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diff --git a/old/44754-8.txt b/old/44754-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..12b5f26 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44754-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6411 @@ +Project Gutenberg's A Manual for Teaching Biblical History, by Eugene Kohn + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Manual for Teaching Biblical History + +Author: Eugene Kohn + +Release Date: January 26, 2014 [EBook #44754] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MANUAL FOR TEACHING BIBLICAL HISTORY *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). + +Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals. + +Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face (=bold=). + +Text enclosed by plus signs is Hebrew transliteration (+shebara +b'midat+). + +[x.] refers to a dot under a letter (ma[z.][z.]ot). + + * * * * * + + + + + A MANUAL + + FOR TEACHING + + BIBLICAL HISTORY + + BY + + EUGENE KOHN + + _Rabbi of Congregation Chizzuk Emunah_ + + _Baltimore, Md._ + + NEW YORK + + THE UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF AMERICA + + 5677--1917 + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1917 + + BY + + THE UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF AMERICA + + + + + _To the memory of_ + + _SOLOMON SCHECHTER_ + + +Z.[Z.].L+ + + _this book is reverently inscribed_ + + + + +ACKNOWLEDGEMENT + + +The author cannot permit this book to go to press without +acknowledging his indebtedness to the Education Committee of the +United Synagogue for their encouragement and assistance. He is +especially grateful to Dr. Julius H. Greenstone for his many helpful +suggestions and his careful reading of the text, both in manuscript +and in proof. To Dr. Cyrus Adler and Professor Mordecai M. Kaplan +his thanks are also due in large measure for their aid in removing +crudities and improving the form and content of the work. + + + + +INTRODUCTORY NOTE + + +Jewish pedagogic literature is still in its infancy. While +text-books for children, more or less satisfactory, have been +produced by many authors during the past century, the effort to +provide the teacher with proper material for his guidance in +instruction is of very recent origin and the supply has thus far +been very slight. The students in our several normal schools, and +especially the large army of teachers, scattered throughout the +country, who have not had the advantage of a normal school training, +are often obliged to resort to works by Christian authors for +information and guidance. While these may supply them with the facts +and with the most approved method of presentation, they cannot give +them the Jewish point of view which is so essential to the Jewish +teacher. As the late Dr. Schechter once remarked, "We cannot have +our love letters written for us. We must write them ourselves, even +at the risk of bad grammar." We must place in the hands of our +teachers books which will inspire them with loyalty and devotion to +Judaism, which will give them the proper attitude to the Bible and +to Jewish tradition, and which will provide them with an adequate +understanding of Jewish strivings and ideals. + +It is with this object in view that the Committee on Education +of the United Synagogue requested Rabbi Eugene Kohn to prepare +the work which is now given to the Jewish public. The author has +succeeded admirably in his undertaking and has produced a work +which contains valuable aids to the earnest teacher who is anxious +to become more proficient in his calling. This volume, which is the +result of considerable class-room experience, intimate knowledge +of the sources of Jewish history, and arduous labor, gives correct +and adequate data of the lessons treated, stimulating suggestions +as to the manner of imparting each individual lesson to the average +child, and, what is perhaps of greatest importance, an exalted +attitude that the teacher should assume towards his work. While +the responsibility of the work rests entirely upon the author, the +Committee feels gratified in being able to present, as its first +publication, a work that so fully responds to an urgent need. It is +hoped that this book will be followed by many other volumes which +may help in the better equipment of the Jewish teaching profession. + + JULIUS H. GREENSTONE, Chairman, + _Committee on Education of the + United Synagogue of America_. + + PHILADELPHIA, June 11, 1917. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + + Introduction 13 + + + PART I + + FROM THE CREATION TO THE DEATH OF JOSEPH + + CHAPTER + + I. Creation 35 + + II. Adam and Eve 38 + + III. Cain and Abel 41 + + IV. Noah 44 + + V. The Tower of Babel 47 + + VI. The Choice of Abram and the Choice of Canaan 49 + + VII. Beginning of Abram's Greatness 53 + + VIII. Hagar and the Birth of Ishmael 56 + + IX. Abraham Entertains the Angels 62 + + X. The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah 67 + + XI. The Divorce of Hagar 70 + + XII. The Sacrifice of Isaac 73 + + XIII. The Death of Sarah and the Marriage of + Isaac and Rebekah 78 + + XIV. The Sale of the Birthright 80 + + XV. Jacob Secures the Blessing 89 + + XVI. Jacob's Dream 93 + + XVII. Jacob in Aramea 96 + + XVIII. Jacob Returns to Canaan 99 + + XIX. Joseph Sold into Slavery 104 + + XX. From Slave to Viceroy 109 + + XXI. Joseph Meets His Brothers 113 + + XXII. Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers 117 + + XXIII. The Death of Jacob and of Joseph 120 + + + PART II + + ISRAEL UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MOSES + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. The Birth of Moses 127 + + II. Moses, the Friend of the Weak and the Oppressed 133 + + III. God Sends Moses to Save His People 135 + + IV. Moses' First Appearance before Pharaoh 140 + + V. The Plagues 145 + + VI. The Exodus 149 + + VII. Israel at the Red Sea 156 + + VIII. From the Red Sea to Sinai 160 + + IX. The Revelation 164 + + X. The Golden Calf 173 + + XI. The Tabernacle and its Service 183 + + XII. Trials of Moses and Israel in the Wilderness 190 + + XIII. The Spies 197 + + XIV. More Trials of Moses 201 + + XV. Israel Arrives at the Border of the Promised + Land 209 + + XVI. The Death of Moses 216 + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +=Purpose of Manual.= In recent years some attention has been +given to the improvement of Jewish educational method so far as +instruction in the Hebrew language is concerned, but the teaching +of Biblical history, although it holds an important place in the +curricula of our religious schools, has received relatively little +attention from our educators, at least from those of orthodox and +conservative tendencies. From the reform point of view some recent +publications, though exhibiting the faults which all early efforts +in any direction necessarily show, do mark a decided pedagogic +advance on the older unmethodical way in which the subject was +taught. But from the point of view of traditional Judaism they are +inadequate, however helpful some of their pedagogic suggestions +may be, since they are guided by a different ideal. This manual +attempts to assist the teacher of Biblical history from the point +of view of Traditional Judaism. For whoever considers from this +point of view the way in which Biblical history is taught must come +to the conclusion that not only are we not realizing to the full +the educational values which the study of Biblical history affords, +but we are often giving our children very false notions of the +Bible characters and of the lessons which the story of their lives +is intended to teach Israel. To develop a good course of study in +Biblical history cannot be the work of one man nor can it be done +at one time. It is hoped however that the suggestions contained in +this book may assist the earnest teacher to make his instruction +more fruitful of good results for Judaism. + +=Three factors determining method of instruction.