One Shabbos afternoon in Camp Munk during the summer of 1976, a child suffered a head injury, and the camp driver was summoned to take him to the local hospital for treatment. As staff members carefully settled the child into the car, Rabbi Dovid Cohen, shlit״a, who served as the rabbinic authority for Camp Munk, calmly and decisively provided the driver with the necessary Shabbos-related halachic guidance.
The following week, Reb Dovid announced that his regularly scheduled Shabbos afternoon shiur would be devoted to explaining why he had given those specific instructions, and what had gone through his mind as he made those weighty decisions.
It was profoundly moving to sit and listen as he effortlessly wove together so many strands of Torah—sources from Gemara, halacha, and teshuvos—along with what he had heard from the leading Gedolim of that time, and what those Gedolim themselves had received from their rebbeim and from seforim of earlier generations.
At that point in my life, I had not yet found my footing in Gemara learning, and much of Reb Dovid's extraordinary shiur was beyond me. And yet, nearly fifty years later, I can still see myself sitting there, filled with awe and admiration, wondering how many lifetimes Reb Dovid must have lived to have learned, internalized, and retained so much Torah—and to have been able to draw upon it all on a moment's notice just the Shabbos before.
More than anything else, I remain deeply grateful to Reb Dovid for allowing us into his thought process that afternoon—for showing us, not just telling us, how a posek thinks; how Torah is carried with humility and responsibility; and how a lifetime of faithful learning is brought to bear when it matters most. In that moment, something deep in my relationship with Gemara quietly shifted. Not because I suddenly understood more, but because I had been given a precious glimpse of where it all leads. From that point on, Gemara was no longer an abstract intellectual pursuit; it was the living foundation of psak and of Jewish life.
I hope and pray that you, too, will be zoche to have rebbeim like Reb Dovid, and to moments like this—that open the heart, deepen one's connection to Torah, and reveal the beauty of our mesorah, showing how faithful, lifelong learning can illuminate and guide real life.
These pages were carefully designed to serve as a "stand-alone" resource, while simultaneously offering learners the opportunity to do a "deep dive" with extensive footnotes, many of them referencing Artscroll's "Introduction to Talmud" (ITT).
(need to add something here, discuss with Gedaliah - Y.H)
In writing this sefer, it was important to state clearly what it is intended to accomplish, and to manage expectations accordingly. Its purpose may be summarized as follows:
Upon completing this sefer, the learner will have acquired the foundational skills necessary to independently learn and retain Mishnah and Gemara, with the aid of ArtScroll's Mishnah and Gemara learning tools.
Stated differently, this work is intended to serve as an entry point for learners with limited or no background in Gemara, enabling them to benefit meaningfully from its study.
This aim was shaped, in part, by a conversation with a distinguished professional who became religiously observant later in life. Years after his initial commitment, he expressed a strong desire to engage seriously in Gemara learning. He had invested considerable effort—acquiring numerous English-language Gemara editions and attending many shiurim—yet found himself unable to progress.
He observed that these excellent resources presupposed a degree of familiarity and a set of foundational skills that he had never been taught. His difficulty lay not in motivation or ability, but in the absence of an accessible starting point.
This sefer is written for learners in similar circumstances. Its goal is to establish those foundational elements that are often assumed, so that further study can proceed with clarity and confidence.
This work is offered with humility and a sense of responsibility. If it assists learners in taking their initial steps toward independent Gemara learning, it will have achieved its aim.
May you be zocheh to clarity and steadiness in learning, and may these beginnings lead to your continued growth in Torah study.
At Har Sinai, Hashem gave Moshe Rabbeinu the Torah in two inseparable forms: the Written Torah (Torah Shebiksav) and the Oral Torah (Torah Sheb'al Peh). Each was given to fulfill a distinct and complementary role in the transmission of the Torah and its observance.
The Written Torah consists of the Five Books of the Torah given to Moshe Rabbeinu at Har Sinai. It presents the mitzvos and teachings of the Torah in precise and deliberately concise language, often without detailing the manner of their practical fulfillment.
