Welcome to The Oral Talmud!
Below you will find the original video recording of this episode, the core Talmud sources from the conversation (click their citation hyperlinks to find the texts in their fuller context), and a section of Further Learning (links to books, articles, and additional resources mentioned by our hosts). And remember, the most fulfilling way to deepen your learning is to find a chevruta (a study partner) to share it with!
About this episode & Questions to ask yourself and/or a chevruta as you encounter this conversation:
This week Dan & Benay learn with special guest Ilana Kurshan, author of the award-winning “If All the Seas Were Ink: A Memoir” (2017) through the lens of Daf Yomi, the practice of studying a whole page of Talmud each day. Ilana Kurshan has worked in literary publishing both in New York and in Jerusalem as a translator and foreign rights agent, and as the books editor of Lilith Magazine. Since our interview, she has published, “Children of the Book: A Memoir of Reading Together” (2025) about raising kids and a love of books.
Long-time listeners of The Oral Talmud will have picked up on split opinions between Dan & and Benay regarding the practice of Daf Yomi, and Ilana joins perfectly suited to plead the case for this fast-paced daily learning!
- What’s at stake in different methods of Talmud study?
- How can a reader avoid giving up when the Talmud gets boring?
- How can we find additional excitement when starting a new masechet (tractate/volume)?
- What are the unique benefits and spiritual opportunities of Daf Yomi?
- What happens when we bring our own literary and background interests as lenses to Talmud?
- And, in the end, how can we avoid a passive learning position in Daf Yomi (or in any method of study) and always ensure that our learning is empowering?
Interview and discussion of Daf Yomi (the contemporary practice of studying one page of Talmud every day) with Ilana Kurshan, author of If All the Seas Were Ink: A Memoir
References and Further Reading
[1] Ilana Kurshan’s website where you can find her books and appearances.
[2] Daf Yomi has been in cycle since 1923/5683, more on the origins at Wikipedia
[3] “Shnayim SheHem Arbah/Two That Are Four” as an example of Talmud categorization, found on Shabbat 2a
[4] “Marginalia” by Billy Collins (read with annotations on Genius)
[5] Martin Luther’s 95 Theses (on Wikipedia)
[6] The Concorde Fallacy aka Sunk Cost (on Wikipedia)
[7] Dvrei Elohim Hayyim “Words of the Living God” a reference to Eruvin 13b, Listen to “The Oral Talmud: Episode 19 - The Eilu v’Eilu Episode”
[8] The Story of the Man Whose Tzitzit Hit Him in The Face When He Visits a Sex Worker is on Menachot 44a
[9] For “Har Sinai is standing over my head like a bucket” (Shabbat 88) listen to “The Oral Talmud: Episode 2: Voiding the Torah”
[10] Pinchas Kehati wrote a much loved commentary on the Mishnah (Wikipedia bio)
[11] For “Rabbi Elazar’s Cow” listen to “The Oral Talmud: Episode 10 - The Obligation to Protest (Shabbat 54b-55a)”
[12] For a compelling discussion of the risk of snakes drinking from water (and wine) left uncovered overnight, explore Avodah Zarah 30a
[13] The discussion on mechol ha’kerem and karachat ha’kerem, “that a vineyard has a dance around it and a bald spot” is on Eruvin 3b
[14] On the subject of the Chronicles of Narnia, the article “Why There Is No Jewish Narnia” by Michael Weingrad (2010, on Jewish Review of Books)
[15] Tzurat Ha’Petach “The Form of a Doorway” may be found from the first Mishnah of Masechet Eruvin (2a)
[16] The poet Rainer Maria Rilke’s biography on Wikipedia
[17] Demons appear in Talmud as early as Berakhot 3a in the first volume of Talmud
[18] The metaphor involving the Altar of Gold, Mizbe’ach Zahav (like the icing on the cake) is on Eruvin 19a
[19] For Moshe/Moses in Rabbi Akiva’s classroom, listen to “The Oral Talmud: Episode 9 - Turning Around”
[21] Hashgachah meaning Divine Providence or superstition (entry in the Jewish English Lexicon)
[22] Pirkei Avot 1:12 “Hillel used to say: be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving mankind and drawing them close to the Torah.”
[23] For Rabbi Meir studying with Rabbi Ishmael to gemar his gemara and then coming back to Rabbi Akiva to savar his svara, listen to “The Oral Talmud: Episode 15 - Svara’ing Your Svara (Eruvin 13a and Sotah 20a)”
[24] A Prozdor is a Vestibule/Corridor (for metaphorical example find Pirkei Avot 4:16)
[25] Ilana Kurshan's ELI Talk on her book “If All the Seas Were Ink” (on YouTube)
[26] Sefaria has a collection of source on Bitul Torah “Nullification of Torah”
[27] Kavod Ha’Brioy “Honouring the Creation” (Wikipedia entry)
[28] Rav Kahana hiding under Rav’s bed is Berakhot 62a
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Learn more Talmud with Benay Lappe at SVARA by checking out www.svara.org
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