Torah Study - The Art of the Question

It all begins with the question! “I don’t understand what this means.” “I don’t think this makes any sense.” “How could this be true if…?” The Torah is much more than mere facts. It is wisdom and a way of life. To access this wisdom it is essential to first question what the Torah is really saying and what it really means. A fact is all but meaningless if it has not been understood and accepted by the student. That is why all learning at Yeshivat Torat Chaim revolves around questioning and understanding. Only when the student feels free and comfortable to ask their questions can we hope to open their hearts and minds to all that the Torah is trying to tell us.

In order to faciliate this intellectually honest and engaging approach to learning Torah, classes are kept purposely small and intimate. Indeed, class may be the wrong word, a group discussion is probably more accurate. The students and rabbis discuss what they learn, think about it, and try to understand how best to incorporate what they learn into their lives. To that extent Yeshivat Torat Chaim works hard to find only the best teachers, ones who understand the Torah, life and people in a unique and profound way. By combining the best teachers with small, personal study groups, Yeshivat Torat Chaim is able to ensure that our students don’t just study the Torah, but rather make it a part of who they are in the most meaningful sense possible.

There is another advantage of studying in small groups, it helps ensure that each student gets the instruction and attention that he needs. We take very seriously the guidance of Chazal to teach each student according to their needs. Indeed, we see no other way to honestly educate our students in the ways and wisdoms of the Torah.

There is one last point that needs to be emphasized. Torah study for us is not just an intellectual activity, but rather a means of helping us to actualize our innermost potential. We grow through (or with the help of) the Torah. This last point helps define Yeshivat Torat Chaim as a whole. We are intersted in the entire student.  We want them to return from their year in Yeshiva as more mature, developed human beings, and and to look back at their year at Yeshivat Torat Chaim knowing that they are better people for having walked through our doors.