Torah Lesson 1 Tanach: Getting to Know You

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INTRODUCTION

This lesson is an introduction to the Tanach, the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew term Q³b©T, “Tanach,” is an acronym formed from the names of the three sections of the Bible: v¨r«uT, Torah; oh¦thc±b, N’vi’-im (Prophets); and ohcU,F, K’tuvim (Writings).1

The lesson is designed to provide students with a brief overview of the Tanach and a taste of the content of each of the sections. The focus of the Level 5 Torah strand is the second section of Tanach, the N’vi- im/Prophets section. It is helpful, however, for students to understand where and how the N’vi-im section fits into the bigger picture of the Tanach. An additional hope is that the students will be able to recognize at least some small part of this section of the Tanach before they formally begin learning about it. Students will study K’tuvim in Level 6.

The Tanach is referred to by Jews as the Hebrew Bible, not the Old Testament. The Old Testament is the Christian name for the first section of the Christian Bible. It differs from the Tanach in several signifi- cant ways. Among them are the order of the books and the translation of some key verses. Conceptually, the term “Old Testament” implies that there is a newer, more modern testament (the New Testament), superceding the “Old” Testament. This is not accurate for Jews, hence the term “Hebrew Bible.”

The first books of the N’vi-im section (Joshua, Judges, I and II Samuel, and I and II Kings) are considered the “historical prophets.” The remainder of the prophetic books are referred to as the “literary prophets.”

If you have not worked with a copy of the Tanach in the past, it is suggested that you skim through one. Note how the table of contents is organized and where certain books are found. You might want to read through some sections of N’vi-im that draw your eye. Some of the prophetic books, such as Micah, Amos, Joel, or Jonah, are short and relatively easily accessible. This might be helpful in getting a feel for prophetic language and style (even though the styles are somewhat varied).

The Level 5 Torah strand assumes that students are able to find a biblical citation. If your students are unable to do so, it is recommended that you teach the section of Level 4, Torah Lesson 1, that introduces students to the skill of finding a biblical citation (pages 12–13).

1Depending on its place in a word, the letter F can also appear as f, in which case it is pronounced ch. Like several other Hebrew letters, f has a final form, l.

7 8 Torah Lesson 1 CHAI: Learning for Jewish Life

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

• Torah is real in our daily lives: It goes with us wherever we are.

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

• The prophets were focused on reminding the Jewish people how God wants us to live, and their messages are at the heart of Reform Judaism.

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

2. How can Torah study help me in my everyday life?

3. Why is the Torah different from other books?

4. What is prophecy?

5. What is a prophet?

6. In what ways do the prophets and what they said (prophecy) remind us how God wants us to live?

7. How can I as a Reform Jew understand how God wants me to live through the writings of the prophets?

QUESTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED 1. What is the meaning of the term “Tanach”?

2. What are the characteristics of the three different sections of the Tanach?

EVIDENCE OF UNDERSTANDING • Students will respond to questions about the different sections of the Tanach: Torah, N’vi-im, and K’tuvim.

• Students will describe or characterize the Tanach either visually or in writing.

LESSON OVERVIEW • Set Induction (15 minutes)

• Tanach Stations (35–40 minutes)

• Conclusion (15 minutes)

MATERIALS NEEDED • What Is in the Tanach (the Hebrew Bible)? (page 12)

• Group Leader Instructions (pages 14–16)

• Three signs, one for each station: 1. Ta ; 2. Na; 3. Ch (see template on page 17) CHAI: Learning for Jewish Life Tanach: Getting to Know You 9

• An adult or madrich (high school student/teacher aide) to run the stations (the K’tuvim station, if at all possible, should be run by a music teacher or a volunteer with musical talent)

• Music teacher or volunteer who can lead the students in song

• A CD player (if there is no music teacher or the teacher wants/needs accompaniment)

• CDs or cassettes with the chosen songs (if there is no music teacher or the teacher wants/needs accompaniment)

•A siddur/prayer book for every two students (the one commonly used by the congregation is recommended)