This concision is intentional. The Written Torah establishes the authoritative text of Divine law, defining what Hashem commands, while frequently leaving unstated how those commands are to be carried out. Central areas of Jewish observance such as Shabbos, Tefillin, Kashrus, and ritual slaughter are mentioned explicitly, yet their correct observance cannot be derived from the written text alone.
By design, the Written Torah is fixed and eternal in its wording. It serves as the immutable foundation of Jewish law. At the same time, its brevity necessitates an accompanying explanatory tradition, through which its meaning is preserved and its application ensured in every generation.
Consider a job interview scenario: when a shul is hiring someone to supervise children during services, an employer doesn't outline every single detail during the initial conversation. Instead, they provide the big picture - supervise the children, keep things interesting, allow parents to pray without being disturbed - and work out the specifics later.
The Written Torah functions similarly. It presents the big picture. Opening a Chumash reveals that all the complicated rules of tefillin or Shabbos are condensed into just a few verses. For example: "Remember the day of Shabbos and keep it holy. You work for six days; the seventh day you rest." - Shemos (Exodus) 20:8-10 Gedaliah, should we add more sources for pesukim?
Where are all the detailed laws? What constitutes "work"? What about electricity, which didn't exist in biblical times? These details exist in the Oral Torah - the Mishnah and Gemara - which provides the explanatory framework for understanding and applying the Written Torah's principles.
The Oral Torah preserves the authoritative explanation of the Written Torah as transmitted from Moshe Rabbeinu onward. Through it, the meaning, scope, and practical application of the Written Torah were conveyed faithfully from teacher to disciple across generations.
As noted above, Hashem gave Moshe both the Written Torah and the Oral Torah during his forty days on Har Sinai. The voluminous content of the Oral Torah was conveyed faithfully from Moshe Rabbeinu to his disciple Yehoshua, beginning an uninterrupted chain of Mesorah that continued for thirty-four generations. During the period of the Second Beis HaMikdash, however, the disruption and upheaval brought about by Roman occupation threatened the integrity of this transmission. (For an outstanding, in-depth treatment of the history of that period in Eretz Yisrael and Babylonia, see ITT pages 53-97. Gedaliah, should we add more footnotes for ITT?)
At that juncture, Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi citing the verse "eis la'asos La'Shem..." took the unprecedented step of committing the Oral Torah to writing. He gathered the sages of his generation and compiled the Mishnah, a concise written record of the Oral Torah, in order to preserve it for future generations. Although committed to writing, it continued to be regarded as part of the Oral Torah.
In later generations, motivated by similar concerns, the sages recorded the Gemara as well.
Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi organized the Mishnah into six books, or orders, called Shisha Sidrei Mishnah - this is where the word "Shas" comes from. The broad categories are:
Each Seder is divided into Masechtot (tractates), then into Perakim (chapters), and then individual Mishnayos (Reb Yehudah Hanasi did a remarkable job of pulling together all the oral teachings and making a user-friendly “filing system” so that learners could access all the information he committed to writing. In the vernacular, it is similar to the way we organize the folders and sub folders in our PC’s).
The Mishnah and the Gemara serve different purposes, and they are meant to feel different when you learn them.
The Mishnah tells you what Jewish law is. It presents the basic rules and categories in a short, direct style. It does not explain where the rules come from or how they were worked out. It assumes that background already exists and simply states the results. Because of this, the Mishnah can feel brief, orderly, and sometimes hard to unpack.
The Gemara comes afterward and explains the Mishnah. It asks simple but important questions: Why does the Mishnah say this? How do we know it is correct? What happens in related or unclear cases? The Gemara brings discussions, disagreements, examples, and real-life situations that help clarify how the law works. It shows the thinking process behind the rules, not just the rules themselves.
Learning Mishnah often feels neat and structured. Learning Gemara can feel challenging, and at times even confusing, because it does not move in a straight line. But that challenge is intentional. The Gemara is training the learner how to think about halacha, not just how to remember it.
A helpful way to think about it is this: the Mishnah gives you the final answer, while the Gemara shows you how that answer was reached.
Here are two everyday examples that may help:
If you missed an important meeting, reading the meeting notes would tell you what decisions were made. But if you could listen to the full discussion, you would understand much more—what questions were raised, what concerns came up, and why certain choices were made. The Mishnah is like the notes. The Gemara is like hearing the discussion itself.
