Lesson 2 Parashat : , Gifts, Drawing Near

INTRODUCTION

The first portions of the Book of Vayikra/Leviticus have to do with the brought to at the Temple in in ancient times. Today there is no Temple standing in Jerusalem and we do not sac- rifice animals or grains before God. When the Temple was destroyed other Jewish practices began to replace the Temple sacrifices. The most notable was . We often refer to prayer as Avodah, service to God, in place of the service to God that was carried out in the ancient Temple.

Sacrifice can still be relevant in our students’ and our lives when it is understood as “offerings” that we make to God. The Hebrew term for offering is korban, which has the same Hebrew root as “near” or “close to” (karov). This lesson is based on the relationship between the two terms, korban and karov: when we offer of ourselves to others and to God, we come closer to God and, perhaps, God comes closer to us.

Throughout this lesson, the Hebrew term korban will be translated as “offering.” Students will be asked to examine the offerings they are willing to make for themselves, their world, and God. In addition, they will reflect upon what it means to draw closer to God and how, through their offerings, they might do so.

ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS • Torah is an ongoing dialogue between the text and its students.

• Torah is real in our daily lives; it is with us wherever we are.

• Developing the skills to study Torah is essential to integrating Torah into our lives.

• The laws and rules found in the Torah can help us to live lives filled with holy moments.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS 1. What does the Torah have to say to me and to my world?

2. Why is the Torah different from other books?

3. How can help me in my everyday life?

4. How can understanding and observing the rules and laws found in the Torah make my life more holy/kadosh?

17 18 Torah Lesson 2 CHAI: Learning for Jewish Life

QUESTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED

1. What is the connection between an offering to God and drawing close to God?

2. How can I make an offering to God through my actions?

EVIDENCE OF UNDERSTANDING

• Students will draw conclusions about how an offering can bring us closer to God.

• Students will be able to give examples of how they can reach closer to God through their decisions and actions.

• Students will be able to describe a time when they felt close to God.

LESSON OVERVIEW

• Set Induction (7 minutes)

• Chevruta Text Study: Vayikra/Leviticus 1 (25 minutes)

• Conclusion (20 minutes)

MATERIALS NEEDED

• Gift-wrapped box

• Chalkboard and chalk or chart paper and markers

• Pencils

LESSON VOCABULARY t¨,Urc©j Small groups or pairs of students engaged in the study of Jewish chevruta texts. iCr¨e Offering. The three-letter Hebrew root of this word is c-r-e, korban which means “nearness” or “closeness.” ,«ubCr¨e Offerings (plural of korban). korbanot c«ur¨e Near (from the same three-letter root of the Hebrew word korban— karov see above). CHAI: Learning for Jewish Life Parashat Vayikra: Sacrifice, Gifts, Drawing Near 19

LESSON PLAN

SET INDUCTION (7 MINUTES)

1. Show the class the wrapped box. Ask, “If I said this present was for you, how would you feel? How would you feel about me?” If you wish, record their answers on the board under the heading “Receiving.”

2. Ask students to close their eyes and think about a time when they gave someone a gift that the per- son was particularly pleased to receive. Ask students to respond to the following questions: How did you feel about that person when you saw his/her reaction? How did his/her reaction make you feel about yourself? How did his/her reaction make you feel about him/her? Write their responses on the board under “Giving.”

LEARNING ACTIVITY Chevruta Text Study: Vayikra/Leviticus 1 (25 minutes)

1. Explain that the Book of Vayikra focuses on gifts the Jewish people gave to God in the time when we had a Temple. These gifts, called korbanot, or offerings, were often from people’s gardens and farms. These offerings are described in the first parashah (portion) of the Book of Vayikra. The parashah is also called Vayikra.

2. Introduce the term chevruta as a traditional way of studying Torah. Explain that it is most commonly done in pairs or groups of three. We are going to study in chevruta why we would give gifts to God.

3. Divide the students into groups and have them turn to page 6 in their workbooks. Let the students work together as you read through the instructions with them and circulate and help out where needed. If you feel that this activity may be too challenging for some students to complete on their own, doing the activity as a class is another option.

CONCLUSION (20 MINUTES)

1. Bring the class back together and review the answers from the chevruta text study page. Focus on the gifts of behavior that each of us can give to God in order to get closer to God and make the world more kadosh. (Answers may include: pray, be nice to others, help out, go to school, be responsible, do g’mi- lut chasadim, take care of the earth, etc.)

2. If there is time, discuss the following: Can you make a connection between our gifts and your jour- nal entry or promise to yourself from the previous lesson?

3. Wrap up by reviewing these ideas:

• We are in a relationship with God: we want to get closer to each other.

• When we do holy things (acts and behaviors) and notice what is holy/kadosh around us, this can make us feel closer to God. 20 Torah Lesson 2 CHAI: Learning for Jewish Life

HOMEWORK

Ask students to turn to page 7 in their workbooks, and tell them: In class we talked about how we can give a gift or offering to God through our actions and/or behaviors. Choosing to act this way can make the world more kadosh/holy. Write a poem (as many lines as you wish) about:

• A time when you made a choice to act or behave in a way that made you feel close to God, or

• An idea you have for a gift or offering (which could be an action or behavior) that you could give to God to bring you closer to God.

You might want to write your poem and then illustrate or decorate around it as a way to help explain its meaning.