Category Archives: PS

Leading Idea: Seeing and Naming God

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Leading Idea: Seeing and Naming God

Hagar’s journey is unique in that she both sees and names God. Both this act of seeing (she seeing God and God seeing her; naming God) are obscurely phrased in Hebrew and open to different understandings and translations. The significance of this is captured in the reading by Rabbi Michal Shekel. Firstly, the difference between hearing and seeing is an important one – both literally and the way we use these terms metaphorically (phrases like “I see what you mean” and the notion of insight). Secondly, we have the significance of seeing another’s face. You might like to explore together why the face has unique status in terms of our access to others.
There are further resources in this booklet for exploring these: see: “Face”, p.45 and on naming and naming God. Relevant exercises and discussion plans can be found in those sections.

Exercise: Seeing – PS

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Exercise: Seeing

What does the word “see” or “seeing” mean in each of these phrases?

  1. “It is such a clear night, I can see a lot of stars”
  2. “See that you keep these in the correct order”
  3. “When you mention summer, I see the beach and sand in my mind”
  4. “He always sees the best in people”
  5. “I see what you mean. I hadn’t thought of it like that”
  6. “Please see the guests to the door”
  7. “He always sees the best in people”

 

Below are some possible ways of understanding the use of the word ‘see’. Can you match the meanings below with the phrases above?

(a) observe

(b) imagine

(c) consider the fact that

(d) understand

(e) accompany

(f) pay attention to

(g) recognize

(h) visualize

(i) _____________

 

Return to look at Bereshit 16:13 – the word ‘see’ is used 4 times – which senses of ‘see’ could be meant on each of these occasions? How do different meanings of ‘see’ change how we understand the passage?

 

Vayeira (Bereshit 18:9-15) בְּרֵאשִׁית

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Bereshit 18: 9-15

בְּרֵאשִׁית

1 And God appeared to him [Avraham], in the plains of Mamre, and he was sitting at the entrance of the tent when the day was hot.

א  וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו יְהוָה, בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא; וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב פֶּתַחהָאֹהֶל, כְּחֹם הַיּוֹם.

 And he lifted his eyes and saw, behold, three men were standing beside him, and he saw and he ran toward them from the entrance of the tent, and bowed down to the ground,

ב  וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו, וַיַּרְא, וְהִנֵּה שְׁלֹשָׁה אֲנָשִׁים, נִצָּבִים עָלָיו; וַיַּרְא, וַיָּרָץ לִקְרָאתָם מִפֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל, וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ, אָרְצָה.

3 And said, “My lords, please, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass on from beside your servant

ג  וַיֹּאמַראֲדֹנָי, אִםנָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָאַלנָא תַעֲבֹר, מֵעַל עַבְדֶּךָ.

4 Please – let a little water be taken, and wash your feet, and lean back under the tree.

ד  יֻקַּחנָא מְעַטמַיִם, וְרַחֲצוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם; וְהִשָּׁעֲנוּ, תַּחַת הָעֵץ.

5 And I will fetch a little bread, to sustain your hearts; after that you will go on, because you have passed by your servant.” And they said, “So you will do, as you have spoken.”

ה  וְאֶקְחָה פַתלֶחֶם וְסַעֲדוּ לִבְּכֶם, אַחַר תַּעֲבֹרוּכִּיעַלכֵּן עֲבַרְתֶּם, עַלעַבְדְּכֶם; וַיֹּאמְרוּ, כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ.

9 And they said to him: ‘Where is Sarah your wife?’ And he said: ‘Here, in the tent.’

ט וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו, אַיֵּה שָׂרָה אִשְׁתֶּךָ; וַיֹּאמֶר, הִנֵּה בָאֹהֶל.

10 And he said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and behold – there will be a son, to Sarah, your wife.” And Sarah heard from the entrance of the tent, behind him.

י וַיֹּאמֶר, שׁוֹב אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ כָּעֵת חַיָּה, וְהִנֵּהבֵן, לְשָׂרָה אִשְׁתֶּךָ; וְשָׂרָה שֹׁמַעַת פֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל, וְהוּא אַחֲרָיו.

11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, coming on in years. Sarah had ceased the [biological] stage of childbearing for women.

יא וְאַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה זְקֵנִים, בָּאִים בַּיָּמִים; חָדַל לִהְיוֹת לְשָׂרָה, אֹרַח כַּנָּשִׁים.