When a referee makes a call in a game, you hear the decision right away. But when a commentator explains why the call was made, what the rules are and how they apply, you gain a much deeper understanding. If two commentators then debate the call, you learn even more. That kind of explanation and discussion is what the Gemara provides.
In short, the Mishnah gives you the structure of Jewish law, and the Gemara brings it to life by showing how it is understood, debated, and applied.
In September 1997, I was in an Israeli taxi listening to the radio, where a reporter was interviewing Rabbi Michel Zilber, one of the most prolific Gemara (Talmud) teachers of that generation. Having served as an eighth-grade Gemara rebbi (teacher) for fifteen years at that time, my ears perked up when the reporter asked the rabbi, "Were you at the top of your Gemara class in your formative years?" Rabbi Zilber responded, "No, I was quite average in ability and achievement. But after every Gemara class I attended, I carefully broke down the logical flow of the Gemara's give and take (shakla v'tarya), identified each step, and committed it to paper before I moved ahead to the next Gemara segment."
A man walks home from shul with his son and tells him we are having hamburgers for supper. On the way, the son asks, "How do you know we are having hamburgers?" The father answers, "I saw your mother defrosting chopped meat." The son responds, "Maybe she is making meat loaf." The father replies, "That is possible. But I also saw her place hamburger buns right next to the meat."
I imagine that Rabbi Zilber would correctly disassemble the conversation above into five logical components, using the same terminology that appears throughout the Gemara as presented by ArtScroll (please note: colors being used match factory default settings in the mobile app steps breakdown - see below "Key to Gemara's Logical Steps"):
"We are having hamburgers for supper."
"How do we know that supper will be hamburgers?"
"Mom is defrosting chopped meat."
"Perhaps the chopped meat is for meat loaf and does not prove we are having hamburgers."
"She also placed hamburger buns right next to the meat."
Carefully following and identifying the logical steps of discussions in Gemara is crucial for several reasons. The debates that take place in Gemara are not only about arriving at a conclusion (maskana), but also about understanding the reasoning (svara) and methodology behind the decisions. By following the logical steps of these discussions, one can better appreciate the nuances and depth of how our chachamim (sages) thought. The Gemara often employs intricate discussions, and missing a single step or misunderstanding a key argument can result in an underdeveloped understanding of the issue being addressed.
Furthermore, Gemara learning is characterized by its structured analytical approach. A statement is presented, a question is raised, an answer is offered, that answer is examined through inquiry, and finally a proof is brought to establish or reject it. This process is designed to sharpen one's thinking and to encourage careful examination of every assumption and position. Identifying the logical progression of each debate helps track the development of the discussion, which often involves contrasting opinions, qualifications, and apparent contradictions that are resolved through careful reasoning. By grasping this logical flow, learners can gain a deeper insight into how Halacha (Jewish law) evolves over time.
Moreover, careful attention to the logical steps ensures that one can engage in meaningful interpretation and application of the Gemara—which is much more than just a historical record but a living document that continues to inform contemporary Jewish practice. Understanding how our chachamim arrived at their conclusions allows for a more informed and reasoned application of these principles—and Halacha overall—to modern developments, like scientific and technological advances.
This logical structure can be seen clearly in the very opening Mishnah of Maseches Berachos. The Mishnah presents the issue of the nighttime recitation of Krias Shema:
"From when may one recite Krias Shema (the central biblical declaration of Jewish faith) at night?"
It then provides a ruling:
"From the time the kohanim (priests) enter to eat their teruma (the sanctified food given to priests)."
Someone trained in the Gemara's method would naturally break this Mishnah into the same logical steps:
There is a defined time at which the nighttime obligation of Krias Shema begins.
"From when may one recite Krias Shema at night?"
"From the time the kohanim enter to eat their teruma."
Is this time mentioned in order to define the beginning of halachic night for Shema, or is it cited only because it relates to the laws of ritual purity that govern when kohanim may eat teruma?
The Gemara analyzes the relevant verses and halachic framework and establishes that the time when kohanim may eat teruma corresponds to the onset of halachic night, thereby defining the beginning of the obligation to recite Krias Shema.
