Abstract
Rabbinical students come to the study of classical sources spiritually motivated, seeking practical relevance and
personal connection to tradition through Talmudic study. Teachers of future rabbis are answerable not only for
intellectual standards but also for the future of Talmudic conversation as a factor in the continuing life of Judaism. In this paper, the author draws upon the experience of introducing rabbinical students to Talmudic study in
four rabbinical schools to reflect upon curricular and pedagogical choices that arise from recognizing that spiritual
development is at stake in the very same classrooms where teachers cultivate the development of technical and
analytical skills.