igniting your shabbat services Balak HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE Balak Hello and welcome to Spark! Spark is aimed at facilitating the smooth running of Toddlers’ Services, Children’s Services and Youth Services across United Synagogue communities. Firstly, thank you for offering to run a Children’s Service in your local shul. The US is very proud of the numerous Children’s services that are run every week across the UK. We would not be able to do this without you! Spark has been designed in order to help you run your Children’s Services. Obviously, every Children’s Service is different, in terms of how many children there are; what their age range is; its length; and how knowledgeable the children are likely to be of this week’s parasha. Ideally, where possible, a Children’s Service should consist of some time used to discuss the weekly parasha and some time devoted to davening. Spark gives you an overview of the weekly parasha, a song, activity, discussion or Dvar Torah linked to the parasha or any important event that week. It is separated into sections for different age groups but often you will find that an activity in one section will be suitable for children in another section. So, please take the time to read through it all – I know you are busy people but it will help you and ultimately the children. Please also try to read Spark during the week as sometimes some props will be needed. It will give you a chance to find them. It is important to note that Spark should help you to run Children’s Services, but it does not completely run it for you. It is not designed to give to one of the children to read out to the group for them to run themselves. You are running the Children’s Service, and Spark is here to help you do it. I hope that you and the children in your service will benefit from Spark2. As always your feedback would be welcomed. Shabbat Shalom, Sharon Radley [email protected] 2 PARASHA SUMMARY Balak n Balak the King of Moav was worried about the advancing Jewish nation and sends messengers to Balaam a famous sorcerer in the Land of Midian. He asks Balaam to come and curse the Jewish people. God appears to Balaam and instructs him not to go to Moav. n Balak sends even more prestigious messengers to Balaam promising him riches in return for curses. This time God grants permission for Balaam to go provided he only uses the word that God speaks to him. n Balaam leaves on his journey together with the Moabite dignitaries and God sends an angel with a sword drawn in its hand to block the way. Balaam was not able to see the angel but the donkey does see it and refuses to move causing Balaam to hit the donkey. Finally God enables Balaam to see the angel and he continues his journey to Moav. n Balaam showers the Jewish People with blessings and Balak is furious with him. Balaam explains to Balak that he is only able to say that words that God tells him to say. This same story happens three times. Finally Balak sends Balaam away. n The parasha ends with the Moabite women enticing some of the Jewish men to sin which results in a plague amongst the Jews. n A Jewish leader known as Zimri and a Midianite woman are killed by Pinchas the grandson of Aaron, for behaving immorally. 3 PRE-NURSERY TO RECEPTION Tots Balak In the parasha this week we read the story about Balak and Balaam. The Torah tells us that Balaam arose early in the morning and saddled his donkey to go to Moav to meet Balak. Activity One When Balaam went on his way to meet Balak he went with the permission of God but in his mind he hoped that he would be able to go against the will of God and curse the Jewish people. God wanted to show Balaam and his Moabite escorts that Balaam was powerless to act on his own so he sent an angel to block the way. Balaam was unable to see the angel until the end of his mission while the donkey was able to see it and turned off the path. This was an embarrassment for Balaam in front of the Moabite escorts. He had boasted to them that he knew the will of God and was God’s spokesman yet he was not able to see the angel while his donkey could! Sit the children in a circle and put an object in an opaque bag. Ask one child to carry the bag around to each participant who in turn should shut their eyes and place their hands in the bag to feel what the object is. They should say what they think it is aloud. Go around the circle a few times like this with various different objects. Link this to the paragraph above where Balaam could not see the angel and explain the story at a suitable level for the children. Activity Two ‘Pin the tail on the donkey!’ A bit of fun to link to the donkey in the parasha. Song In the parasha this week one of the blessings that Balaam utters are the famous words , “Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov”, “How goodly are your tents Jacob…” When Balaam looked down at the camp of the Jewish people he saw that their tents were arranged so that their entrances did not face one another which prevented them from intruding on the private lives of each other. Although the tribes were grouped together showing that they felt responsible for one another they were still careful to protect the dignity and personal rights of individual families. Have a look at the words of ‘Ma Tovu’ in the siddur and sing it. Explain the origin of the words. 4 CHILDREN’S SERVICE Years 1&2 Balak In the parasha this week we read the story about Balak and Balaam. The Torah tells us that Balaam arose early in the morning and saddled his donkey to go to Moav to meet Balak. Activity One When Balaam went on his way to meet Balak he went with the permission of God but in his mind he hoped that he would be able to go against the will of God and curse the Jewish people. God wanted to show Balaam and his Moabite escorts that Balaam was powerless to act on his own so he sent an angel to block the way. Balaam was unable to see the angel until the end of his mission while the donkey was able to see it and turned off the path. This was an embarrassment for Balaam in front of the Moabite escorts. He had boasted to them that he knew the will of God and was God’s spokesman yet he was not able to see the angel while his donkey could! Sit the children in a circle and put an object in an opaque bag. Ask one child to carry the bag around to each participant who in turn should shut their eyes and place their hands in the bag to feel what the object is. They should say what they think the object is. Go around the circle a few times like this with various different objects. Link the activity to the fact that Balaam could not see the angel and explain the paragraph above in a way that is suitable for the children at your service. Activity Two The Torah continues to tell us that the donkey saw the angel standing with a sword in its hand so it turned away from the road and went into a field. Balaam then hit the donkey to turn it back onto the road. The donkey saw the angel again and pressed itself against a wall. Once again Balaam hits the donkey. Finally the donkey again trying to avoid the angel crouches beneath Balaam who hits the donkey a third time. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE 5 CHILDREN’S SERVICE Years 1&2 Balak Obstacle course If you have a suitable safe area, set up, with the help of the children a short obstacle course. Ask the children to go through the obstacle course. The second time round blindfold some of the children and ask sensible children to lead them through the course. Afterwards ask the children which way was the easiest way through the course? (With the blindfold on or off?) Hopefully all the children will say: without the blindfold. Link this to the paragraph above where Balaam could not see the angel with the sword but the donkey could. Explain the story in a way suitable for the children at your service. Activity Three Pin the tail on the donkey! A bit of fun to link to the donkey in the parasha! Song In the parasha this week one of the blessings that Balaam utters are the famous words , “Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov”, “How goodly are your tents Jacob…” When Balaam looked down at the camp of the Jewish people he saw that their tents were arranged so that their entrances did not face one another which prevented them from intruding on the private lives of each other. Although the tribes were grouped together showing that they felt responsible for one another they were still careful to protect the dignity and personal rights of individual families. Have a look at the words of ‘Ma Tovu’ in the siddur and sing it.