Mishpatim Video

 

Vaera Video

 

Lech Lecha and Vayera: Sand and Stars

These two parshiot include Hashem's promise that the descendants of Avraham and Sarah will be as numerous as the stars in the heaven and the sand on the ground.

These two images are deep, meaningful, and relatable.

 First we sat with chumashim and reviewed the relevant pesukim.  Some of the girls were more engaged in the textual learning than others. There was a lot of, 'but what's the project???'

Key points:

• Neither stars nor sand can ever be effectively counted.  There is a mind boggling amount of each. 
• Both of these objects are significant and we, as Jewish people, should try to emulate their unique traits.

Star Traits (this list is not exhaustive)

• Beautiful
• Admired, looked up to.
• Fill the darkness with light
• People use them for guidance
• Symbol of the Jewish people (Star of David)
• Timeless

Sand traits

• Grains must work together- unity
• Unassuming and powerful! The power of sand to stop water and fire.

Stars are incredible but they must be separate from each other.  Sand is walked all over.

We need to harness the positive traits and work on ourselves to minimize the negatives. 

I told the girls we would need to sleep on these significant ideas.

"But what about a project!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"

Then I showed them how they would sleep on it.

Step 1: Coloring sandpaper

I gave each girl a sheet of sandpaper. They enjoyed gently rubbing it. Gabi pointed out that sandpaper was another special thing only sand can do.

 With fabric crayons, the girls decorated their page. Stars were encouraged.

 Step 2: White pillowcases and the iron.
I placed an unloved towel down, placed the sandpaper face up, pillowcase on that, iron on medium setting on top.

After the sandpaper image was transferred onto the pillowcase, the girls drew more images for transferring. 

 (When I explained the image would be a mirror image, Cohava cut off where she wrote the date. Ruti didn't because she is still in the backwards writing stage!)

 Using the sandpaper as a transfer creates a unique texture to the print.

Now they can sleep on it!

Yesterday Tova said, "Dinner is special for the perasha!" I stared at her, confused. "Because they are Morningstars! And stars are in the Torah this week!"

Tova has been reinforcing this lesson at school where she glued sand to one side of a paper and glitter to the other.

Sand play is always a popular option. We worked on 'star' play with the lite-bright.

 Ruti really made it a star!

Beshalach, so many miracles to celebrate!

Again, we did numerous parasha projects. I recommend replicating some more than others. I'll start with the craft and move to the food.

The sea splits and the Jewish people walk through on dry land! What could be more exciting?!? I have acted this out in many ways, with many groups, like this  or this or this.  Usually I think 'go big or go home' but this time, I decided to go small. 

I found these cute templates at artistshelpingchildren.org to make everyone involved in the story. 

The girls got to work coloring and cutting. 

 And assembling

We mixed flour, water, and blue food coloring, and loaded them into a large ziplock bag.

Then they out on a show. Cohava filmed and did two takes. Which do you prefer?

On Monday we had a huge snowstorm! It was very exciting for everyone. 

"You know the maan [manna] was like snow," Cohava remarked.
"How so?"
"Well, it was white and fell from the ground and was edible," she reasoned.
We decided to take snow and add the flavors of maan,

31The house of Israel named it manna, and it was like coriander seed, [it was] white, and it tasted like a wafer with honey.

לאוַיִּקְרְאוּ בֵית יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת שְׁמוֹ מָן וְהוּא כְּזֶרַע גַּד לָבָן וְטַעְמוֹ כְּצַפִּיחִת בִּדְבָשׁ:

 Snow

 And honey

 and waffles

Met with mixed reviews

Before Cohava recommended snow maan, it was my plan to make Rice Krispy treats. The cereal looks remotely like coriander seeds.

Cohava excitedly started cooking.

But someone knocked the cereal box on the floor. I felt this was delightfully authentic to the collecting from the ground and recommended they do it.

I was only joking!

 Thankfully, we had another box, albeit patriotic, of cereal.

  

At school I made 'maan' cookies. The lesson was meant to be, "Wow manna was such a miracle from Hashem!" "Wait all food is a great miracle from Hashem!" Not sure how well they got it. But they ALL remembered that 1) we made maan cookies last year 2) I accidentally put in a tablespoon of salt, instead of a teaspoon. The moral for me is that experiential learning (especially edible) really sticks with a person!

Balak's Obstacles

Parashat Balak! Two years ago the girls learned the story well and acted it out (here). Last year (here), I shared Torah thoughts and the girls made a town of tiny tents. This year, as I read the story to myself and with the girls I was really struck by Bilam's ahtone [donkey] as she is being blocked by the angel. 

Obviously the miraculous parts of this encounter is the presence of the angel and the speaking donkey. One of my favorite mishnayot in Pirke Avot states, "Ten things were created on the eve of Shabbat, at twilight. They are: The mouth of the earth; the mouth of the well; the mouth of the donkey; the rainbow; the Manna; the staff; the Shamir; the alphabet; the inscription; and the Tablets." The talking donkey (not Shrek's) was created during the last moments of creation, waiting for this most important moment. But that still isn't what really struck me this year. 

• How often am I 'riding a donkey' that won't go the way I want it to?
• How often do I encounter obstacles which prevent me every step of the way?
• It happens with some frequency. 
• How often do I realize, without waiting for a talking animal, that the obstacle is being purposefully placed their by Hashem?
• Not nearly enough!!!