About forty years ago, when I was just beginning my career teaching Gemara, I once drove four businessmen to the airport, all of them in the floor-covering industry. For the entire hour they spoke nonstop "shop talk"—technical terms, shorthand, references to things obvious to them but meaningless to an outsider. I sat there completely lost.
When I dropped them off, it suddenly struck me: this is exactly how many beginners feel when they open a Gemara. We speak in "insider language," assuming background, logic structures, and unspoken steps that they simply don't have yet. Without someone quietly explaining what's really going on, they're shut out of the conversation.
That experience changed how I taught. I realized the learner doesn't just need translation—he needs a gentle companion who whispers the missing pieces, explains what the Gemara means, and guides him through the back-and-forth. And that's precisely what Artscroll's English Gemara does so brilliantly. The bold text gives you what the Gemara says. The regular text is the whisperer in your ear, filling in assumptions, clarifying the flow, and helping you feel like you're inside the sugya instead of listening from the hallway.
Imagine our married daughter sends me to the grocery store. She texts a simple list:
Sounds easy, right? Except... it isn't.
Because I don't shop regularly, she didn't factor in that I don't automatically know the "insider information" that she assumes:
Milk—whole? 2%? lactose-free?
Cheese—sliced? shredded? which brand?
Chicken—cutlets? thighs? skin on?
Yogurt—individual cups? family size? plain? vanilla? Greek?
So I'm standing there in the aisle, frustrated, surrounded by a thousand options, technically knowing the words on the list... but not actually knowing what to do with them. The words are clear; the meaning isn't.
That's where the "context whisperer" comes in.
A real shopping list for someone like me would look like this:
Same list. Same words. But now there's someone quietly "whispering" the missing assumptions and background that regular shoppers already know.
That's exactly what Artscroll does.
The bold text tells you the words.
The regular text whispers everything an experienced learner already knows—the background, assumptions, and context—so you're not standing in the Gemara aisle wondering which "milk" your rebbi meant.
Even if you translate the opening line of the Mishnah perfectly:
"From when do they read the Shema in the evenings?"
you still don't actually understand anything. A beginner is flooded with unanswered questions. A raw translation gives you the words, but it doesn't give you the world behind the words. That's why a "Gemara whisperer" is needed.
Here are the kinds of questions a normal learner immediately has:
None of that is in the words.
All of that lives in the background knowledge that Chazal assumed their readers already had.
That's why a "Gemara whisperer" is essential—whether it's a rebbi or Artscroll. The bold words tell you what the Gemara says. The whisperer quietly supplies everything the text leaves unstated: the halachic world, the assumptions, who's speaking, what problem is being solved, and why this matters. Without that, you're technically "reading," but practically locked out of understanding.
The Artscroll Schottenstein Talmud is one of the most widely used English translations of the Babylonian Talmud. Beyond simple translation, Artscroll provides learners with an extensive array of tools designed to give readers the background information and context they need to truly comprehend both the Mishnah and Gemara. This guide will walk you through these powerful learning aids, helping you maximize your Talmud study.
Before diving into the actual text of the Talmud, Artscroll provides several layers of introductory material to orient the learner. These introductions progress from the broadest context to the most specific, ensuring the reader understands the "big picture" before engaging with individual passages.
Each of the six Orders (Sedarim) of the Mishnah begins with a comprehensive introduction. For example, the introduction to Seder Zera'im (the Order of Seeds) explains:
The Seder introduction also includes detailed footnotes (labeled "NOTES") that provide scholarly sources and deeper explanations for those who wish to explore further. These notes reference classic commentaries such as the Rambam's Introduction to the Mishnah, Tosafos Yom Tov, and other authoritative sources.
Each tractate opens with its own "General Introduction." The introduction to Tractate Berachos (Blessings), for instance, covers:
Each chapter begins with an introduction that previews the specific topics to be discussed. The Chapter One introduction in Berachos explains:
Some Mishnayos have their own brief introductions that appear before the Mishnah text itself. These provide immediate context for the specific legal discussion that follows, explaining any necessary background concepts.
Once you begin learning the actual text, Artscroll provides several integrated features to help you understand the material.
