Torah Study Guide

Torah Study Guide

Welcome to a comprehensive approach to Torah study that leverages modern knowledge management techniques. This guide will help you create meaningful connections, develop deeper insights, and build a personal knowledge system for biblical scholarship.

Getting Started with Torah Study

1. Establishing Your Foundation

Set Up Your Study Environment

• Create a dedicated workspace in Obsidian for Torah study
• Establish consistent naming conventions for notes
• Set up templates for different types of study notes

Essential Study Resources

• Primary text (Hebrew/English parallel)
• Commentaries (Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Sforno, etc.)
• Concordances and lexicons
• Historical and archaeological context

2. Core Study Methodology

Daily Reading Practice

1. Read the passage in Hebrew (if possible) and English
2. Observe key themes, patterns, and literary devices
3. Interpret meaning using commentaries and context
4. Apply insights to personal reflection and modern relevance

Obsidian Features for Torah Study

Linking Your Thinking

Wikilinks for Connection Building

[[Genesis 1]] connects to [[Creation]] themes
Cross-reference with [[Psalm 104]] for parallel creation account
Link to [[Divine Names#Elohim]] for theological significance

Types of Links to Create:

• Character connections: [[Abraham]] → [[Isaac]] → [[Jacob]]
• Thematic links: [[Covenant]] appears in [[Genesis 15]], [[Genesis 17]], [[Exodus 19]]
• Literary connections: [[Chiasmus]] structure in [[Genesis 7]]
• Historical context: [[Ancient Near East]] parallels to [[Genesis 1]]

Tagging Strategy

Primary Tags

• #character - for people (Abraham, Moses, David)
• #theme - for theological concepts (covenant, creation, redemption)
• #literary - for literary devices (parallelism, chiasmus, metaphor)
• #historical - for historical context and archaeology
• #geography - for places and locations
• #law - for legal passages and commandments

Secondary Tags

• #question - for unresolved questions
• #insight - for personal revelations
• #commentary - for rabbinical interpretations
• #application - for modern relevance

Example Tagging:

# Genesis 22 - The Binding of Isaac

#character/abraham #character/isaac #theme/test #theme/sacrifice
#literary/foreshadowing #geography/moriah #commentary/rashi

## Key Insights
This passage connects to the larger theme of divine testing #theme/test
Links forward to the Temple Mount location #geography/temple-mount

Note-Taking Templates

Chapter Study Template

# [Book] [Chapter] - [Title]

## Context
- **Previous chapter**: [[]]
- **Next chapter**: [[]]
- **Book theme**:
- **Historical period**:

## Structure
- Verses 1-X:
- Verses Y-Z:

## Key Characters
- [[Character Name]]: Role and significance

## Themes
- **Primary**: #theme/
- **Secondary**: #theme/

## Literary Features
- **Genre**:
- **Structure**:
- **Key words**:

## Commentary Notes
### Rashi
### Modern Scholars

## Questions for Further Study
- [ ] Research question 1
- [ ] Research question 2

## Personal Reflection

## Cross-References
- **Parallel passages**:
- **Thematic connections**:

Character Study Template

# [Character Name]

## Basic Information
- **Hebrew name**:
- **Meaning**:
- **Time period**:
- **Key relationships**:

## Appearances in Torah
- [[Genesis X]]:
- [[Exodus Y]]:

## Character Development
### Early life
### Major events
### Later life

## Themes Associated
#theme/ #theme/

## Modern Relevance

## Cross-References

Advanced Obsidian Techniques

Maps of Content (MOCs) Create hub notes that organize related content:

# Torah Themes MOC

## Creation and Origins
- [[Genesis 1]] - Creation Account
- [[Genesis 2]] - Garden of Eden
- [[Sabbath]] - Rest and Sanctification

## Covenant Theology
- [[Abraham Covenant]] - Genesis 15, 17
- [[Sinai Covenant]] - Exodus 19-24
- [[Davidic Covenant]] - 2 Samuel 7

## Law and Ethics
- [[Ten Commandments]] - Exodus 20
- [[Holiness Code]] - Leviticus 17-26
- [[Social Justice]] - Throughout Torah

Graph Analysis Use Obsidian’s graph view to:

• Identify central themes with many connections
• Discover unexpected relationships between passages
• Find gaps in your study (isolated notes)

Dataview Queries Automate content organization:

TABLE file.ctime as "Created", theme as "Primary Theme"
FROM #character
SORT file.ctime DESC

Study Workflows

Weekly Parashat Study

1. Monday: Read the weekly portion, create basic notes
2. Tuesday: Add commentary insights and cross-references
3. Wednesday: Research historical/archaeological context
4. Thursday: Explore thematic connections using graph view
5. Friday: Write personal reflections and applications
6. Sabbath: Review and synthesize insights

Thematic Deep Dives

1. Choose a theme (e.g., “covenant,” “leadership,” “justice”)
2. Use tags to find all related passages
3. Create a comprehensive MOC
4. Analyze patterns and development throughout Torah
5. Connect to broader biblical theology

Character Studies

1. Create character note with template
2. Track all appearances chronologically
3. Note character development and growth
4. Identify key relationships and influences
5. Extract leadership principles and life lessons

Building Connections

Intertextual Links

• Prophecy and fulfillment: Link prophetic passages to their fulfillment
• Type and antitype: Connect Old Testament types to New Testament realities
• Parallel accounts: Link similar stories across different books

Historical Context

• Ancient Near Eastern parallels: Connect biblical accounts to contemporary cultures
• Archaeological discoveries: Link findings to biblical events
• Timeline connections: Maintain chronological awareness

Literary Analysis

• Motifs and patterns: Track recurring themes and symbols
• Structural analysis: Identify literary frameworks (chiasmus, inclusion)
• Genre recognition: Understand different literary types (narrative, law, poetry)

Collaborative Study

Sharing Insights

• Export notes to share with study groups
• Create reading lists and study guides
• Collaborate on research projects

Community Building

• Share your vault structure with others
• Contribute to communal knowledge bases
• Engage in scholarly discussions

Advanced Features

Plugin Recommendations

• Calendar: Track reading schedules
• Kanban: Manage study projects
• Bibliography: Manage scholarly sources
• Excalidraw: Create visual diagrams and maps

Integration with External Tools

• Logos Bible Software: Import research
• BibleWorks: Linguistic analysis
• Archaeological databases: Historical context

Best Practices

Consistency

• Use standardized naming conventions
• Maintain regular study schedules
• Review and update notes regularly

Quality over Quantity

• Focus on deep understanding rather than comprehensive coverage
• Prioritize meaningful connections over exhaustive linking
• Emphasize personal insight alongside scholarly research

Long-term Vision

• Build your knowledge system gradually
• Allow connections to emerge naturally
• Trust the process of cumulative learning

Conclusion

Torah study in Obsidian transforms traditional biblical scholarship into a dynamic, interconnected exploration of sacred text. By leveraging linking, tagging, and knowledge management principles, you create not just a collection of notes, but a living, breathing repository of wisdom that grows and deepens with each study session.

Remember: the goal is not perfection, but progress. Start simple, build consistently, and let your understanding deepen through the natural emergence of connections and insights.

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“Turn it over and over, for everything is in it; look into it, grow old and worn over it, and never move away from it, for you can have no better portion than it.” - Pirkei Avot 5:22