Parshat Bo ab Grades 5-6
Slot 1...TEFILLAH (35 mins) Slot 2...PARSHA SUMMARY (10 mins) Slot 3...QUESTIONS ON PARSHA (15 mins) Slot 4...GAMES (10 mins) Slot 5...STORY TIME (10 mins) Slot 6...SNACK TIME (10 mins)
SLOT ONE: Approximately 35 minutes TEFILLAH The Tefillot chosen have been recommended for the age of the children that you have in your group. If you find that they know more feel free to add. Be aware of their cues. If it is too little for them it is necessary for you to add on more Tefillot. If it is too much for some of the children, I recommend that you stay with it and teach them more each week. When working with this age group it may be helpful to start your group ear lier than the younger groups. The extra time will give these older kids a chance to daven, have parsha and a game time and still make it back into the main sanctuary for Mussaf There should be a Michitza and a leader of the Tefillot. In preparing the children for Tefillot you should have them sitting quietly and try and make sure there are no distractions. Make sure everyone has the Tefillot in front of them. These Tefillot should all be read or sung out loud. You should be leading each Tefillah and singing along with the children. Please consult the shul rabbi to make sure the tunes you use are consis tent with those used in the main sanctuary. Please take a moment before Shabbat to identify the page numbers in your shul s siddur so you can readily help the children find the pages.
Tefillot PAGE NUMBERS yna hdvm Modeh Ani yrsa Ashrei tyxyx Bracha on Tzizit (for boys) ubtsy Yishtabach vbvj hm/mlvi Nvda Mah Tovu/Adon Olam ims Shema and its Brachot tvcrb Brachot yrsi hnvms Sh mona Esrei rys rvmzm Beginning of Pesukei D Zimra - Mizmor Shir vnkvlac Nya Ain K-Elokaynu rmas Cvrb Baruch She amar vnyli Aleinu vdvh Hodu
SLOT TWO: Approximately 10 minutes PARSHA This summary should be read and understood before Shabbat so that you will be prepared to teach it to the children. This should not be read mechanically to the children. You should be familiar enough with the information that you could tell it in your own words. If you find that just telling them the story is not working to their benefit then you should quiz them on what they learned about in school about the parsha. You might want to get pictures or visual aids to help hold the kids attention during your recitation, as well. The Torah Thought or Mitzvah of The Week at the end of the summary is something which also may be discussed. SUMMARY OF PARSHAT BO This parsha continues with the remaining plagues which Hashem used to change Paroh s mind about setting the Jews free and to convince him of Hashem s existence. Moshe warned Paroh about the eighth plague which was a plague of locusts (Arbeh) which would destroy Egypt s crops. Not heeding to the warning, Paroh sent Moshe and Aharon away without acknowledging them. The next day the locusts began to invade. Paroh begged Moshe to end the plague saying that he will give in and let the Jews go. Once again Paroh took back his promise and did not let them go. The next plague that Moshe brought was total darkness (Choshech). The Egyptians world went dark and they could not see at all for six days. The Jews had light. Paroh gave in once again and said that the Jews could leave as long as they left their flocks and herds as collateral to show that they would return. Moshe said that this was not acceptable and that there would be one final plague on the Egyptians. Moshe and Aharon warned Paroh that all firstborns will be killed - including humans and animals (Makat Bechorot). On the tenth day of Nisan every Jewish household was to set aside a lamb. They were to sacrifice it on the fourteenth day of Nisan. After they sacrificed it they were supposed to take some of the blood from the animal and smear it on their doorposts. This would be a sign that their house was a Jewish one. It was understood that Hashem, would kill all of the Egyptian firstborn that night but pass over all of the houses with blood on the doorpost. That date, the fourteenth of Nisan became the first day of Pesach -- a time of remembrance to thank
Hashem for taking us away from Egypt and its slavery. At midnight, Hashem killed all of the firstborn. When Paroh saw what was happening he begged the Jews to leave. He saw that his kingdom was being destroyed. The Jews left as quickly as they could. So quickly that there was not enough time for the bread they were preparing for their journey to rise. They ate unleavened bread (matza) just as we do on Pesach. Six hundred thousand men, along with their wives and children left Egypt. They took with them gold and silver which was given to the by the Egyptians. There are some laws written in the end of this parsha. The Jews were commanded to bring a Korban Pesach every year on the fourteenth day of Nisan. They were also commanded to wear Teffilin to remind them of their salvation from Egypt. Torah Thoughts: At the beginning of this week s reading Moshe is asked by Paroh who will go to worship your God in the desert? The answer Moshe gives is B Na areinu U B Zikneinu Neileich - we go with young and old, with our children... By saying this Moshe gives an important message to his generation and to ours. We can best worship Hashem and fulfill the Mitzvot as a family. This means that the practice of Judaism is not delegated to any one member of a family, but to the family as a whole. It is through family observance that each member gains greater appreciation and understanding of our beautiful Torah. SLOT THREE: Approximately 15 minutes OUESTIONS ON THE PARSHA You might want either to have prizes or treats to give the kids immediately upon answering a question correctly. This will help greatly with maintaining discipline and decorum. QUESTIONS (Yeshiva Day School): 1. What is next week s parsha? 2. Which plagues in this parsha were Paroh warned about beforehand?
