About Pardes
Pardes . . .
. . . an orange grove
. . . a paradise
. . . a term for the different levels of interpreting Torah
. . . an Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
The word Pardes (literally orchard) is the acronym for the classic interpretive dimensions of Torah study.
P'shat is straightforward, contextual interpretation
Remez is mystical interpretation
Drash is interpretation for contemporary relevance
Sod is allegorical interpretation
The pomegranate, symbol of the Pardes Institute, is one of the seven species which the Bible views as characteristic of the Land of Israel (Deut. 8:8) To our Sages, the many-seeded pomegranate represented the fertile possibilities inherent not only in the land, but in the Jewish people and its Torah. In fact, the ideal pomegranate is said to have 613 seeds, one for each of the mitzvot mentioned in the Bible. At Pardes, the varied facets of Torah, of Israel and of each student are explored and, like the many seeds of the pomegranate, are brought together in a harmonious whole.