The Sefaria library is vast and encompasses texts ranging thousands of years. How can we help our students to understand where a particular text is situated within the Jewish library? How can students learn about a new text?

When introducing a new source, instead of going straight to the text by typing the citation into the search bar, guide your students to it by clicking through the library page together. They will see the text’s relationship to the rest of the library and begin to appreciate the large scope of the Jewish library.

You want to reference Pirkei Avot. While the library page is on the screen, ask your students where they think they might find Pirkei Avot. If they don’t find it on their own, click on Mishnah and show them that it is in seder Nezikin. The search can take place in Hebrew or English.

Searching for Rashi on Tanakh through the library page shows students how commentaries relate to the Tanakh and when Rashi lived in relation to other commentators that they might encounter. They can see that commentators are classified as Rishonim (early commentators), Acharonim (later commentators) or Modern Commentators. They can also see who is in the category with them.

Sefaria also provides information about each book in the library. Students can get in the habit of clicking on “About this Text” in the resource panel to learn when the text was written, who wrote it, and a brief description. Clicking on the author will take them to the author page where they can learn more information and see what other books were written by the same author.