The Artscroll translation uses a distinctive two-font system:
For example, where the Gemara tersely states "From when" (מאימתי), the Artscroll adds the explanatory text so it reads: "From when may we fulfill the obligation to recite the Shema in the evenings?" The words "may we fulfill the obligation to recite" appear in lighter font, indicating they are added for clarity.
The printed Artscroll identifies the logical flow of the Gemara's discussion by labeling key structural elements. You will see markers such as:
These labels help learners follow the back-and-forth dialectic that characterizes Talmudic reasoning.
Below the translation text on each page, you will find a comprehensive "NOTES" section. These notes provide:
The notes are numbered and correspond to superscript numbers in the translation text, allowing you to easily locate the relevant explanation.
The traditional Talmud page (daf) has two sides: "a" (amud aleph, the front) and "b" (amud beis, the back). Since the Artscroll translation spreads one side of a traditional page across multiple pages, they use a superscript numbering system:
This system allows you to easily reference specific locations that correspond to the traditional Vilna edition page numbers used universally in Talmud study.
Each Artscroll spread consists of two facing pages: one page contains the English translation with notes, and the opposite page displays the traditional Vilna Talmud layout, with the Gemara text in the center (Rashi and Tosafos commentaries surrounding it). Running along the edge of the Gemara text (not the commentaries) is a gray shaded bar that indicates exactly which portion of the Aramaic text is being translated on the facing Artscroll page.
As you flip through successive pages of the Artscroll (e.g., 2a¹, 2a², 2a³), you will notice this gray bar progressively moving down the side of the Gemara text. This visual marker allows you to see precisely which section of the original Gemara corresponds to the English translation you are reading.
For example, if you are on Artscroll translation page 2a¹ and want to locate the corresponding text in the Vilna layout, simply look at where the shaded bar appears on the Gemara text on the facing page. That highlighted section is what's being translated. This feature helps learners follow along with the traditional Talmud layout and makes it easier to transition to studying from a standard Gemara in the future.
At the back of each Artscroll Gemara volume, you will find a comprehensive glossary of Hebrew, Aramaic, and technical terms. This glossary defines concepts such as:
The glossary is arranged alphabetically and provides clear, concise definitions that help learners quickly look up unfamiliar terms.
The Scriptural Index lists every verse from Tanach (the Hebrew Bible) that is cited or discussed in the tractate. It is organized by book—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, etc.—and provides the specific page numbers where each verse appears.
For example, if you want to find everywhere Deuteronomy 6:7 (the verse about reciting the Shema "when you lie down and when you arise") is discussed, the Scriptural Index will point you to pages 2a², 4b³, 10b¹, and so on.
This is an invaluable resource for those studying the Biblical basis of Talmudic laws or tracing how a particular verse is interpreted throughout the tractate.
Artscroll offers a digital version of the Schottenstein Talmud through the Artscroll Digital Library app (available for iOS and Android). The app provides several features that enhance the learning experience beyond what the printed edition offers:
The Gemara frequently cites and interprets Biblical verses. While Artscroll provides translations of these verses within the Gemara, having access to the Artscroll Stone Edition Tanach allows for deeper study:
Before using the Artscroll Gemara, it is helpful to understand the terminology and layout of the standard Vilna Shas, as Artscroll's format is designed to complement this traditional edition.
The Talmud uses specific Hebrew and Yiddish terms for its pagination:
Daf (Hebrew, דף): Literally meaning "board" or "leaf," a daf refers to a single folio page, which has two sides. When someone says they are learning "daf 5," they mean both sides of that page.
Blatt (Yiddish, בלאַט): This is the Yiddish equivalent of daf, also meaning "leaf" or "page." You will often hear people say "today's blatt" when referring to their daily Talmud study.
Amud (Hebrew, עמוד): Literally meaning "column" or "pillar," an amud refers to one side of a daf. Each daf has two amudim.
Amud Aleph (עמוד א׳) or Side A: The front side of a daf, sometimes marked with a single dot (.) after the page number.
Amud Beis (עמוד ב׳) or Side B: The back side of a daf, sometimes marked with a colon (:) after the page number.