•A Tanach for each student or one for every two students (TANAKH [Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1999 (Hebrew/English); English only, 1985] is recommended)

• Copies of The Gift of Wisdom (New York: UAHC Press, 2001) for the N’vi-im and K’tuvim groups (one copy for one-third of the students, to be used at the N’vi-im station)

LESSON VOCABULARY thc²b Prophet (pl. n’vi-im). navi oh¦thc±b Prophets. The second section of the Hebrew Bible consisting N’vi-im of eight books (Joshua, Judges, I and II Samuel, I and II Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Minor Prophets). Some scholars count the Twelve Minor Prophets as one book and some count them as twelve books. Therefore, some scholars say there are eight books in the N’vi-im section of the Tanach and some say there are nineteen books in this section. ohcU,F Writings. The third section of the Tanach. This section consists of K’tuvim eleven books: Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra/Nehemiah, I and II Chronicles. historical prophets The first four books of N’vi-im: Joshua, Judges, I and II Samuel, and I and II Kings. The prophets in these books are referred to as the historical prophets as their content is historic in nature, telling the story of Am Yisrael’s conquest of and residence in Eretz Yisrael. They also relate the stories of Israel’s monarchs. literary prophets This section of N’vi-im is comprised of four books: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Minor prophets. These prophets are known as the literary prophets because of the prosaic nature of the writing and the moral and ethical content of their books. 10 Torah Lesson 1 CHAI: Learning for Jewish Life

LESSON PLAN

SET INDUCTION (15 MINUTES)

This set induction is designed to help students get an overview of the Tanach and to orient them to the Books of the Prophets within the Bible. The students will do a “preview quiz” that will be reviewed together as a class.

1. Distribute the What Is in the Tanach (the Hebrew Bible)? quiz sheet on page 12. Tell the students that they can work alone or with a friend or two to try to answer the questions. They have not studied this information before and may not know the answers. Let the students know that you will be reviewing the answers together as a class to get an idea about what they will be learning over the next few months. Instruct them to place a check or an X next to each thing listed that they think is found in the Tanach, the Hebrew Bible. Remind them not to worry if they do not know the answers or if they do not complete all the questions in five minutes.

2. Review the correct answers (see page 13) and tell the students that in this class, they will be learning some important things about each section of the Bible. Point out to them that over the next several weeks, the class will be focusing on one section in particular, the Books of the Prophets.

LEARNING ACTIVITY Tanach Stations (35–40 minutes)

1. Divide students into three groups to visit three stations, one each for Torah, N’vi-im, and K’tuvim. If the class is small, students can visit the stations as a whole group or in two groups instead of three.

2. Using the template on page 17, create one sign for each of the three sections of the Tanach and place the appropriate sign at each of the three stations. These signs should be brought back to the classroom from each of the stations at the end of the third rotation (see Conclusion). Teachers should have an extra copy of each sign in case one group forgets to bring its sign back. Instructions for each of the stations can be found on pages 14–16. Each station will need an adult or madrich (high school student/teacher aide) to lead the station. The teacher’s role is to circulate among the stations to ensure that they are running smoothly and to let students know when to move on to the next station.

3. Start each group at a different station. Each group will spend ten minutes at each station with two minutes for moving around. Students do not need to begin with the Torah station. It is recommended, however, that as they proceed, they move in the order of the Tanach (from Torah to N’vi-im to K’tuvim; from N’vi-im to K’tuvim to Torah; and from K’tuvim to Torah to N’vi-im). It would be easiest for the students if each student had a copy of the Tanach to take along to each station.

