Real Women, Real Torah Batsheva Learning Center

Join us on a 12-week journey through Torah Ohr on Bereishis.

Explore the stories of Bereishis through a fresh lens and discover the inner strengths you never knew you had.

Find out more at batshevalearningcenter.com/bereishis

Stories of Sorrow, Lessons of Hope - Part 3

This episode explores four different angles on a story from the end of Maseches Makkos that describes four sages observing the aftermath of the destruction. Three of them cry, but the fourth, Rabbi Akiva, laughs.

As they discuss the reasons for their reaction, we learn some powerful lessons about finding hope in darkness.

Stories of Sorrow, Lessons of Hope - Part 2


In this episode, Mushhky Steinmetz explores the story of Titus as it is told in Maseches Gittin. We learn about his horrific acts of desecration in the Beis Hamikdash and about his unexpected downfall.

The Gemara describes in great detail how Titus was tortured for seven years by a mosquito that entered his head through his nose. What is the meaning of this strange punishment, and why do Chazal spend so much time telling us this tale?

We'll explore this story through the lens of multiple commentaries. Most significantly, we'll look at how the Maharal uses this story to argue against the rationalist views that were popular in his time.

In this episode, Mushky Steinmetz explores the fascinating story told in Maseches Gittin about R. Yochanan Ben Zachai's clever escape from the walls of Yerushalayim and his conversation with Vespasion, the Roman general.



The story concludes with R. Yochanan Ben Zachai making three requests of the future emperor. What is the meaning of these three requests? Why not ask for the salvation of the entire Jewish people and what is it about these three things that make them keys to the Jewish nation's survival and redemption?

In this episode, we introduce our new series, "Stories of Sorrow, Lessons of Hope" with Mushky Steinmetz.

This series will explore stories from the Gemara related to the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash and some of the messages the commentators take out of them.


In this introductory episode, Mushky defines what Aggadah is and gives a general overview of how to understand Aggadah.

This final episode in our zman grama series is short enough to fit into your pre-Pesach schedule and packed with everything you need to know about the connection women have to the mitzvos we perform at the seder. 

Adi Bitter explores the source and reason behind each mitzvah and explains if and why women are obligated to perform them. She ends with a beautiful takeaway about internalizing the deeper message of the seder at all stages of our lives.