So when someone references "Berachos 2a," they mean Tractate Berachos, daf 2, amud aleph (the front side). "Berachos 2b" would be the back side of that same page.
Shas (ש״ס): An acronym for Shisha Sedarim, meaning "Six Orders," referring to the six divisions of the Mishnah. The term Shas is commonly used to refer to the entire Talmud.
You may notice that every tractate of the Talmud begins on page 2, not page 1. This practice originated from early printing customs: the title page of each tractate was counted as page 1, so the first page of actual Talmudic text became page 2. This standardized pagination was established by the Christian printer Daniel Bomberg in his Venice edition (1519-1523) and has been followed ever since, allowing Jews anywhere in the world to reference the exact same page.
Some offer additional interpretations: that page 1 represents reverence for God (Yirat Hashem), reminding us that awe and humility must precede learning; or that the missing page 1 symbolizes that there is always more Torah to learn, representing what we have yet to study.
The Vilna Shas, first printed in the 1880s by the Widow Romm and Brothers of Vilna, established the layout that virtually all printed Talmuds follow today. This layout is called the tzuras hadaf (form of the page). Understanding its structure will help you navigate both the traditional Gemara and the Artscroll edition:
The main Talmudic text appears in the center of the page. This includes the Mishnah (the earlier, foundational law code) and the Gemara (the later rabbinical discussion and analysis of the Mishnah). A new Mishnah section is introduced with the bolded abbreviation מתני׳ (for Mishnah), while a new Gemara section begins with גמ׳ (for Gemara). The first word of each tractate is set within a decorative border.
On the side of the page closest to the binding, you will find the commentary of Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (Rashi, 1040-1105). Rashi's commentary focuses on explaining the plain meaning of the text and is essential for basic comprehension. It is printed in a distinctive semi-cursive typeface known as "Rashi script."
On the outer edge of the page, opposite Rashi, are the Tosafos (literally "additions"). These are critical analyses written primarily by Rashi's students and descendants in 12th and 13th century France and Germany. While Rashi explains the straightforward meaning, the Tosafos raise questions, explore contradictions, and offer alternative interpretations. Tosafos are also printed in Rashi script.
Around the main commentaries, you will find several reference tools in very small print:
At the top of each page (from right to left), you will find the chapter name and number, the name of the tractate, and the page number (daf) with its side indicator (aleph or beis).
| Reading #1 (Sunset) | Reading #2 (Sunrise) |
|---|---|
|
🌅 "And the sun came" = Sun departed (sunset) ✨ "And became pure" = The day ended/cleared ⏰ When can he eat? That very night (stars emerge) 📋 Sacrifice needed? No - can eat before bringing it |
🌄 "And the sun came" = Sun's light arrived (sunrise) 👤 "And became pure" = The man became pure ⏰ When can he eat? Next morning (after dawn) 📋 Sacrifice needed? Yes - must bring offering first |
The Gemara doesn't just accept statements - it probes, questions, analyzes, and supports every claim with logic and sources. Notice how each question leads to deeper understanding, and how multiple scholars across different regions grappled with the same issues. This is the beauty of Torah study: a multi-generational, geographically dispersed conversation seeking truth!
Every step follows a pattern: Questions receive Answers. Inquiries challenge existing proofs. Statements present information. Proofs support claims. Learning to identify these steps is the key to understanding Gemara!
From all this analysis, we learn the practical law: Evening Shema begins at nightfall (when stars emerge, the same time Kohanim may eat teruma after immersion). While the Sages set midnight as a precautionary deadline, the actual obligation extends until dawn - giving us insight into both the law and the wisdom behind rabbinic safeguards.
Notice how one topic (Shema timing) leads us to explore laws about Kohanim and teruma, scriptural interpretation, grammatical analysis, folk wisdom, and even the order of Creation itself. Everything in Torah is interconnected - studying one area illuminates others!
Understanding these terms helps you follow any Gemara discussion:
You've completed a full analysis of Berachot 2a!
You've seen how the Gemara analyzes a Mishnah from every angle,
how it uses grammar, logic, and external sources to build understanding,
and how scholars in different lands wrestled with the same questions.
This is the foundation of Talmudic study.
Keep learning, keep questioning, and keep growing! 📚✨