Note: Station 3, K’tuvim, is based on the many beautiful musical settings and songs from K’tuvim. Two particular pieces are recommended: Eitz Chayim Hi from Proverbs 3:17–18 and Hinei Mah Tov from Psalm 133. There are multiple tunes for both Eitz Chayim Hi and Hinei Ma Tov. It is fine to choose the better known ones, but for a little variation, there are two additional recordings of Eitz Chayim Hi to check out. A tune written by Richard Silverman and recorded by Cantor Angela Buchdahl Warnick with both Hebrew and English can be purchased from Westchester Reform CHAI: Learning for Jewish Life Tanach: Getting to Know You 11

Temple through their Web site, www.wrtemple.com. Steve Brodsky’s rendition has been recorded by the group Mah Tovu on their album Only This and can be purchased through their Web site, www.mahtovu.com. Steven Sher’s recording of “Hinei Mah Tov” can be found on The Complete NFTY Recordings 1972–1989 (Transcontinental Music Publications 950103).

Transcontinental Music, the music publisher of the Union for Reform Judaism, is a wonderful resource for Jewish music. They have produced a number of compilations that can be used as part of this and many other CHAI lessons. Additional songs for this lesson can be found on the two Ruach: New Jewish Tunes recordings, Ruach 5761 (950078) and Ruach 5763 (950102), which include Hodu Ladonai, Pitchu Li, Halleli, and many others. The Complete NFTY Recordings 1972–1989 is also rich with possibilities. For more information, visit www.transcontinentalmusic.com.

CONCLUSION (15 MINUTES)

1. Display the three station signs at the front of the room, one on top of the other, to spell the word Tanach.

2. Debrief the station activities by asking students to complete the following sentence: One new thing I learned about the Tanach is . . . . Write student responses on the board. If an answer has already been given, students should be encouraged to come up with something else.

3. To summarize the lesson, explain to students that during the next eight or nine weeks they will be studying the second section of the Tanach. Ask students to name the section. They will be exploring the different kinds of prophets, their messages for their own times, and their messages for our time. Even though the prophets lived thousands of years ago, their words are still important and helpful in our own world and in our own time. 12 CHAI: Learning for Jewish Life

What Is in the Tanach (the Hebrew Bible)?

Place a check or an X next to each thing that you think is found in the Bible.

The Five Books of Moses (the Torah) The recipe for baking hamantashen The story of how the warrior and prophet Joshua fought the battle of Jericho The Books of the Prophets (nineteen in all!) The story of Robin Hood helping the poor Special “writings” including the five megillot (scrolls): Esther, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes The directions for playing dreidel The things that the prophet Isaiah said The story of Deborah sitting under a tree Psalms and poems of comfort

What Is in the Tanach (the Hebrew Bible)? (Answer Key)

X The Five Books of Moses (the Torah) The recipe for baking hamantashen (No) X The story of how the warrior and prophet Joshua fought the battle of Jericho X The Books of the Prophets (nineteen in all!) The story of Robin Hood helping the poor (No) X Special “writings” inlcuding the five megillot (scrolls): Esther, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes The directions for playing dreidel (No) X The things that the prophet Isaiah said X The story of Deborah sitting under a tree X Psalms and poems of comfort

Group Leader Instructions Station 1—Torah: Five Questions

1. Ask students to sit on the floor. Ask students to look in their copies of the Tanach and find the Torah section. Ask: Where is it—at the beginning, the middle, or the end? 2. Play the game of Five Questions (the Jewish/Torah version of Twenty Questions—the number is based on the number of books in the Torah). Ask three or four students to think of their favorite figures from the Torah. One student at a time should go to the front of the group. Students can ask up to five yes/no questions in order to identify the figure. (Teachers or a knowledgeable volunteer may need to be available to help answer or ask some questions.) As a way to include more students, another option might be to ask students to think of a family from the Torah and to go up as a family and do the same question- ing activity. 2. This activity should take ten minutes. If the time is up after two or three students, then the third or fourth student will not be able to take their turns. 3. Ask the whole group to brainstorm their answers to the following question: 3. Which figure in the Torah do you find most interesting or important, and why? 3. Write their responses on a piece of flip chart paper or on the board. 4. Summarize the activity as follows: 4. The Torah is the first section of the Tanach. It contains the first and oldest stories of our people. It’s the story of how the Jewish people came to be. Through reading it we can learn about what our ancestors thought was most important. The Torah exists in several forms: • in the ark in scroll form • in book form as part of the larger Hebrew Bible, also known as the Tanach • as a stand-alone book called a J¨Nªj chumash (from the Hebrew word J¥n¨j chamesh, which means “five,” as in “five books”) 5. Students should proceed to the next station.