= Every discussion +of pedagogic method as applied to a particular branch of study must +take three factors into consideration: the aim of instruction, the +subject to be taught, and the child--his mode of thought, interests +and capacity. + +THE AIM. The first thing that we must bear in mind is that the aim +of all Jewish education must be a Jewish life; that the aim of each +branch of Jewish study must be formulated not primarily in terms +of information to be conveyed, but of Jewish habits of thought and +action to be cultivated. It follows that Biblical history as taught +by a Jew who believes in the authority of the Torah and the mitzvoth +over our lives must be very different from the same subject as +taught by one to whom Judaism is merely a number of moral maxims +and the dogma of the unity. This book, attempting as it does to +treat the problem from the point of view of traditional Judaism, +considers that the main object of instruction in Biblical history is +to inspire the child with an appreciation of the religious ideals +that have moulded Israel's life in the past, with an understanding +of how these same ideals express themselves in the religious +institutions of the present day, and with the desire to further the +historic aims of Israel's existence through identification with the +institutional life of Israel, that is through the observance of the +mitzvoth, affiliation with the synagogue, etc. Particularly must +we create in the child the sense of his personal identity with his +people, for this is the lever by which the events of the Biblical +narrative can move the Jew to active interest in Judaism. He must +feel that God's choice of Israel means that God has chosen him to +live a certain life, the life of the Torah, and that if he fails +to live this life, he sins against God and betrays his people. He +should feel proud of the heroes of his nation and inspired with a +sense of the obligations that his noble descent imposes. He must be +made to discover the spiritual kinship that links him with the rest +of Israel in the past, present and future. Unless we can accomplish +this we have not succeeded in our teaching of Biblical history. + +=Wrong and right conception of aim illustrated.= A lack of +appreciation of these aims has often led to the treatment of the +Biblical narrative as if it were merely a series of moral stories +or, at any rate, of stories into which a moral can be read. +According to this method the connection of the Jewish people today +with the people of the Bible is almost wholly ignored and there is +no appreciable difference in the way the events of the Biblical +narrative are taught and, let us say, the incidents of some highly +moral fairy tale or folk-lore of other peoples. To give an example I +quote the following summary of a lesson on "Moses' Return to Egypt": + +"So then we can learn these two noble things from our lesson; +modesty adorns everybody even the greatest people, yes very often +the greatest people are the most modest. And further, when we have +begun to do something, let us do it with all our might and stick +to it till it is finished, no matter what it is, whether a school +lesson or setting a people free; whatever is worth doing at all is +worth doing well." + +One could imagine the same moral attached to the story of George +Washington or of Cincinnatus and brought home as effectively by it. +The difference between the right and the wrong method of treating +the Biblical narrative from the point of view of the aim of such +instruction can be seen if we contrast the above with the simple +summary of the same lesson in the Passover Haggadah: + +"Slaves were we unto Pharaoh in Egypt and the Lord our God brought +us forth thence with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm. And +if the Holy One, Blessed be He, had not brought forth our fathers +from Egypt behold we and our children and our children's children +might still be bondmen to Pharaoh in Egypt." And again: "In every +generation one is obliged to regard himself as if he in person had +come forth from Egypt, as it is said, 'And thou shalt tell thy son +in that day saying, It is because of that which the Lord did for me +when I went forth from Egypt.' Not our fathers alone did the Holy +One, Blessed be He, redeem but us also did He redeem with them, as +it is said, 'And us did He bring forth thence in order to bring us +hither to give us the land which He had sworn to our fathers.'" + +According to the method of the former quotation Biblical history is +no more related to the child than the story of the Iliad, according +to the latter it is his own history, the study of which helps him to +self knowledge, to the knowledge of his Jewish self, the knowledge +of the ties that bind him to his fellow Jews and the Jewish people +to its God. Much more might be said of the effect upon the method +of instruction of a clear conception of the aim of instruction in +Biblical history when thus conceived in terms of Jewish life, but a +study of the lessons given in this book will suffice to explain this +without the need of further amplification, so we may pass to the +consideration of the subject-matter to be taught as a determining +factor in the method of instruction. + +=The subject-matter: Biblical history.= I have throughout referred +to the subject-matter under the name not of Jewish history but of +Biblical history and I have done so advisedly. For the term Jewish +history does not commit one to that interpretation of the early +history of our people which is to be found in the Bible. From the +Jewish point of view the Bible, in its narrative portions as well +as in its laws, is Torah, that is authoritative teaching. It does +not merely recall the early events of Jewish history but it takes +a distinct attitude to these events, seeing in them the revelation +of a divine purpose; it not only tells the deeds of Biblical +heroes but it passes judgment upon them, here approving and there +disapproving; and it is precisely this attitude to Jewish history, +this interpretation of the significance of historic events, which +must be made an influence in the life of the child. If we were +merely teaching Jewish history as such and looked upon the Bible +merely as the source book of this history we might tell the story of +the Exodus somewhat in this fashion: + +"The children of Israel who had at the beginning of their sojourn in +Egypt been well treated by the Egyptian rulers, owing to a change +of dynasty were subjected to oppression and forced to do servile +labor for the Pharaohs. They took advantage however of a series of +calamities that visited Egypt, which their leaders Moses and Aaron +interpreted to the Egyptians as signs of the divine wrath incurred +by her because of her oppression of the Israelites, and so left +Egypt in a body." + +The above account is Jewish history but it is not Biblical history +for it has nothing to say about the significance of these events +as the Bible regards them. It does not tell us that Moses was sent +by God, it does not know anything of the covenant with Abraham of +which these events are the fulfillment, it does not therefore see +in the Exodus one link in a chain of events having its beginning in +the election of Abraham and its consummation in the revelation at +Sinai. In the Biblical narrative what is most conspicuous is the +_E[z.]ba' Elohim_, "the finger of God," in the merely historic account +this may altogether be omitted. + +=Must give Biblical moral to Jewish history.