Shnaim Ohazin - The Meaning of "Shnaim Ohazin"

The Meaning of "Shnaim Ohazin"

The name of the show is Shnaim Ohazin (Two who are holding) with a double meaning: The show speaks of studying the Talmud, and "Shnaim Ohazin" is one of the famous Talmud chapters dealing with a division Principle, and also the name suggests that there are two teachers holding the Gemara and are learning and teaching it.

The point of this is explained by Dr. Yehuda Schwartz:

"The Talmudic study is active with negotiating in a "Havruta" while viewing is passive. The study of the Talmud is mostly textual, while the television medium is not characterized by book and words. On top of that, study of the Talmud involves continual negotiation between the study partners, and this is difficult to present by television. The solution to these problems is found in the broadcast through creation of a dialogue between two participants: "Bar" and "Orian". The broadcast does not come in order to replace the study of Talmud but it is used as a helping instrument along with a guide to the teacher and paper assignments for the student."

The names of the teachers on the show also hold a symbolic meaning: the names of both teachers Baruch Bar and Ori Orian (Hebrew: ברוך בר ואורי אוריין‎) are an alliteration, their last names put together composes the term "Bar Orian" (Son/Student of the Torah in Aramaic, or "scholar" in Modern Hebrew). The name of Bar and Orian's teacher also suggests of his role: Shlomo Melamed (Hebrew: מלמד‎, Teaches).