Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Zvi Kahn

By Dror Karavani, Lower School Judaic Studies Coordinator

Kings and Queens of Good Middot in Fifth Grade:  In addition to learning the skills and content in the Judaic area of our curriculum, we focus on good character and values and we do this in many different ways.  As Morah Robin wrote: "In the fifth grade Judaic class, the students don't just learn about the beautiful virtues (middot) of our forefathers, they also try to practice them. Each month a different virtue is showcased and a "queen" and "king" of that special virtue is chosen. The kings and queens who are chosen are those students who made an extra effort to work on that middah (virtue) and showed a real improvement in that important quality. Some of the past virtues and their role models were: for the virtue of "savlanut" (patience): Daniel Margolin and Shylee Delman, for tidiness and organization: Batya Deitsch and Nissin Andrusier, for the middah of "zerizut" (rushing to do a mitzvah, being prepared quickly): Isabella Abelman and Shummy Katz, and the middah of "erech apayim" (not losing one's temper): Avigayil Fedorovsky and Abe Schulman. This month, in the spirit of Chodesh Adar, we are working on the important middah of "sameach b'chelko" (being happy with what you have, happy demeanor, etc.). Wonder who our next king and queen will be? Stay tuned. 

A Special Delivery from the Dead Sea:  During the third grade Chumash class, it is definitely a time full of curiosity, surprises and many challenges. In addition to the textual learning, we integrate different areas into our curriculum. When the students studied about Avraham and his family with Liat Shaked, our young shlicha, they were able to take a little trip back in time to see life in the desert, which helped them to understand the actions of our Forefathers and how they lived in that period. They also were able to critique art pieces from different periods and decide which artist followed the actual Biblical story and who used their own interpretations. A special delivery of salt rocks came to us directly from the Dead Sea to help the students "touch" and comprehend the story. An activity to follow will be learning about and seeing hunting tools from the time of the Torah.

Vayakhel

1.   On which day did Moshe assemble the Jewish People?

      a. The day after Yom Kippur.

2.   Why is the prohibition against doing work on Shabbat written prior to the instruction for building the Mishkan? 

      a.  To emphasize that the building of the Mishkan doesn't supersede the laws of Shabbat.

3.    What function did the "yitdot hamishkan" serve?

      a. The edges of the curtains were fastened to them. These were inserted in the ground so the curtains would not move in the wind.

4.   What function did the "bigdei hasrad" serve?

      a.  They covered the aron, the shulchan, the menorah, and the mitzbachot when they were packed for transport.

5.   What was unusual about the way the women spun the goat's hair?

      a.  It was spun directly from off the backs of the goats.

Pekudei 

1.   Why is the word Mishkan stated twice in verse 38:21?

      a. To allude to the Beit Hamikdash that would twice be taken as a "mashkon" (pledge) for the sins of the Jewish People until the nation repents.

2.  Why is the Mishkan called the "Mishkan of Testimony"?

      a.  It was testimony for the Jewish People that G-d forgave them for the golden calf and allowed His Shechina to dwell among them.

3.   Who was appointed to carry the vessels of the Mishkan in the midbar?

      a. The levi'im.

4.   Who was the officer in charge of the levi'im?

      a.  Itamar ben Aharon.

5.   What is the meaning of the name Bezalel?

        a.  "In the shadow of G-d."

(Parsha Vayakhel-Pekudei Quiz originally appeared on the

Ohr Somayach website, www.ohr.edu)