Lies, deception, thievery, murderous rage – among members of a prominent Jewish family. The latest reality show? NO! It’s the weekly Torah Portion, Toldot!
After reciting our opening Brachot, we turned immediately to Toldot. Students read (in English) the account of Esau selling his Birthright to Jacob for a bowl of lentil soup. We discussed the meaning of “birthright” in ancient societies and each student received a recipe for Israeli lentil soup.
Students then read pages from Toldot in the Torah Commentary which told of Jacob’s and Rebekah’s plan to trick Isaac into giving his dying blessing to Jacob rather than to his first-born son, Esau. Students performed a “hatzaga,” a dramatic reading of this section of Toldot. Each table group played a different “character” in the story. We even added some faux fur as a prop. (Why fur? Ask your students to explain the role of fur in Toldot.)
Students recognized that in Toldot, God (Adonai) allowed some negative aspects of human behavior to control events. Toldot raises a number of thought-provoking questions. One student asked why Rebekah was so determined to have Jacob, not Esau receive Isaac’s blessing. Answers included the suggestion that this was Rebekah’s way of asserting feminine power at a time when women had few rights. Another student observed that Jacob was Rebekah’s “favorite.”
Thoughtful responses to an excellent question – a fine example of the interactive process of Torah Study.
From the intrigue of our Ancestors, to the intricacies of modern Hebrew language – Next week students will demonstrate their knowledge by completing a Comprehensive Exercise on the vocabulary words and language elements in chapters one, two, and three in our textbook, Shalom Ivrit. No new vocabulary words were added. Students are asked to review, at home, the vocabulary cards they’ve already made.
We practiced using vocabulary in several sentence patterns. Students were able to recall and use a large number of words.
Since we had not done the attendance procedure at the beginning of class, we did so at the end. Without using the reference sheets, students were able to ask and answer in Hebrew the now familiar attendance questions.
In T’fila, the Cantor discussed the prayers of Creation, Revelation, and Redemption which surround the Sh’ma and called students’ attention to several English translations which beautifully express the meanings of the prayers. Students sang one of the many lively versions of Mi Chamocha. Kitah Gimel students, along with other sixth graders were asked to sit among the fourth graders in order to asssist the younger students in following along with and reading the prayers.
Please enjoy T’fila together with our students. It is a very meaningful way to conclude each Hebrew School session.
L’Hitraot – see you soon,
Morah Ronni
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