= Very few teachers +in our Jewish schools, if any, would make the mistake of teaching +the events narrated in the Bible merely as cold facts without any +attempt at giving them religious significance, though frequent +efforts at rationalization tend in this direction. For the most +part, the aim in teaching the early history of our people is felt to +be a religious one and to call for a religious interpretation of the +events recorded. We are not loath to attach a moral to the stories +we tell our children, but where we fail is that we imagine any moral +which we can read into the story is satisfactory. We have already +shown how the consideration of the aim of instruction in Biblical +history, from the point of view of traditional Judaism, opposes this +method and limits the moral which should be taught in connection +with any given story, but the consideration of the subject-matter +to be taught limits it still further. We must not only give a +Jewish moral to each episode in the Biblical narrative but we must +give the child the specific moral that the Bible itself attaches +to that episode. If we take our Bible seriously, if we regard its +interpretation of the events of our history as essentially true, +as indeed part of the Torah, a divine revelation, then it becomes +our duty to give this interpretation of events and not another to +our children. We sometimes excuse to ourselves the perversion of +the Biblical moral on the ground that because children are children +they frequently cannot grasp what is really the Biblical lesson. If +in any given instance this is the case, it is better not to teach +that story at all to the child than to falsify it. But usually the +ideas of the Bible can be brought home to the child if we but take +the trouble to translate them into the language of childhood and +illustrate them out of the child's own experience. It is largely +due to indolence on the part of the teacher that we so frequently +sin against the Biblical sense of a story. I have heard the story +of Abraham's divorce of Hagar told as if it were a mere family +squabble in which Sarah, by shrewish persistence finally prevails +upon the meek and submissive Abraham somewhat reluctantly to send +away Hagar, who had aroused her jealousy. Abraham was made a rather +doubtful hero who represented the virtue of loving peace--peace +at any price as the narrative showed--and Sarah was regarded as +acting in a mean and ungodly capacity. Had that teacher read her +Bible carefully and intelligently before coming to class she could +not have been guilty of such grotesque distortion of the Biblical +story, by which it is made not only trivial but ludicrous. She would +then have realized that Ishmael had to be separated from Isaac for +the same reason that Lot had to be separated from Abraham and Esau +from Jacob, because they were not of the seed from which Israel was +destined to spring; that even before the birth of Ishmael we have +the prophecy told to Hagar, "And he shall be a wild ass of a man; +his hand shall be against every man and every man's hand against +him" (Genesis 16. 12). She would have observed that in the words +of the Rabbis "Abraham was subordinate to Sarah in prophecy", that +just as Isaac showed a mistaken preference for Esau so Abraham when +the birth of Isaac is predicted to him pleaded, "Oh that Ishmael +might live before thee!", and that the Bible recognizes the superior +prophetic insight of Sarah by telling us that God commanded Abraham +explicitly, "Let it not be grievous in thy eyes because of the +lad and because of thy bond-woman; in all that Sarah may say unto +thee, hearken to her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called." +Surely, though the story undoubtedly presents difficulties of a +pedagogic nature, it is not impossible to teach a child that God +foresaw that Ishmael would be a "_pere adam_" (a wild ass of a man), +that he did not wish the chosen people, who were to inherit the +promised land, to be possessed of such traits, and that therefore +Ishmael had to be sent away so that Isaac and his descendants might +become the great people he had promised Abraham they would become. +In this way the Bible speaks for itself and tells a story that is +quite as intelligible to the child as the one that the teacher I +have mentioned told, quite as intelligible and infinitely more +edifying. I have given this instance at some length because it seems +to me typical of the mischief that can be done by reading into the +Biblical narrative any moral that may come to hand instead of the +moral that the Bible itself intended. + +=Need of Bible study for teacher.= This manual will endeavor in each +lesson to point out to the best of its author's understanding what +the Biblical moral of the lesson is. But, as interpretations are +always subject to differences of opinion, a study of the suggestions +contained in its chapters cannot relieve the teacher of the +responsibility of a careful independent study, before entering the +class-room, of the Biblical passages whose story he wishes to teach. + +=The child as determining method.= And after he has mastered for +himself the meaning of the Biblical narrative, he must study how +to impart this to the child in a way that shall make it not only +comprehensible but interesting, and all this without sacrifice +of the aim of instruction. An adequate treatment of method in +teaching Biblical history from the point of view of the interests +and capacities of the Jewish child is at present impossible. We +need years of study and experimentation in this direction before +we can do it complete justice, but a few universally recognized +pedagogic principles may briefly be considered here in their bearing +upon our subject. We have spoken of the need of effort on the part +of the teacher to make the lesson comprehensible and interesting, +and we shall therefore give some attention to two questions: (1) +How can the lesson be made comprehensible? (2) How can it be made +interesting? We shall treat the questions separately for the sake +of convenience, though, as a matter of fact, they are inseparable; +for neither can a child be expected to interest himself in what +he cannot understand nor can he be made to understand anything +that involves the least difficulty without giving that sustained +attention which only interest can elicit from him. + +=How to make lesson comprehensible. Proceed from known to unknown.