Text-based study enhances Torah study skills
Developed specifically for online, in-depth learning
Taught by scholars with a personal interest in the subject
Engaging topics made relevant to real life issues
About the Course
What actually counts as living a meaningful Jewish life? Is it doing the right things consistently? Helping others? Praying harder? Learning more?
In this four-part course, you’ll step into a series of Talmudic stories whose depth goes far beyond the page, revealing insights that speak directly to real life and clarify what truly matters.
Through encounters with a rabbi who refuses to give up on criminals, a sage who demands rain from G-d, and great scholars who question whether their life’s work was enough, this course pushes toward a sharper question: What does G-d actually want from you?
This four-week series begins 2 Cheshvan - October 13, 2026.
October 13, 2026
What if the way you judge other people says less about them and more about you? A rabbi spent his entire life treating his criminal neighbors with kindness, but they only changed after he died. Was there a flaw in his approach, or was something on their end standing in the way? This lesson unpacks a story from Tractate Sanhedrin to examine the gap between judging others favorably and judging yourself honestly, and the role that gap might be playing in your own life.
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October 20, 2026
What gives you the right to ask G-d for more than what you're given? During a severe drought, a sage pushes for rain, but when it finally comes, it doesn't come properly. Too little, then too much, until it becomes unlivable. Each time, he goes back and demands better from G-d in a way most people wouldn't dare. This lesson brings into focus the tension between accepting what you're given and insisting on something better. Is it audacious to ask G-d for more, or is it exactly what He wants? And what does it take for your prayers to be answered?
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October 27, 2026
Does doing everything right mean you've done enough? Two of the greatest sages look back on lives filled with Torah, impact, and devotion, yet both find themselves questioning what awaits them in the world to come. This lesson unpacks two stories from the Talmud about the difference between doing what comes naturally and pushing beyond it, and what a moment of generosity on Purim and a deathbed confession reveal about what it truly takes for a life of goodness to actually count.
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November 3, 2026
Everyone inherits something. Not everyone adds to it. In two stories from Tractate Chagigah, students engage with the same mystical wisdom and trigger miraculous reactions, yet one earns dramatically more praise than the other. This lesson explores why, examining the difference between faithfully passing on what you've received and building something new from it. The real question isn't whether the greatest sages could contribute something original to Torah. It's whether you can.
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Level: Intermediate -
Length/Effort:30-45 Min Per Week
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Category: Torah, Talmud
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Institution: Chabad.org
Meet the Instructor
Rabbi Michoel Dahan is the spiritual leader of Congregation Nusach Ari in Montreal, Canada, and serves as the Dean of the Chaya Mushka Seminary for girls. An experienced educator and scholar, he is dedicated to Jewish education, leadership development, having taught and guided thousands of students over the decades in Jewish education. He is known for his clear and engaging approach, making timeless Torah concepts accessible, practical, and meaningful for contemporary Jewish life.