Guiding Values

"Why is learning compared to a fire?
Just like a fire burns stronger with many chips than with a single chip…
So too, the Torah grows stronger when studied by many students together than by one alone.”
- Tractate Taanit, 7a

On November 7, 2010, the Jewish people will look to this passage, and the pages in which it is found, to celebrate and strengthen our commitment to our texts and our heritage.

The guiding values of the Global Day of Jewish Learning are each exemplified in that passage: the power of community, the right of every Jew to Jewish education, the warmth and light of the texts that define us.

Taanit, the tractate of Talmud that will be among the focuses of the Global Day of Jewish Learning, explores the cycles of the Jewish calendar and its rhythm of commemoration and celebration. It deals, as well, with miracles, marriage and memory, among other compelling issues. This rich volume enables communities around the world to engage with the same primary source, even as they study diverse topics and themes. Through our study of this tractate we will be celebrating both our unity and our diversity.

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s commentary on Taanit has been translated into Hebrew, English, Spanish, French, and Russian. As Tractate Taanit celebrates the triumphs of Jewish unity, the power of devotion, and the bonds between our people, our history, and our texts, so will we.