Torah Means Teacher (TMT) was created as a byproduct of a class I’ve been teaching at Congregation Beth Yeshurun in Houston, TX.  The “Torah” is the five books of Moses (a.k.a.: Pentateuch):

1. Genesis “Breishit”
2. Exodus “Shmot”
3. Leviticus “Vayikra”
4. Numbers “Bamidbar”
5. Deuteronomy “Devarim”

My class started in 2010 as an experiment.  I had been doing d’var Torah (basically sermons on Shabbat) for the last couple years, and participating in speeches and debates regarding Judaism and Jewish life.  Apperantly, people liked what I had to say and were at least intrigued enough to want more.  And so my Torah class was created at the Beth Yeshurun for their Akiba curriculum (adult education classes).  The class was experimental in that:

• I am not Rabbi.
  • Akiba classes have been traditionally taught by Rabbis, and understandably so.
• I was going to teach the Torah verse by verse.
  • Most classes are thematic, or based on an overview of a Torah portion – not line by line, methodical dissection.
• I had no prepared curriculum.
  • The rabbi asked that I start with Exodus, so I just started teaching with Exodus 1:1… The Torah is my curriculum.

Thankfully, I have tremendous resources to draw upon.  My education and return to Judaism was initiated by the ChaBaD Lubavitch.  They are a Chasidic group who does tremendous work to get Jews involved with Judaism, and Non-Jews to get involved with Ethical Monotheism.  Along my way with Chabad, I rediscovered my old teacher from childhood, Dennis Prager.  When I was a child living in Los Angeles I listened to Dennis Prager on the radio (Religion on the Line, and now the Dennis Prager Show).  Eventually, he taught me the entire Torah as an adult through his verse by verse Torah class at the University of Judaism which is available to purchase (I think over 300 cd’s, link here).  R’Prager’s classes and teachings are a wellspring of inspiration and insight into Torah and Judaism, and have been a true resource for my own class.  Thank you rabbi Prager, I would not be who I am today as a man, Jew, American, husband, father, or son were it not for all you have taught, and continue to teach me as well as countless others.

Rabbinic Resources Commonly Relied Upon for Torah Means Teacher:

• Dennis Prager
• Umberto Cassuto
• Jacob Milgrom
• Nahum Sarna
• Nehama Leibowitz
• Joseph Telushkin
• Abraham Joshua Heschel
• Leon Kass

These are the modern commentaries I most draw from.  Of course, I read and utilize the Chazal (Sages) as well. Rashi, RamBam, RamBan, Ibn Ezra, and Abravanel are  frequently referenced, but more often I look to modern authors as they include the sages in their commentary as well.

I will include a page for reference books here.

Most of the people in class are reading from the same chumashim (Torah books), as they are supplied by Beth Yeshurun, they are called “Etz Chaim”.  Etz Chaim is a decent chumash with a readable translation, and good commentary throughout.  I however use many different books for class, though the ones most often relied upon (because it has the most of my personal notes in them) are the JPS Torah Commentary Series (5 separate books) EXCEPT for Leviticus.  Without a doubt, Jacob Milgrom’s books on Leviticus “Vayikra” are the best in my opinion – nothing else compares.  Thank you Rabbi Milgrom, you changed my life.

At this point in the class you would only need to purchase books about Exodus, as this is the book we are still working through (as of 2013.) My class at Beth Yeshurun is typically once a week (Sundays from 10:00-11:00am ~ You are invited to attend), though sometimes we miss due to Holy days or other miscellaneous scheduling concerns.

I will be posting the blog and podcast weekly.  There are some classes where the audio quality is terrible. I greatly apologize… it gets better, I promise.  I learned a tremendous amount about audio recording in the process of also learning how to articulate Torah insights.  The quality of my class improves as well… I apologize for my poor performances.

Please continue to listen and post your questions, comments, or ideas.  You can use the comment area. Or if you prefer to keep things private, you can email me at roman@torahmeansteacher.com.

Thank you and may God bless you for engaging with the Torah, the greatest instruction manual ever written.  For it is a tree of life for those who hold  fast to it.