Group Leader Instructions Station 2—N’vi-im: Meet the Prophets

1. Ask students to sit at desks or tables. Ask them to open their copies of the Tanach to D’varim/Deuteronomy 34:10, to read the verse with a partner, and to answer the following two questions: • What does this verse have to say about Moses? • Where is it found in the Torah? 2. As a group, ask students to answer the questions they just discussed and add the following question: Look at the name of the next section of the Tanach (in English). Why do you think the Torah ends by talking about Moses as the greatest prophet? (There is no one correct answer here. Students can hypothe- size freely.) 3. Ask students to try to find the end of the N’vi-im section in their copies of the Tanach. Explain that the next activity, a word search, will ask them to work with the whole second section of the Tanach (which is the “Na” in Tanach), also known as the Prophets. Na is the nun in the word N’vi-im (Prophets). 4. In pairs, have students complete the word search puzzle on page 3 of their workbooks. The goal of this activity is to familiarize them with the names of the prophets as well as to get them to thumb through the text. Some students may discover and then use the table of contents in the front of the book. While this is not ideal, it does show resourcefulness and should not be discouraged. An answer key for the word search can be found on page 18.

Group Leader Instructions Station 3—K’tuvim: Music to My Ears

At this station, students will learn about the roots of some Jewish music with which they are probably familiar. If at all possible, this station activity should take place in a space that is separate from the other two groups so that music can be played and sung. The songs recommended here are ones that are most commonly used in Reform congregations. If students are not familiar with these tunes, it is recommended that the music or classroom teacher choose alternates from K’tuvim with which students are familiar. The easiest place to find the specific citations is in the siddur used by the congregation. The citation is generally given just before or just following the text. Most of the Psalms are found at the beginning of the service, par- ticularly the Shabbat Shacharit (morning) service. 1. Direct students to find the K’tuvim section in their copies of the Tanach. Ask students to guess what K’tuvim means and what might be contained in this section of the Tanach. 2. Explain that K’tuvim is the “ch” in Tanach. K’tuvim means “writings,” and that many songs they know come from this section of the Tanach. 3. Sing a familiar, well-liked song with the students. The song should be based on a Psalm or other excerpt from K’tuvim. Some suggested songs are Eitz Chayim Hi (Tree of Life, Mishlei/Proverbs 3:17–18) or Hinei Ma Tov (T’hillim/Psalms 133). See pages 10–11 for more details about selecting the music. 4. Ask students where they have heard this song before. Do they know where the words are taken from? (Let the students guess. Since these songs are also found in the siddur, this will most likely be one of the guesses.) 5. Ask the students, in pairs, to look up these songs in the siddur. Direct one student to read the translation of the song aloud from the siddur. 6. Divide the group into two groups and ask one group to look in the K’tuvim/Writings section of their copies of the Tanach for Mishlei/Proverbs 3:17–18 and the other group to look for T’hillim/Psalms 133. Students should try to guess which song is from Proverbs and which is from Psalms. (Their previous look at the translation in the siddur should provide sufficient guidance for this.) The group that guesses first gets to choose the next song the group will be singing. 7. Follow with another two or three songs from K’tuvim.

Tanach ¨T Ta ³b Na Q Ch

Search the Prophets Word Search Answer Key

1. JOSHUA 6. JEREMIAH 11. OBADIAH 16. ZEPHANIAH 2. JUDGES 7. EZEKIEL 12. JONAH 17. HAGGAI 3. SAMUEL 8. HOSEA 13. MICAH 18. ZECHARIAH 4. KINGS 9. JOEL 14. NAHUM 19. MALACHI 5. ISAIAH 10. AMOS 15. HABAKKUK