Abstract
This paper explores a set of practices in the teaching of Talmud that the author calls “the pedagogy of slowing
down.” Through the author’s analysis of her own teaching in an intensive Talmud class, “the pedagogy of slowing
down” emerges as a pedagogical and cultural model in which students learn to read more closely and to investigate
the multiplicity of meanings inherent in the Talmudic text, thus bridging the gap between an ancient text and its
contemporary students. This article describes the specific techniques in the pedagogy of slowing down, and the ways
in which this teaching practice contributes both to students’ becoming more attentive readers and to the ongoing
development of their religious voices.