graduate School, 30 graduate credits beyond the MA are required as follows:

  • MID 8525–8526: Critical Methods I and II (if students have already taken 8525–8526, they are required to add 6 credits in Midrash)
  • One doctoral-level course in Midrash aggadah
  • One course in Midrash halakhah
  • One course in codes
  • One course in Talmud
  • At least one course in cognate studies is strongly recommended (e.g., Roman social history, Roman religions, Introduction to Christianity to 325, Introduction to New Testament, Patristic Literature, Introduction to Islam, Introduction to Quran and Hadith)
  • Other courses to be selected in consultation with the adviser

Comprehensive Examinations
Upon satisfactory completion of all coursework, the student will take two examinations as follows:

  • Oral: Student must demonstrate expertise in Genesis Rabbah, Leviticus Rabbah plus one-half of Genesis Rabbah, or the equivalent amount of text (with approval of adviser).
  • Written: Student must compose an extensive reading list with the advice of the adviser. The list shall survey major critical contributions to the field of Midrash and emphasize those works that formed the direction of critical studies during the last two centuries. The final reading list, on which the candidate will be examined, requires the approval of the program faculty.

Dissertation
A competent piece of research that constitutes a contribution to the field.

Doctor of Philosophy

Admission Requirements
For admission to The Graduate School, please click here.

Additionally, students must have a master’s degree or its equivalent in Midrash or a cognate field with the approval of the Midrash program adviser.

Degree Requirements
Languages
In addition to French and German, required of all students in The Graduate School, reading proficiency must be demonstrated in Greek and any other language the adviser deems necessary for the dissertation (e.g., Arabic, Syriac, Latin, etc).

Courses
In addition to courses required of all students required of all students in The Graduate School, 30 graduate credits beyond the MA are required as follows:

  • MID 8525–8526: Critical Methods I and II (if students have already taken 8525–8526, they are required to add 6 credits in Midrash)
  • Two doctoral-level courses in Midrash aggadah
  • One course in Midrash halakhah
  • One course in Talmud
  • One course in codes
  • One or more courses in cognate studies (e.g., Roman social history, Roman religions, Introduction to Christianity to 325, Introduction to New Testament, Patristic Literature, Introduction to Islam, Introduction to Quran and Hadith)
  • Other courses to be selected with consent of adviser in rabbinics or cognate fields

Comprehensive Examinations
Upon satisfactory completion of all coursework, the student will take two examinations as follows:

  • Oral: Student must demonstrate critical expertise in Genesis Rabbah (with the Theodor/Albeck commentary), Leviticus Rabbah (with Margulies commentary) plus one-half of Genesis Rabbah (with commentary), or the equivalent amount of text (with approval of adviser).
  • Written: Student must compose an extensive reading list with the advice of the adviser. The list shall survey major critical contributions to the field of Midrash and emphasize those works that formed the direction of critical studies during the last two centuries. The final reading list, on which the candidate will be examined, requires the approval of the program faculty.

Dissertation
An original piece of research that advances knowledge in the candidate’s field of specialization.

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