Reading the Torah like a Child

What Children Hear That Adults Miss

We begin the Book of Shemot (Exodus) with a New Year's-style resolution: read more Torah out loud—to our children, and to our grandchildren. Because the Exodus isn't just Judaism's greatest story; it's Judaism's most re-read story—told at the Seder, year after year, the longest-running book club in history.

We're joined by scholar and author Ilana Kurshan to discuss her new book Children of the Book, a beautiful exploration of how reading to kids shapes not only them, but us. Together we read Exodus through young eyes: the burning bush as a lesson in attention, "seeing" as a form of leadership, pictures as commentary, and Moses himself sounding like a nervous child—"slow of speech."

Whether you're a parent, grandparent, or just someone who loves texts, this episode is about the power of rereading—and the intimacy of reading aloud.

Key Takeaways

1. The Torah is meant to be reread
2. Reading out loud is how Jewish memory is formed
3. Reading with children changes how we read.

Timestamps

• [00:00] Introduction to Malik Disruptive Torah
• [00:35] Guest Introduction: Scholar Arthur Ilana Khan
• [00:54] The Importance of Reading Aloud
• [01:38] Meet Ilana Khan: Author and Scholar
• [03:43] The Concept of Repetition in Jewish Reading
• [08:54] The Burning Bush: A Story of Attention and Vision
• [10:52] The Role of Close Reading in Jewish Tradition
• [13:52] The Art of Reading in Modern Times
• [24:05] Children's Unique Perspective on Stories
• [31:41] The Power of Reading Aloud to Children
• [34:53] Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Links & Learnings

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Link to Ilana's Book: https://ilanakurshan.com/

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/699868

Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/