= +The most important rule to bear in mind in order to make the +teaching comprehensible is the familiar truism that one must +proceed from the known to the unknown and keep constantly defining +the unknown in terms of what is already known to the child. As is +the case with most truisms, the truth of this statement is more +frequently recognized than applied. Take for instance the very first +sentence in one of the Biblical histories intended for the use of +children. It reads, "In the beginning God created the heaven and +the earth, that is the whole visible world." Was there ever a human +being who did not know what heaven and earth meant and yet knew what +the whole visible world meant? Contrast with this the following from +another text-book: + +"Once a long, long time ago there was no one living on this earth +that is now so full of people. + +"There were no living things at all here: no cattle, no wild beasts, +no birds, no butterflies or insects of any kind and no fishes in the +sea. + +"Before that there were no green growing things here; no grass, no +trees, no flowers. + +"In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. + +"In the beginning was a time so long ago that no one knows when it +was." + +How much better is this way of beginning the story of creation from +what the child has experienced of created objects than to begin with +non existence and chaos. Few of us realize how many terms that are +commonplaces with us mean nothing to the child. Particularly is this +true of terms used in the Bible and descriptive of things familiar +in the primitive orient but little known in the modern occident, +such as altar, sacrifice, tabernacle, caravan, to name but a few. + +=Avoid formal definition.= But at this point a word of caution is +necessary against a too pedantic application of this principle of +defining the terms that are used in the child's instruction. For +example one book of Bible stories for young children prefixes to +the story of creation a vocabulary which includes explanations of +such words as ground, dark, light, sky, under, above, good, rest. +But it must be apparent that a child who cannot without previous +explanations understand such simple words as these is not in a +position to profit by instruction in Biblical history at all. It +is possible so to overload a story with definitions that the whole +thread of the narrative is lost. We must be cautious lest our pupils +fail to see the forest by very reason of the trees. Ample allowance +must be made for the constructive imagination of the child, which +builds up its own definitions out of the material of the narrative +itself. Children have always had an understanding of fairy tales +without ever having had the terms fairy, witch, king and princess +defined for them. When you tell a child that the king sat on a high +throne with his crown on his head, his sceptre in his hand, while +all the people bowed down to him, the child, though he has never +seen a throne, will recognize that it is something on which kings +sit, that a crown is something that a king wears on his head, a +sceptre something that a king holds in his hand, and that a king is +a man who is distinguished from other men and to whom they bow, +a very good working definition of a king which would make quite +unnecessary any elaborate attempt to define for a child the concept +of royalty. In fact, formal definition should be avoided wherever +possible, and the skilful teacher will know how to make a story +define its own terms in the same way as the sentence that we just +gave as an instance defined for the child the four unknown terms: +king, throne, crown, and sceptre. Indeed the most important idea of +all, that we have to give to the child cannot be defined otherwise +even to ourselves, namely the idea of God. The general rule to be +followed may be laid down in these words: Never define for the child +any term that the story itself can be made to define but do define +every necessary term that the story itself cannot be made to define. +It is worth while noting in this connection that the best definition +for a concrete object is the object itself or a picture of it. + +=How to make the lesson interesting. Oral instruction preferable.= +So much for the question how to make the lesson comprehensible to +the child. As has already been said, this in itself goes a great +way toward answering as well our second question, how to make it +interesting, but other considerations must also be taken into +account. The art of teaching history is in great part the art of +story telling. Children love stories and particularly true stories +if they are well told, but this love of a child for a good story is +limited, especially in earlier years, to a story that is told. The +mere technical difficulties of reading, the physical inconvenience +of the posture demanded, the absence of that commentary which voice +and gesture supply to the story, the impossibility of asking +a book questions, and a number of other similar considerations +make it undesirable that the first acquaintance of a child with a +lesson shall come from a text-book. Text-books have their uses, +particularly in the higher grades, for purposes of review, to aid +the memory in retaining what has already been taught by word of +mouth, but the practice that obtains in some schools of expecting +the child to learn the lesson from the book before he comes to class +is bad and should be avoided. + +=Some suggestions as to story telling.= If then the first +presentation of a lesson must be given orally by the teacher, it +follows that the teacher has to perfect himself in the art of story +telling. Like all other arts, the art of story telling cannot be +imparted by rule and particularly not within the small scope of +this introduction. A few suggestions however may be helpful. Lewis +Carrol, whose Alice in Wonderland shows a rare insight into the +childish mind, makes his Alice express a preference for books with +plenty of illustrations and conversation. There are two hints here +that are of value to the teacher of Biblical history, the first +is to use pictures to illustrate a story and the second always to +prefer direct discourse to indirect. To take up the second of these +suggestions first, compare the following accounts of the same event +and ask yourself which appeals more to you: + + 1. Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that + stood by him and he ordered every man to leave him. And there + stood no man with him while Joseph made himself known to his + brethren. And he wept aloud and the Egyptians heard and the + house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph told his brethren who he was + and asked whether his father was yet alive. And his brethren + could not answer him, for they were affrighted at his presence. + Joseph told them to come near, and they came near, and he told + them that he was Joseph whom they had sold into Egypt and that + they should not be grieved nor angry with themselves for having + sold him thither, for it was in order to preserve life that God + had sent him before them. For the famine had been in the land + for two years and there yet remained five years during which + there would be neither plowing nor harvest, and so God had sent + him before them to give them a remnant on the earth and to keep + them alive for a great deliverance. + + 2. Then could Joseph not refrain himself before all them that + stood by him; and he cried, "Cause every man to go out from + me." And there stood no man with him when Joseph made himself + known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians + heard and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto + his brethren, "I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?" And his + brethren could not answer him for they were affrighted at his + presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, "Come near to me, + I pray you." And they came near. And he said: "I am Joseph your + brother whom ye sold into Egypt. And now be not grieved, nor + angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither; for God did send + me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the + famine been in the land; and there are yet five years in which + there shall be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me + before you to give you a remnant on the earth and to save you + alive for a great deliverance." + +The reader will at once recognize in the second citation the exact +language of the Bible. The first is the same passage turned into +indirect discourse with no other change in its wording, yet how much +it loses in force even for us adults and even in print; for children +and in actual narration the story would lose even more. + +=The advantage of using illustrations.