Holy of Holies: Readings in Shir Ha-shirim and its Reception
Miriam Gedwiser
Miriam Gedwiser is the Rosh Kollel of the Drisha Summer Kollel and teaches Talmud and Tanakh at the Ramaz Upper School. She has a B.A. in the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Science and Medicine from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from N.Y.U. School of Law. Miriam studied at Midreshet Lindenbaum and in the Drisha Scholar’s circle. She previously practiced commercial litigation at a large law firm and clerked for the Hon. Debra Freeman, U.S.M.J., in Manhattan. Miriam serves as a guest lecturer at synagogues and programs around the Northeast, and has written on topics of Jewish and Torah interest for The Lehrhaus, The Forward, the Center for Modern Torah Leadership blog, and Project 929. Miriam lives Teaneck, New Jersey with her family.
Shir ha-shirim can be both confusing and sublime. What is this series of love poems doing in Tanakh? Assuming that it has some non-surface meaning, what is it, and how can we access it? In this course we will read select passages from Song of Songs with midrashic, medieval, and later commentators to get a taste of the possible answers to these questions and more.