There might not be a physical angel in front of us, but God's hand is there to guide, and if we push It away, and walk away from It, we are less intelligent than a donkey. 

The negative caused by ignoring obstacles versus the value in trying to overcome them (or the reversal) is a major theme in the Parasha. 

1. Balak considers his first obstacle to be the Jewish people and tried to employ Bilam to overcome them.
2. Hashem denies Bilam's request to curse, an answer Bilam considers merely an obstacle.
3. Balak sends many messengers to overcome Bilam's refusal.
4. The angel obstructs Bilam's journey.
5. Balak tries various means to change Bilam's blessings into curses. 

It is interesting to note that in the Parasha the Jewish people are only observed and do not actively do anything. All of the obstacles here are relating to non-Jews. Sometimes you completely have to step outside of a situation to be able to learn from it. I believe that is one purpose of Parashat Balak.

"Do you know what an obstacle is?" I asked the girls.

"Something you have to get around," Gabi replied.

"I want a popsicle!" Ruti yelled.

"Like an obstacle course," Cohava added.

"Exactly. Should we always try to get around an obstacle?"

"I want a popsicle!" Ruti yelled again. 

"Ruti, popsicle sounds like obstacle, but they are not the same word! Now stop asking for one," Gabi explained sternly. I snickered.

"We should always try, like if it is an important obstacle to get around," Cohava explained.

"I want a popsicle!!!!" Ruti hollered. 

We discussed types of obstacles, things which may or may not be worth fighting for. We talked about asking someone for something as an obstacle, versus doing something on our own to overcome it. We talked about if it was always worth it when you finally got it. Comparing this to grit is interesting, when to keep trying and when to graciously accept that something is not meant to be.

And then we played games. First we made a version of 'Mother May I'. We called it "Bilam Will You", based on Balak's repeated efforts to enlist Bilam in the cursing job. I was Bilam. This was a fun game and would be good to play in "Shabbat Groups".

Then we had an obstacle course. I set up the original one. The girls took turns checking each other's accuracy and speed. 

Then Tova woke up and became a moving obstacle. 

 Being overly tired is another challenging obstacle for the course.

 Then the girls changed it up and made it trickier. 

I went upstairs and used their obstacle time to work on one of my own on-going challenges, trying to keep the house in order. 

May you be able to identify the obstacles that are angels in your way and overcome the others with ease. 

Shabbat Shalom!

Using Love to Decontaminating the House: Pesach & Parashat Metzora

Parashat Metzora is a continuation on last week's tzara'at in Parashat Tazria. The horrible spiritual skin condition can also contaminate the actual structure of your house. And if this happens:

Vayikra 14:41. And he shall scrape out the house from the inside, all around, and they shall pour out the [mortar] dust from what they scraped, outside the city, into an unclean place.

We might not have tzara'at today, but this time of year some people go almost to such extremes, and not for the sake of a "parasha project". Ah the joy of Pesach cleaning! 

Here is a secret: I HATE CLEANING! 

Ok, maybe it is not a secret. But I do try to underplay my dislike for this task. Why? Why would I keep my hatred for cleaning a secret?

Because I don't want my kids to hate cleaning. 

Children pick up on our likes and dislikes, even if we don't verbalize them. 

Often when I get off the phone, the girls will say, "How is so-and-so?" 
"How did you know who I was talking to?" I ask, surprised. Their reasons include my tone, facial expression, phrases used, and topics discussed. 

Children observe everything. If I complain excessively about cleaning, there is no hope of me successfully encouraging them to do it. Then everyone will feel justified in their hatred for cleaning and no one will do it.

This extends to pretty much everything. If I complain to or in front of my kids about going to synagogue, cooking for shabbat, another person, or any religious practice, they will also think negatively of it. 

As I mentioned last week and last year, rabbinic tradition connects tzara'at with lashon hara. Something consumes your body and even your house, as a consequence of 'negative speech.' Guarding your tongue, thinking carefully about what you say, is crucial in preventing tzara'at, a physical/spiritual condition. We don't have tzara'at today, but careless speech causes educational/emotional/social (and spiritual) consequences. 

I still hate cleaning for Pesach! 
I can't smile and scrub at the same time! And I can't lie about it. 
I frame it and balance it. 

Framing it means saying things like: 
"I don't like everything about cleaning, but I love having a clean house!" 
"Cleaning the whole house is going to be a lot of work! I am so glad I have such good helpers!" 
"The cleaning can feel like a lot of work. Can you imagine what it was like to be a slave in mitzrayim?"
"Cleaning is not my favorite part of Pesach. _________ is. What is your favorite part?"

Keeping the bad attitude at bay for the kid's sake, will also keep it away for your sake.  Armed with a baby wipe, small broom or rag, toddlers love to 'help'. Or you can try even younger.






Balancing:
In my preschool group and later at home, the children had art time to make signs. Taking a break from cleaning to do something relaxing and enjoyable is crucial. 

Print, color in, laminate (optional), and the children are thrilled to put one on a completed room. They take pride walking past it, 'I made the sign, AND I helped get that room ready for Pesach. Oh! And I can't bring this cracker in.'

If you had spare time for a parasha project this week, the signs could easily be altered to "This Room is Tzara'at Free."

This really is just a cleaning break. You can even see the vacuum in the foreground. 

And now back to my not-so-favorite activity...


Shabbat Shalom!