= As for the advantage +of using illustrations whether in the form of pictures that +are distributed and passed around the class or in the form of +stereoptican views, we have already suggested one advantage in +that they help define for the child the meaning of some of the +concrete terms not yet in his vocabulary, but they perform a still +more important function in helping him to visualize the narrative. +For what we see seems always a more intimate part of our experience +than what we have merely heard. When Job wants to express the deeper +intimacy of his new knowledge of God after God had appeared to him +he declares, "I had heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear, but now +mine eye seeth Thee." (Job 42. 5.) + +=When to use illustrations and what illustrations to use.= Though +the use of illustrations, particularly of stereoptican views, which +have the advantage of focusing the attention of the class on one +thing, are a decided help, they should be used only in reviewing the +lesson. The reasons for this are: 1. that the picture distracts the +attention of the class from what the teacher is saying, 2. that it +prevents the smooth flow of narrative by the necessity of explaining +details of the picture that are often irrelevant, 3. that the +interest in the dramatic dialogue of the characters which reveals +their motives and, in most cases, the actual moral of the story is +sacrificed to the interest in picturesque details of dress, scenery, +etc., 4. that the teacher is at the mercy of the artist's conception +of the Biblical narrative which rarely does it justice from a +Jewish or from an artistic point of view, and often does violence +to the nobler conception of the story that the unaided imagination, +stimulated by the teacher's narrative, would have constructed. +Pictures that represent God in human form should of course not be +allowed in a Jewish school. Nor should the school use such pictures +as represent anything of a mystical character in images so definite +and familiar that they dispel the whole mystical atmosphere. When, +for instance, the revelation on Mount Sinai is represented by two +tablets of stone falling from heaven into the waiting hands of +Moses, as in one familiar picture, it is hardly likely to instil +the highest form of reverence. Or when, as in another picture, the +ascension of Elijah is represented by a chariot drawn by horses of +a brilliant red, meant to suggest fire but too definite in outline +to permit of such suggestion, the child will in all probability +merely be amused at the peculiar color of the horses and the picture +will not have illustrated the story for him at all. It is therefore +apparent that the teacher must exercise some sort of censorship over +the illustrations used in teaching. + +=Self activity of child.= We have several times referred to the +activity of the child's own imagination in working over in his mind +the material supplied by the teacher, and the recognition of the +fact that the child's mind is not passive but active leads us to the +acceptance of a principle of the most far reaching importance in all +education, namely, that the teacher cannot impart a lesson unless +he can get the child's mind of its own accord to seek that very +knowledge that he wishes to impart. This is the wisdom of the homely +proverb, "You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him +drink." We must stimulate an appetite for the mental food we wish to +give the pupil even before we give it. How can this be done? + +=Jewish symbols and ceremonies a stimulus to self activity.= When +discussing the aim of instruction in Biblical history we took a +hint from the Haggadah for Passover, the reading of which was +mainly intended for pedagogic purpose since it is in fulfillment +of the commandment, "And thou shalt tell to thy son in that day"; +we may take another hint from it in this connection. The child +at table on Passover eve sees before him a number of curious +objects and ceremonials to which he is not accustomed. He sees the +_ma[z.][z.]ot_, the _maror_, and other symbols, he also notices +the reclining attitude instead of the usual erect posture, and so +he very naturally exclaims _mah nishtannah_! "How different is +this night from other nights!" Then when his own curiosity has +been stimulated he is given the answer to his questions and the +lesson has been impressed upon him. The symbols and ceremonies +of Jewish life which have their origin or explanation in the +Biblical narrative are excellently adapted for this stimulation +of intellectual curiosity which should precede the telling of the +story. A reference to the Sabbath and how it is observed might +well precede the story of creation which explains its origin and +significance; a reference to the Passover observances might well +precede an account of the Exodus; a reference to the synagogue might +precede an account of the construction of the tabernacle, etc. These +serve the double function of interesting the child in the narrative +and of interesting him in those things in Jewish life which the +narrative helps to explain. Where an object of Jewish ceremonial +life cannot be found with which to stimulate his curiosity, some +other fact of his experience may be taken instead. Thus the story +of Noah might well be introduced by reference to the rainbow, the +meaning of which the teacher will then undertake to explain to the +child by the story. + +=The teacher's question as a stimulus to self activity.= Inasmuch as +there are in every class those of the type mentioned in the Haggadah +"who know not how to question", it often becomes advisable for the +teacher himself to put to the class the question that he wishes to +have answered. And indeed an occasional question from the teacher +in the very midst of the story may go a great way toward arousing +interest and securing a clearer comprehension. Thus it may be that +the teacher is telling the story of Joseph. He reaches the point +where Joseph's brothers come to him to buy corn and explains how +Joseph, having recognized them without their having recognized him, +had them wholly in his power. He then asks, "Now what do you think +you would do if you were Joseph and your brothers had treated you so +cruelly and then they come to you for food and you have them in your +power?" At once he has the class interested in the question of what +Joseph actually did and their interest in the rest of the story as +well as their better comprehension of the motives that underlie it +is secured. + +=The pupil's recitation.