Parshat Vayetze Lesson Guide

Lesson Guide

Bereshit (Genesis) 28:10-32:3

This curriculum was created and written by Emma Jaszczak, a Jewish arts educator.

For more teacher resources: www.BimBam.com

Hello Educators! In an ancient Jewish custom, new students of Torah receive a slate covered with Hebrew words and spread with honey. Teachers encouraged these children to lick the honey from each letter and experiencing the Torah’s sweetness. BimBam is digital honey. We keep the Torah central in our vision and create these videos to get students engaged.

We’ve created a short guide for each episode of Bereshit, and each follows the same format. We offer an overall impact statement for each episode a set of learning objectives, a summary of the parsha upon which the cartoon is based, comprehension questions, prompts for discussion, and active learning ideas.

While each activity includes a recommended minimum age, all of our learning ideas can be modified for slightly younger or older learners. Each learning idea also incorporates higher-order thinking skills, and includes elements from all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. For added creativity, be sure to look for the color wheel next to lessons that are particularly arts-based!

Tips for Success

It’s easy to show a BimBam video and start talking Torah, but we recommend a few steps to make it really work in your classroom.

Get Prepared

1) Familiarize yourself with the general content of the parsha (Torah portion) you plan to teach. There is too much in a parsha to cover in less than four minutes, so our episodes are usually not fully comprehensive. Each unit of this guide provides a brief summary of the week's entire parsha, and highlights which parts of the narrative the BimBam episode addresses.

There are many additional resources, in print and online, to help you get familiar with the week’s parsha. A quick search of the Internet will yield hundreds, and most rabbis, cantors, and educators have favorites to offer.

2) Be sure to view the cartoon at least once prior to showing it to your class. Ask yourself: ● Is this episode appropriate for my students? (BimBam videos were designed for ages 10 and up, but use your own expert judgment to make decisions about younger children.) ● What specific learning outcomes would I like to derive from the video? ● How will I know if the intended outcomes are achieved? ● Which of the active learning exercises will I incorporate?

Take it to the Classroom

1) Before viewing: Prepare your students for the viewing by making sure that they are seated quietly and comfortably, with a good view of the screen. Explain why you are showing them this episode, and, depending on your class's existing knowledge of the subject material, you may also need to explain the context, background, or characters. You may also use this time to give out a task for them to focus on during the viewing if you find that to be helpful.

2) Viewing: Some teachers find that it is best to allow students to simply watch the episode., while others find it effective to have the students answer questions, complete a worksheet, or do some other activity during the viewing. Some teachers suggest showing the episode twice to the students. The first time just let them watch it, then ask them some basic comprehension questions to ensure that they have understood the story and the storyteller’s “takeaway.” Then the second time, follow the screening with more in-depth discussion questions.

3) After viewing: Following up with your class (guiding their analysis and reflection) is the most important step. Do you want students to remember what happened in the episode, or its teachings? Reinforcing the BimBam video with an active learning activity will profoundly increase the retention of information, which is why this guide is full of interactive ideas!

A Final Note

Remember: BimBam is not the definitive version of the story of the Torah… the Torah is!

These BimBam videos are a collection of different people's thoughts, reactions and songs on the weekly parsha. Each of your students (and, of course, YOU) have stories to tell and thoughts to offer. Some of their opinions may contradict our storytellers’. Some might be strikingly similar, or take the text in a completely new creative direction.

Our hope? That our readings and yours are creative, captivating, and increase the study of Torah!

Vayetze — Bereshit (Genesis) 28:10-32:3

Esther D. Kustanowitz uses her dry sense of humor to tell the story of Jacob's family. It's complicated.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES After watching this episode, students will know that… 1) Jacob has a dream of angels ascending and descending a ladder. 2) Jacob goes through a series of trials and tribulations in his pursuit of his love, Rachel. 3) Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah all bear children with Jacob.

PARSHA SUMMARY 1) On his way to Haran, Jacob has a dream of angels ascending and descending a ladder. God makes a promise to protect him and Jacob names the place “Bet-El”.* 2) In Haran, Jacob sees Rachel, Laban’s youngest daughter, at the well. He single-handedly rolls a heavy rock off of the top of the well and gives water to Rachel’s flock.* 3) As part of his deal with Laban, Jacob works seven years for Rachel’s hand in marriage. However, he is deceived by Laban who substitutes Leah as a bride instead.* 4) Jacob works another seven years in order to also marry Rachel.* 5) Leah has four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.* 6) Rachel is barren, so she gives Jacob her maid, Bilhah. Bilhah bears two sons, Dan and Naphtali.* 7) Leah gives Jacob her maid, Zilpah, who bears Gad and Asher.* 8) Leah has another three children: Issachar, Zebulun, and daughter Dinah. * 9) Rachel finally conceives and bears Joseph.* 10) Jacob amasses a large flock by differentiating streaked and spotted sheep. 11) Jacob and his household flee the house of Laban and Rachel takes his household idols. 12) Jacob and Laban sign a peace treaty.

*included in this BimBam episode

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS 1) Why does Jacob have to leave his father’s home? 2) What does Jacob see in his dream? 3) Who does Jacob meet at the well in Haran? 4) How does Laban deceived Jacob? 5) What do Rachel and Leah do when they cannot become pregnant? 6) How many children does Jacob ultimately have? How many children did Leah have? Rachel?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1) Why do you think barrenness was such a critical issue in the story of the matriarchs? 2) Do you sympathize more with Rachel or with Leah? Why? 3) The last line of this episode is: “sometimes you have to leave home to find home.” When have you had a transformative experience that you could only have had away from your home, city, or family?

ACTIVE LEARNING IDEAS 1) Text Study/Chevruta (20 minutes) (Recommended Age: 11<)

Have students examine this text in pairs and answer the questions:

In the evening, they led Leah in to the bridal chamber and extinguished the light…In the morning, however, “behold it was Leah (29:25)”. Jacob said to Leah: "You are a deceiver and the daughter of a deceiver!" "Is there a teacher without pupils?" she retorted. “Did not your father call you ‘Esau’ and you answered him? So, you called me ‘Rachel’ and I answered you!” Jacob then asked Laban, “Why did you deceive me?” Laban replied: “It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the older.” (Genesis Rabbah, 70:19)

● Who was responsible for deceiving Jacob? ● Why does the text say Jacob was deceived? ● Using the text, show all of the parallels between this story and the story of Jacob and Esau. ● Do you think that Jacob got what he deserved? ● Do you think that people’s sins always come back to “bite them” in some way? Share an example. ● Have you ever lied, thought you got away with it, but were somehow punished for it later on? If so, based on those feelings, how do you think Jacob felt? If not, how do you imagine Jacob felt when it happened to him?

2) “POSTING” THE BIBLE (1 hour) (Recommended Age: 10<) The narrator of this episode was a professional writer of blogs and newspaper articles about Hollywood, as well as Jewish community topics.

Have your students draft an instagram post (or other social media post that includes a picture) from the perspective of either Rachel or Leah. Don’t forget to have your students add a caption, hashtags, and other elements appropriate for the platform they are “posting” on.. Using construction paper, colored pencils, markers, collage supplies, or other art supplies, have students create the picture that goes with their post. You can also have students stage scenes and use a phone, ipad, or other device that takes pictures to take the photograph. After students have completed their post, hang them around the room for other students to “comment” on them with post-it notes.