EDUCATION: Bet Midrash

- Ancient Civilizations
- Anthropology, Myth, and Symbols
- Business, Law, and Politics
- Culture: East and West
- Ethics, Philosophy, and Self-Help
- Fiction and non-Fiction
- Language and writing
- Literary Criticism
- Medicine, Science, and Ethnology
- Psychology
- Religion

BET (HA)-MIDRASH (pl. battei (ha)-midrash)
Heb. בֵּית (הַ)מִדְרָשׁ, pl. בָּתֵּי (הַ)מִדְרָשׁ; means "house of study"

Here, the ancient Jewish idea suggests a learning / study "center" where people "come" to listen and discuss as well as express their ideas, opinions, and "reasons" about spiritual matters. In modern times, we speak of discussing TORAH or having a "conversation" about it together. Today, the idea of what is TORAH has changed to encompass the learning / study process itself. TORAH, perhaps then might be thought of as a VERB that may take place when one is alone , with a partner or teacher, or in a small group. So we have a conversation of TORAH at a Bet Midrash, the physical or virtual meeting space, usually a quiet and safe place in the home (bet) or in a more public space (library or meeting room or a community center) or at private / public institution (school, university, institute, non-profit) or in a synagogue.

To me BET MIDRASH is NOT ABOUT THE WHERE, more important is WHEN.

2:2a RABBAN GAMALIEL, THE SON OF RABBI JUDAH THE PRINCE, SAYS: SPLENDID IS THE STUDY OF TORAH WHEN COMBINED WITH A WORLDLY OCCUPATION, FOR TOIL IN THEM BOTH PUTS [the yetser hara] OUT OF MIND; BUT STUDY [TORAH] WHICH IS NOT COMBINED WITH WORK, FALLS INTO NEGLECT IN THE END, AND BECOMES [A] CAUSE OF [action that works against oneself]. 

2:5b HILLEL SAYS: ... SAY NOT OF A THING WHICH CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD THAT IN THE END IT WILL BE UNDERSTOOD. AND SAY NOT ‘'WHEN I HAVE LEISURE I WILL STUDY” – PERCHANCE THOU SHALT HAVE NO LEISURE. (Addended from BT, P. Avot, from "The Living Talmud: The Wisdom of the Fathers, " Judah Goldin, 1955).