= So much for the teacher's original +presentation of the lesson. This completed, the child must be +called upon to recite it, not primarily, as most teachers seem to +think, in order to give the teacher a chance to find out whether +the child had learned the lesson, but because the necessity of +telling it over to the teacher forces the child to think about the +subject of the lesson and once more appeals to his self activity. +The questions asked by the teacher should not be merely such as +call for items of information but such as require the exercise of +intelligence on the pupil's part and give evidence not only of his +remembering the story but of his understanding it. If for example +the teacher wishes to question the child on the story of creation, +such formal questions as "In how many days did God make the world? +What did he make on the first day? What did he make on the second +day?" etc., are not enough, as they test the memory only. He should +ask such questions as these: "Why do we rest on the seventh day of +each week? What was the last thing God made? Why did God make man +last?" For these test not only the memory but the understanding as +well. The story that the children tell when thus asked to repeat the +lesson will give the teacher an idea of what points have impressed +themselves on them and what have not, and on the basis of these he +must question further. In general there ought to be fewer questions +beginning with "what" and more beginning with "why". + +=Dramatization of lesson.= Beside the repetition of the lesson +by the child in the form of a recitation and the answering of +questions, there are many stories, in which the interest centers +chiefly in the dramatic dialogue, that children might be encouraged +to dramatize in class. The dramatization must be made by the +children themselves in the spirit of free play, the teacher merely +offering general suggestions but the dialogue being the spontaneous +creation of the children. The natural imitative instinct of children +which makes so much of their play the mimicry of the activities +and occupations of their adult environment, takes very kindly to +this sort of make-believe. At the same time this exercise enables +them to enter into the motives of the Biblical characters and to +understand and remember the incidents of the Biblical narrative +as few exercises can. Nor need the teacher be discouraged by the +lack of accessories to dramatization such as scenery and costume. +The child's imagination, which can convert a rocking chair into a +boat or a table into a mountain, can easily dispense with those +accessories which the sophisticated mind of the adult requires. +Stories that lend themselves to such treatment are Esau's sale of +the birthright, Isaac's blessing of Jacob and Esau and the various +episodes of the Joseph narrative. + +=The teacher's preparation.= It follows from the above discussion +that the teacher of Biblical history who wishes to do justice to +his subject must give careful preparation to each lesson, not only, +as we have already suggested, with a view to understanding the +significance of the Biblical passages that he wishes to teach, but +also with a view to teaching them effectively to the child. This +preparation must include 1. inquiry as to object in teaching that +particular lesson to the child, 2. the effort to find some point of +contact between the theme of the lesson and the previous knowledge +and experience of the child such as would appeal to his interest, +3. the study of the subject from the point of view of literary and +oratorical effectiveness in the presentation, 4. the attempt to find +the best possible illustrations and applications of the lesson to +the life of the child, 5. preparation of questions and other devices +by which the child is made to work over the lesson in his own mind +and give proof of having assimilated it. In the chapters of this +manual the object of each lesson according to the author's opinion +will be pointed out and suggestions will, from time to time, be +given as to the other points that have been here enumerated. This +book refrains, however, from giving a detailed plan of each lesson +as it is deemed important not to put restraints on the originality +and initiative of the teacher but on the contrary, to encourage +free and spontaneous expression of personality both on the part of +teacher and of pupil. + +=Summary.= Much more might be said about the method of teaching +Biblical history, but this will have to suffice by way of +introduction to the more concrete suggestions that are to follow in +the chapters of this book. It may be well, however, before closing +to summarize the more important conclusions reached: + +1. That the aim in instructing the child in Biblical history is not +merely to teach him a moral such as he might learn from any edifying +story but to influence his life through the consciousness of his +spiritual identity with the Israel of the Bible; + +2. That the events narrated must be given the same significance that +the Bible itself gives them and not any convenient moral that we may +wish to append to them; + +3. That teaching shall be so adapted to the child as to make the +lesson (a) comprehensible, (b) interesting; + +(a) That in order to be comprehensible it must proceed from the +known to the unknown and must define the unknown in terms of the +known, avoiding however, so far as possible, all formal definition, +and leaving large scope for the exercise of the child's imagination; + +(b) That in order to be interesting the lesson should first be +presented by the teacher orally in a style made vivid by plenty of +conversation quoted directly, and that this may well be followed up +by illustrations such as the showing of pictures or stereoptican +views; that the teacher stimulate the curiosity of the child before +beginning the lesson preferably by the introduction of some relevant +object of Jewish ceremonial, but, in the absence of that, by some +other appeal to the child's experience; and finally, that the +teacher encourage self activity and self expression on the part of +the child by tactful questions both in the course of presenting the +lesson and when the child is asked, as he should be, to recite the +lesson he has learned. + +These suggestions it is hoped may prove of some help to the +earnest teacher of Biblical history. In the chapters which +follow, an attempt is made to give them more concrete and +definite illustration. Each chapter will therefore contain 1. +the interpretation of the subject-matter of the lesson, 2. a +brief discussion of the aim in teaching it, and 3. miscellaneous +suggestions as to the way it can best be made to appeal to the +child. + + + + +PART I + +FROM CREATION TO THE DEATH OF JOSEPH + + + + +CHAPTER I + +CREATION Genesis 1.1 to 2.3 + + Note.--The lessons in this book are necessarily divided somewhat + arbitrarily, that is without exact reference to the amount + that can be taught at a single session of the school. This is + unavoidable at present as periods vary in length in different + schools, and classes vary in age and in the mental development + of their pupils. The division therefore has been purely on the + basis of the subject-matter and not of the time to be spent in + instruction. Some lessons may require two or even three hours + for their complete presentation. + + +=Interpretation.