In the book “It Takes Two to Torah” (Fig Tree Books), Abigail Pogrebin and Rabbi Dov Linzer model the chavruta, the method of studying Jewish texts in pairs. The idea behind learning in pairs is to engage in ideas outside your own perspective.
Learning with a study partner can clarify and sharpen one’s understanding of the text. A partner can provide a different valuable perspective on the text, even if they bring a different level of learning to the study.
Most of the traditional Jews who study in a chavruta don’t think of pairing an Orthodox rabbi and a Reform journalist. But as Rabbi Linzer explains in the introduction to the book, “I’d overlooked what it means to be a true learner. It’s not just the hours one spends with their head buried in a book. It’s about engaging with other people and ideas, which may be radically different than your own. It’s about asking yourself: What can I learn from this other perspective.”
Pogrebin and Rabbi Linzer came together in the podcast “Parsha in Progress,” produced by Tablet magazine. The format was to explore one parsha at a time in 10-minute segments.
When the people of the Book asked if the full Torah exploration was available somewhere, Fig Tree Books saw that an audience existed to edit the podcasts and publish them in book form. The result is “It Takes Two to Torah.”
Pogrebin and Rabbi Linzer will discuss their project in two separate presentations on Sunday, Nov. 10, as part of the JCC Jewish Book & Arts Festival. They will present at 1:30 p.m., at Temple Sinai, 13875 Brimhurst Dr., in West Houston, and at 4 p.m., at the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC.
“It Takes Two to Torah” comes to us at a time of increasing political polarization, both in the U.S. and in Israel. Pogrebin and Rabbi Linzer model a conversation grounded in dignity and careful listening to the other side’s point of view.
Of course, they’re talking Torah. But talking Torah doesn’t preclude people who stigmatize those who hold a contrary opinion as bad and immoral.
An example of how to deal with contrary views can be found throughout the book. One example is found in the chapter on Parsha Tzav.
Pogrebin starts by expressing her view that the Altar for sacrifices is an “antiquated and repugnant way to connect to the Divine.”
Rabbi Linzer responds, “I personally would not use the word ‘repugnant,’ but I get your point.”
Pogrebin zeros in on the Ner Tamid, the eternal fire as a symbol of Jewish perseverance and endurance. Rabbi Linzer replies that he identifies with the sense of Jewish endurance, “but when I think of what Judaism is about, that is a factor but not a central one” he adds.
Pogrebin wants clarification.
Rabbi Linzer says, “Maybe it’s a core element if I think about the Jewish people, but if I think about Judaism, I think of other things, like learning Torah, doing mitzvot and living an ethical, moral life and doing all of these in the context of our larger relationship with G-d and within community.
“… If we focus on [endurance] as central to our identity, then the message is, ‘You should give to the Federation in order to ensure that we should continue to exist, which is, to me, a completely uninspiring message. … To me, the better question is, Why is it important for Jews to continue?”
A little later, Rabbi Linzer admits he may have come on too strong in order to make a point and offers a view that bridges the gap between the points of view. This is an example of argument for the sake of heaven, which is the point of listening to views different from your own.
Pogrebin and Rabbi Linzer offer an inspiring model of where such “argument” may lead.
This post was originally published on here