12 And Sarah laughed, within herself, saying: ‘After I am old –will I have pleasure? And, my master is old.’

יב וַתִּצְחַק שָׂרָה, בְּקִרְבָּהּ לֵאמֹר: אַחֲרֵי בְלֹתִי הָיְתָהלִּי עֶדְנָה, וַאדֹנִי זָקֵן.

13 And God said to Avraham: ‘Why did Sarah laugh, saying: Shall I really bear a child – I, who am old?”

יג וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה, אֶלאַבְרָהָם: לָמָּה זֶּה צָחֲקָה שָׂרָה לֵאמֹר, הַאַף אֻמְנָם אֵלֵדוַאֲנִי זָקַנְתִּי.

14 Is there anything too wonderous for God? At the appointed time, I will return to you, and at that time, Sarah will have a son.”

יד הֲיִפָּלֵא מֵיְהוָה, דָּבָר; לַמּוֹעֵד אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ, כָּעֵת חַיָּהוּלְשָׂרָה בֵן.

15 Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was ‘yireh’ (afraid, in awe, overwhelmed). And He said, “No, but you laughed.”

טו וַתְּכַחֵשׁ שָׂרָה לֵאמֹר לֹא צָחַקְתִּי, כִּי יָרֵאָה; וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא, כִּי צָחָקְתְּ.

16 And the men arose from there, and they looked upon Sodom, and Abraham went with them to escort them,

טז וַיָּקֻמוּ מִשָּׁם הָאֲנָשִׁים, וַיַּשְׁקִפוּ עַלפְּנֵי סְדֹם; וְאַבְרָהָםהֹלֵךְ עִמָּם, לְשַׁלְּחָם.

Leading Idea: The Experience of Laughter

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Leading Idea: The Experience of Laughter

In this text Sarah laughs be-kirba (בְּקִרְבָּהּ). What kind of laughter is this? The laughter is a ‘close’ laughter, translated variously as laughing ‘to herself’, ‘within herself’ or ‘at herself’. For Samson Raphael Hirsch it is “the natural, involuntary laughter which we can hardly keep back at the sight of some absurdity” (Hirsch, 1963, p. 352). The question is whether Sarah’s laughter is one of sheer incredulity or of irony, or something else. Two things happen later that further complicate things.

(i) She denies laughing (18:15). Why does she do this? What might this say about her laughter? (is she embarrassed? Is she in denial? Is it possible she was so amazed she was unaware of laughing? Or maybe, if she had worked to suppress her laughter, she now wanted to assert that she hadn’t really laughed because she had consciously controlled herself from doing so, keeping her laughter within.)

(ii) She speaks about laughter (21:7). When she gives birth to Yitzak a few verses later she says: “ God has made laughter of me, everyone who hears will laugh”. Here too the passage is open to different readings – is she saying that, in giving birth in old age, God has made her into a laughing stock and everyone will laugh at her (Hirsch), or that God has brought laugher to her and that everyone who hears will laugh with her in joy (Rashi)?

Those who read Sarah as fearing laughter tend to read her earlier reaction in the tent as a negative laughter, while those who read it as joy see her earlier laughter as incredulity or disbelief when told good but improbable news.
Sarah is not the only one who laughs. One verse earlier (Bereshit 17:17) Avraham ‘falls on his face and laughs’ when he is told he will have a child by Sarah. If Sarah’s laughter is inward, Abrahams laughter seems to be blatantly outward.

Several discussion plans and exercises explore the nature of laughter:

(i) One looks at how we laugh (where it happens in our body, the control we have over it, inward and outward laughter). This provides different resources for reflecting on how Sarah might have laughed be-kirba (בְּקִרְבָּהּ).

(ii) One looks at emotions that lie behind laughter and causes of laughter (insecurity, joy, embarrassment, etc). This looks at what Sarah might have been feeling as she laughed.

(iii) one looks at kinds of laughter (some distinctions to think about include whether the pictures shows people laughing with or at something, laughing as expression of joy, laughing inside or laughing openly, seeking to hide laughter, openly showing laughter, embarrassed laughter, laughing in amazement).

Secondary Sources: The Role of Laughter in Life – PS, MS

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Secondary Sources: The Role of Laughter in Life

 

Quotes about Laughter
Read and Discuss.

N.B.: you might like to put these on pieces of card face down on floor/table. One at a time student select a card, read it and comment on it (leave time for other students to respond before the next person selects a card.)vayeira-laughter-ss-image-1

  • If you do this before reading the text, then return to the cards after your discussion and see whether they offer insights into Sarah’s laughter.
  • If you do this after your discussion, pause after discussing each one and ask “do you think this quote offers a new way of thinking about Sarah’s laughter?