= The early narratives of Genesis serve as an +introduction to Biblical history by giving the Jewish view of the +origin of the world in general and the human race in particular, +preparatory to discussing the role that Israel was destined to play +in the world. The following are some of the most significant ideas +that the narrative of the creation has to tell us with regard to the +world and man's place in it: + +1. That God is the creator and consequently supreme over matter, +nature and the world; + +2. That man is the highest being in the order of creation by reason +of his being possessed of the divine attributes of reason and +conscience as intimated in the words "in our image according to our +likeness"; + +3. That God loves His creatures +shebara b'midat ha-ra[h.]emiym+ "whom +he hath created in accordance with the attribute of mercy;" + +4. That God in return desires man's love and his recognition in +worship as is implied in the institution of the Sabbath. + +=Aim.= In teaching this lesson to the child the aim should be to +inspire him with the sense of reverence and worship, particularly in +connection with Sabbath observance. The message of this as of all +the earlier chapters of Genesis is a universal one, but, like most +other universal aspects of Judaism, it has found concrete expression +in a specifically Jewish institution, namely the Sabbath, and, as +our aim is to affect the Jewish life of the child it is through +association of the ideas of the lesson with the institution of the +Sabbath that we must endeavor to make them effective. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= In accordance with the principle +which demands that we proceed from what is known to what is not yet +known, it at once becomes apparent that we cannot begin this lesson +with an account of primal darkness out of which chaos and then the +world was formed. In the introduction (page 22) we quoted an account +of creation which began by a reference to created objects in the +child's experience. In consideration however of the desirability +of stimulating the child's intellectual curiosity before beginning +the lesson, it would be well to introduce the lesson with a few +questions regarding the distinction of the Sabbath from the other +days of the week, culminating in the question, "Why do we act so +differently on the Sabbath than on other days?" Then proceed to +answer by telling the story of creation in the way suggested in the +introduction. When the narrative is completed, again discuss the +Sabbath and how it is to be observed, as in this way the moral of +the narrative can best be enforced. + +It is a well known fact that children are attracted by the exact +repetition of certain phrases somewhat in the nature of a refrain. +It is well therefore to utilize the refrain, "And there was evening +and there was morning" with each of the successive days of creation. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +ADAM AND EVE Genesis 2.4 to 3.24 + + +=Interpretation.= This is one of the narratives of the Bible whose +real meaning in its entirety it is impossible to teach the child. To +understand it, would require an experience that in the very nature +of the case the child cannot have had. A partial understanding of +its moral can, however, be imparted to him and the significant facts +of the story be so impressed on his mind that he will remember them +and, in later years, perceive their deeper meaning in the light +of acquired experience. The story of Adam and Eve is the story +of man and woman as exemplified in the progenitors of the human +race. The Eden of blissful innocence is lost when there awakens in +man the appetite for a forbidden knowledge, for an experience of +evil as well as of good, an experience which in the end leaves him +conscious of his nakedness, conscious of having sinned, and of being +disillusioned, conscious of being altogether in a worse plight than +if he had never sought after the forbidden knowledge. Obviously this +deeper meaning cannot be realized by the child, but certain elements +of it can be brought home to him; he can be made to feel that the +enjoyment of the good things in life is dependent upon an implicit +obedience to the laws that God has laid down as conditioning their +enjoyment, so that disobedience means the loss of these joys. + +=Aim.= The aim of the story of Adam and Eve must then be, from +the point of view of the child, the recognition of the duty of +implicit, unquestioning obedience to legitimate authority. So far +the moral is universal and not specifically Jewish. Were we to rest +here, we would not be realizing to the full the aim of instruction +in Biblical history that we had set before us in the introduction. +But, though the moral of the story of Adam and Eve is a universal +one, it can be associated, as was done in the case of the story of +creation, with certain aspects of Jewish life. Thus the legitimate +authority for which we claim implicit obedience from the child can +and should be made the Torah, and particular emphasis should in this +connection be laid on the dietary laws because of their analogy to +the divine commandment in the lesson, "of every tree of the garden +thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and +evil, thou shalt not eat of it." In this way the moral of the lesson +is, so to speak, dramatized in the daily life of the child and is +made to increase his loyalty to Judaism as a whole. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= After what has been said with regard +to the aim of this chapter, little remains to be noted by way of +suggestions regarding method, as the story in its Biblical form +is already admirably adapted to satisfy the child's love of a +good story. The moral, as we have suggested it, while it should +receive due emphasis at the end of the story particularly when it +is being repeated by the children and so has become the subject +of class discussion, should not be made too obtrusive in telling +the story itself. The words of the serpent in tempting Eve and +the conversation in which God rebukes Adam, Eve and the serpent +should be quoted as nearly as possible in the Biblical language. +In pointing out the connection between the story and its moral as +given above, do so by questioning the child rather than by simply +stating it yourself. Questions that may be suggestive are the +following: + +When God gave Adam and Eve so many trees to eat from and everything +else that they needed, was it right that they should eat the fruit +of the one tree that God had told them not to eat of, just because +they wanted to know how it tasted? + +If your parents, who give you so many things, your food and your +clothes and your toys, sometimes tell you to do this or that which +at the time you don't feel like doing, how ought you to act? + +Do you know of any things that we Jews don't eat because God, who +has made everything we eat, told us not to eat them? + + + + +CHAPTER III + +CAIN AND ABEL + +Genesis 4.1 to 15 + + +=Interpretation.= The story of Cain and Abel is a study of sin, +remorse and repentance. There is a suggestion in verse 7, of evil +passions existing in Cain's heart even before the murder of his +brother, and, though the verse is obscure, it may be interpreted +as giving a reason for God's not accepting Cain's offering. Not +until after the deed is done is Cain made fully to realize the +significance of his act and then he is stirred by remorse and fear +until God reassures him of his protection. The sign that God gives +Cain is sometimes construed as part of his punishment but in the +Bible it is mentioned rather as evidence of God's acceptance of his +repentance. + +=Aim.