3. What did Paroh do after he saw the locusts? 4. After the plague of Choshech Paroh gave a condition under which the Jews could leave. What was it? 5. Why do you think Moshe declined the offer? 6. Why were the animals also killed during Makat Bechorot? 7. What were the Jews supposed to do in the morning with the leftover meat from the Korban? 8. What did the Jews eat with the Korban? 9. When, specifically, did Hashem start to kill the first-born of the Egyptians? 10. How many Jewish men left Egypt when they were freed? 11. What do we learn from the words B Na areinu U B Zikneinu Neileich? QUESTIONS (Public School): 1. What were the first two parshiot in the book of Shemot? 2. Out of the ten plagues, how many were mentioned in this parsha? 3. Name the three plagues in this parsha? 4. What does Arbeh mean? 5. What happened during the plague of Makat Bechorot? 6. What were the Jews supposed to do on the fourteenth day of Nisan? 7. Why did they put blood on their doorposts? 8. How do we know that Paroh really wanted the Jews to leave? 9. Why do we eat Matzah on Pesach? 10. Name one commandment mentioned in this parsha. ANSWERS (Yeshiva Day School) 1. Next week is parshat Beshalach. 2. Paroh was warned about two of this parsha s plagues: Arbeh and Makat Bechorot. 3. Paroh begged Moshe to stop the plague. 4. After Choshech, Paroh said that he would let the Jews go but without their animals. 5. Moshe declined the offer because the animals were the Jew s prize possessions and they needed them in order to make sacrifices to Hashem. 6. The animals are needed as food and to help with the agriculture. If the animals are de stroyed so is the Egyptian s food source. 7. They had to burn it. 8. The Jews ate bitter herbs and unleavened bread with the Korban. 9. Hashem began killing the first-born at midnight on the fourteenth day of Nisan. 10. Six hundred thousand men left with their families. 11. It stresses that one can worship Hashem and fulfill Mitzvot best if he would do them with his family, not as an individual.
ANSWERS (Public School): 1. Shemot and Va eira were the first two parshiot in Sefer Shemot. 2. Three. 3. Arbeh, Choshech, Makat Bechorot. 4. Arbeh means locusts. 5. During Makat Bechorot, Hashem killed all of the first-born animals and humans (only the Egyptian ones). 6. On the fourteenth day, the Jews were told to sacrifice a lamb and take blood from it and put it on their doorposts. 7. They put blood on their doorposts to give a sign that their house was a Jewish one. When Hashem was killing the first-born, he would skip over any house which had blood on it. 8. We know this because when the Jews left, the Egyptians gave them gold and silver. 9. We eat Matza because when the Jews found out they were freed, they wanted to leave as quickly as possible, so they did not wait for their bread to rise. Today we eat it as a symbol to remember how Hashem saved us from Paroh. 10. Tefillin, Korban Pesach, Lizkor (to remember) our salvation. SLOT FOUR: Approximately 10 minutes GAMES The games given below are simply suggestions of easy games to play with children. There is no need to feel like you must play every game. Use your discretion when choosing if you want to play them, and how many of them you want to play. The key to a successful game leader: 1. Have your goals set never begin a game if you are not fully prepared to see it through. 2. Prepare the equipment this includes putting chairs in a circle, etc. This must be done before explaining the game to the children. Have everything set up so there are no distractions. 3. Explain the game you must be clear! Do not begin unless everyone understands. 4. Always demonstrate if you show them how it is done there will be less confusion. 5. Cues once you start the game it is important to pay attention to the children s cues! If too many kids are sitting out, change the game.
