6th Grade Torah Strong Update

Hi All!  We had a terrific Sunday!  Today we reviewed the same section of Vayera that we read the week before, but we looked closely at the textual analysis.  First, we had a little grammar review: verb, adverb, noun, and adjective. I was impressed. The kids KNEW their stuff!  Then we did a little Madlibs activity. I wrote a Madlibs of the Abraham story, and it was, quite hilarious.  There is just certain 8 year old boy humor that somehow, never gets old!  We then went on to list all of the VERBS in the story that relate to: Abraham, God, Sarah and The Guests.  Basically: Abraham's verbs read as such: sitting, lifted, saw, ran, prostrated, found, take, sustained, spoken, hastened, took, prepared, placed, standing.  God: Appeared, Sarah: hastened, kneaded, made and the Guests: Standing, taken, bathe, recline, ate.  We discussed how Abraham BEGAN by reclining.  And how the act of performing mitzvot to sustain his guests literally healed him.  He ends by STANDING. In contrast, the Guests begin by standing and end by reclining.  And Sarah's verbs are all about making and creating.  We talked about how we can be like Abraham and ACT Jewish, because Judaism is a religion of ACTION.  We can be like Sarah and CREATE, because creation is a form of action.  This action literally has the power to heal us; when our attentions are focused on others and others' needs, our difficulties tend to melt away.  We also discussed the importance of God APPEARING.  In the text, God is always there, but Abraham must look up and see him.  In our own lives, God is everywhere, but we don't take the time to look up from what we are doing and truly SEE.

HOWEVER could I have forgotten: The flinging chickens!!! Last Sunday, in preparation for Yom Kippur, we learned about a ritual called kapparot. This is where Jews swing chicken over their heads, over a pile of tzedakah and metaphorically transfer their sins to the chicken, which is in turn given to a hungry family. There is a prayer that is said 3 x, while the swinging takes place.

I found these "flick it chickens" at Walmart, and the kids spun the chickens over their heads, said the proper prayers and then they "flicked" their sins away, but flicking the plastic chicken across the room.  The kids took it seriously - it did not devolve into a flinging chicken party, so I was quite pleased.

We did not share what our sins were; we just discussed what we were "not so proud of" from the past year and what we wanted to "do better" this upcoming year.

So here is to all of our transgressions being flicked across the room, to this upcoming year being a better year for all of us: spiritually, physically, emotionally, intellectually, and may your fast be easy and meaningful!

May your fast be easy, your week productive and I will see the kiddos in a few weeks. Enjoy a restful Sunday at home!

- Morah Leah