 

Laughter can bring a new perspective.
Christopher Durang, Playwright, 1949-
source: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/christophe355592.html

 

You can’t deny laughter; when it comes, it plops down in your favorite chair and stays as long as it wants.
Stephen King, author, 1947-
source: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/stephenkin106358.html

 

vayeira-laughter-ss-image-2Laughter can help relieve tension in even the heaviest of matters.
Allen Klein, author, 1938
source: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/allenklein285037.html

 

 

 

It is impossible for you to be angry and laugh at the same time. Anger and laughter are mutually exclusive and you have the power to choose either.
Wayne Dyer, Psychologist, 1940-2015
source: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/waynedyer127372.html

 

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Leading Idea: Telling Lies

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Leading Idea: Telling Lies

When God asks Abraham why Sarah laughs Sarah denies that she did so. Is this denial? Embarrassment? Fear? A lie or… maybe even the truth (if she ‘laughed within’, managing to suppress her laugh, has she still laughed? (is she embarrassed? Is she in denial? Is it possible she was so amazed she was unaware of laughing? Or maybe, if she had worked to suppress her laughter, she now wanted to assert that she hadn’t really laughed because she had consciously controlled herself from doing so, keeping her laughter within.)

At face value this seems a pretty clear cut case of lying – yet god does not administer any form of divine retribution. Why does Sarah get no punishment? Could it be because it was in some way excusable? If so what would make it so? Sarah lies because she was yirah – in fear, or struck with awe – Can we be so overwhelmed that we lie without intending to? (it just slips out?).

The discussion plan explores lying and the texts that come after explore lies that seem to be good lies. Could Sarah’s lie be of this sort, If so, how would we have to understand the situation she was in?

Discussion Plan: Telling Lies

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Discussion Plan: Telling Lies

1. Does ‘lying’ have more than one meaning?
2. Can you say something that is false without it being a lie?
3. Are there different sorts of lies?
4. What is the difference between them? Are they equally wrong/right?
5. Is exaggeration a form of lying?
6. Can you lie without meaning to?
7. Can you tell the truth without meaning to?
8. If your lie turns out to be the truth have you still lied?
9. What are some of the likely consequences of lying?
10. Is lying ever justified?

Leading Idea: Sarah’s Miracle?

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Leading Idea: Sarah’s Miracle?

The text tells us that when Sarah gave birth to Yitzak she was 95 years old. Even if Biblical years are calculated differently, the story tells us she was past childbearing years, and of a ripe old age. Is this, then, a Miracle? If so, what kind of miraculous event is this? Use the resources on Miracles in Parshat Shemot to explore this (and yes I know we need some sources from women here – just having trouble finding some so if you do…..

Note, that the sources are for primary and high school – so pick ones appropriate to your age class if you take up this topic.

Discussion Plan: What counts as a miracle? – PS

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Discussion Plan: What counts as a miracle?

1. In the storm, a bolt of lightning came down and split the tree in half.
2. I fell off my bike speeding down the hill, but didn’t even get a scratch.
3. I wanted an ice-cream but didn’t have any money me –then I found $1.00 on the ground, so I could buy one.
4. When I saw the fire truck going to a house that was on fire, I prayed that everyone would get out of the fire safely and they did.
5. I wake up every morning feeling fresh and ready to start the day.
6. When the forest fire was out of control, the wind turned and the rain came and put it out.
7. God created the world in seven days.
8. I prayed that something bad would happen to the boy at school who is always teasing me, and then he broke his arm.
9 . A standard passenger plane weighs more than 100 adult elephants when it is loaded, and yet it can still get into the air and fly!

vayeira-miracle-dp-image-1

Exercise: What counts as a miracle? – PS

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Exercise: What counts as a miracle?

 

For the items listed below decide which word best describes it:

Miracle – Miraculous – Awesome –  Lucky – Ordinary – Something else?

1. In the storm, a bolt of lightning came down and split the tree in half.
2. I fell off my bike speeding down the hill, but didn’t even get a scratch.
3. I wanted an ice-cream but didn’t have any money me –then I found $1.00 on the ground, so I could buy one.
4. When I saw the fire truck going to a house that was on fire, I prayed that everyone would get out of the fire safely and they did.
5. I wake up every morning feeling fresh and ready to start the day.
6. When the forest fire was out of control, the wind turned and the rain came and put it out.
7. God created the world in seven days.
8. I prayed that something bad would happen to the boy at school who is always teasing me, and then he broke his arm.
9. A standard passenger plane weighs more than 100 adult elephants when it is loaded, and yet it can still get into the air and fly!