6. Cut the game short!!! Try and stop the game while it still interests the kids, even if you must cut it short! Do not let a game that has become un-fun drag on. This way the kids will look forward to playing it the next time. Since these children are older the games given will be both active games and mind puzzling games. (These games can be found in Shabbat Games by Lenny Matanky.) GAME #1 approximately 5 minutes. appropriate for 5-25 kids. ADVERB MANNER A player is chosen to leave the room. While he is out, the group decides on an adverb (a word that modifies a verb). The player re-enters and he must guess what the adverb is. The way he does this is to ask the other players to do a variety of things in the manner of the adverb. For Example: Adverb = Fast player: sing, talk, walk... action: the other players would then sing, talk, and walk fast. The player can only make three requests of the other players in trying to guess the adverb. GAME #2 Approximately 10 minutes. Appropriate for 5-40 kids. PAPER BAG DRAMATICS The players are divided into teams. The first team must start a song starting with an aleph. When the song is over (or when the leader stops it), the second team must start a song with a bet. When the song is completed, the third teams starts a song with a gimmel, and so on. If a team cannot come up with a song with their letter, they are out. Play continues until only one team remains. To keep the game moving -- set a time limit. A variation would be to use the English alphabet.
GAME #3 Approximately 5 minutes. Appropriate for 5-20 kids. BLINDFOLDED WALK This game is played in a circle. A handkerchief is needed or some other object which can be thrown. A topic is chosen (i.e. Chanukah). Then a handkerchief is given to a player who has five seconds to mention something pertaining to that subject (i.e. a menorah). As soon as s/he says it, s/he throws the handkerchief to another player, and that next player must mention something new pertaining to the subject (i.e. candles). If a player does not name anything new within five seconds s/he is out. A variation to this game is with teams: each chooses one member as a representative playing against the representative(s) from the other team(s). All the team members brainstorm to think of different pertinent things to mention, and the representative may use any of them. Topic Examples: Jewish holidays Fruits Colors States in the USA Five letter words Boys names Girls names SLOT FIVE: Approximately 10 minutes STORY TIME There are many tricks to successfully telling a story. You should help the children get used to having a story time by doing something different like sitting in a different corner of the room, or a different formation for story time. They should understand that story time is a quiet time and not an active one. You must make it clear to the children whether or not you allow questions to be asked during the story telling this is entirely up to you dependent on your style. Your goal is to tell this story as smoothly as possible while keeping the children s attention and interest. Give rewards for good listening.
(This story can be found in A Treasury of Jewish Bedtime Stories by Shmuel Blitz.) THE RABBI AND THE WAGON DRIVER The Rabbi of Pinsk wanted to meet the people of Pichinev. Prepare the wagon, he told Yossi his driver. We re going to Pichinev. During the trip, Yossi confessed, Rabbi, I am jealous of you. When we arrive in Pichinev all the people will crowd around the wagon, giving you much honor and respect. But me, they will ignore. And they don t really know either of us. If I would be wearing your clothing instead of my rags, the people would think I m the rabbi and would honor me instead. The rabbi felt sorry for Yossi. If receiving honor is so important to you, then I will be happy to switch clothing. But what will you answer if the people ask you a hard question about Jewish law? the rabbi asked. Don t worry, answered Yossi. It will be fine. The two men exchanged clothing. The rabbi put on Yossi s old patched coat, while Yossi put on the rabbi s black satin coat. When they arrived in Pichinev, the people came to greet the Rabbi. But they honored Yossi the wagon driver. They ignored the real Rabbi of Pinsk. Rabbi, we are so glad that you came, the leaders of Pichinev said to Yossi. We have a very difficult question. They brought over a large book and pointed out a problem that no one in town could solve. Yossi took the book and looked intently at it. He ran one hand over the page and the other hand through his beard. He rubbed his brow and coughed a few tunes. Finally, he looked up the townspeople and said, This is the kind of simple question you ask me? I thought you would ask me something difficult. This question is so easy, even my wagon driver could answer it. Go ask him!!! They did. And of course the learned rabbi knew just what to say. We learn from this story how important it is not to judge someone solely by their looks, clothes or accessories, it s what s inside a person that matters.
SLOT SIX: Approximately 10 minutes SNACK TIME If you are given the option of deciding what is for snack, or can bring in your own snack, then you should try to have one available which is pertinent to the parsha. This should be done along with the usual cookies or crackers and juice that you most probably are given. Depending on the week you might bring in vegetables or fruits. On the vegetables you would make the bracha,...boray P ri Ha-adama On the fruits you would make the bracha,...boray P ri Ha-aytz Don t forget to say,...shehakol nihyeh Bidvaro on the juice and...boray Minay M zonot on the cracker or cookie. Remember when you are finished eating to say the Bracha Achrona, which can be found on the next page. The leader should read it aloud and encourage the children that are familiar with the bracha to say it along with you. The remaining children should answer Amen.