= The teacher should endeavor through this lesson to impress +on the child the danger of yielding to envy and anger and the +desirability of repentance and of confession of our sins to God +whenever we have done wrong. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= Sentimentalists sometimes object to +teaching this story to young children because of the sordid crime +that it relates. This objection however is not valid, because the +very ignorance and innocence of childhood rob the story of most +of its horror. Indeed, the teacher must rather guard against the +child's utterly losing the sense of the tragedy of the crime, the +universal tragedy by which passion leads men to commit acts which +they would later gladly retrieve if they could. In order to impress +this on the child the teacher must describe what the narrative of +the Bible but barely suggests, the wayward character of Cain before +the sacrifice which made it unacceptable. Devote some time to +characterizing Cain and Abel in such a way that the child pictures +the former as a sullen, discontented, envious man, who showed no +true appreciation of God's goodness to him and whose offering +was therefore not acceptable to God, while that of Abel, who was +sincerely grateful to God, was accepted. As this is the first time +that sacrifice is mentioned, explain the meaning of sacrifice as a +way in which men long ago used to show God that they were thankful +for his goodness in giving them their food, by not using all that +he gave them but burning some on a heap of stones called an altar. +Use some illustration from the child's life of how a gift is more +or less acceptable according to the motive which prompts it. You +might ask the children, "Which would please you more; if somebody +would give you a present on your birthday because he loves you, or, +because he thinks that when his birthday will come you will give +him one also?" and continue, "Now when Cain and Abel brought their +offering to God, God knew that Abel loved Him and always obeyed Him +and gave his offering because he was really grateful to God in his +heart, but Cain, who was always discontented and not very obedient, +God knew brought his offering only because he thought that if he did +so God might be pleased and so send him the rain necessary to make +his corn grow, that he would have plenty to eat during the year. +Therefore God accepted Abel's offering but did not accept Cain's". +Lay stress on God's warning to Cain, "Sin croucheth at the door", +which is to be explained as meaning that Cain must be very careful +how he acts and that if he feels like doing wrong to Abel, he must +keep back the feeling and not do it, or he might be doing something +which he would later feel very sorry for, after he could no longer +undo it. Remember that the very young child has no concept of death +and so relate the climax of the story somewhat in this manner; "Now +when Cain saw that Abel lay on the ground bleeding and could not +move or speak to him he knew that he had committed a great sin and +was afraid". The dialogue between God and Cain after Abel's death +should be quoted as nearly as possible in the language of the Bible, +particularly Cain's attempt at first to evade responsibility in the +words "Am I my brother's keeper?" followed later by his complete +confession, "My guilt is greater than I can bear". In enforcing the +aim of the lesson as we have given it, guard against merely making +didactic statements and rather bring out the point by questions, +after having concluded the narrative. The following are suggestive +questions: + +Why did God accept Abel's offering and did not accept Cain's? + +How did Cain feel when he saw that God did not accept his offering? + +What did God say to Cain to warn him not give way to anger? + +When Cain saw that he had killed Abel how did he feel? + +Did God forgive Cain? How did God show that He forgave him? + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +NOAH + +Genesis 6.5 to 9.1 + + +=Interpretation.= The story of Noah is so simple as scarcely to need +interpretation. The world had become corrupt, and, as God cannot +abide moral corruption, it seemed better to destroy what he had +created. Out of the universal destruction, however, God's providence +singled out Noah, because of his moral superiority, to be saved +and to start human life on a higher plane. He therefore bids Noah +take with him into the ark his family and enough of the animals to +assure the preservation of the different species, taking more of the +clean animals which are fit for food, and, when Noah finally leaves +the ark, He makes a covenant with him, the terms of which are that +Noah, is to observe certain moral laws, including the prohibition +of murder, and that God would never again destroy all life with a +deluge and would guarantee the orderly succession of the seasons as +necessary to man's existence. As a token of this covenant God shows +Noah the rainbow. + +=Aim.= The aim in teaching this lesson to the child should be to +give him the idea of God's control over all the forces of nature and +of His special providence exercised over each individual, rewarding +the good and punishing the evil. As it is our purpose, wherever +possible, to find some distinctively Jewish way in which the child +can give expression to the ideals taught this lesson should be made +the occasion for teaching the child the _berakah_ (blessing) on +seeing a rainbow which is associated with the Noah story. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= To connect this story with the child's +own life begin with a reference to the rainbow. Let children tell +what colors they have seen in the rainbow, call their attention to +the fact that it appears always after a storm, and then tell them +that you are going to relate a story which will explain to them why +God makes a rainbow in the heavens after it rains. And when you have +finished the story, again connect the moral of it with the rainbow +somewhat as follows: + +"And so, children, whenever we see a rainbow it should remind us +of this story of how God saved Noah from the flood because of his +goodness, and how God promised never to destroy the whole world +again by a terrible flood. And whenever we see a rainbow we should +all of us say this little prayer or _berakah_ which I will teach +you, +baru[k.] atah y'hovah elihaynu mele[k.] ha'olam zo[k.]er habriyt +vene'eman bibriyto v'qayam b'ma'emaro+ which means, 'Blessed be +thou, O Lord our God, King of the world, who remembers His covenant +and is faithful to His covenant and keeps his promise'". + +The term covenant must be explained to the child in this chapter as +an exchange of promises. + +The story of Noah contains many appeals to the child's interest +which the skillful teacher will know how to make the most of. A +Noah's ark with all manner of queer little wooden animals that could +be put in and taken out again has been a favorite toy with many +a child now grown to manhood. A child is naturally interested in +animals and, when you tell of how the animals came into the ark, +ask the children to tell you the names of animals they have seen in +the zoo or circus. + +To emphasize the moral of the story use the _haggadic_ elaboration +of it according to which the period that the ark was in process of +construction gave the sinners an opportunity to repent, of which +however they did not avail themselves but instead merely mocked +Noah for trusting in God and obeying him. This _haggada_ is in full +accord with the spirit of the Biblical narrative and gives content +to the statement: "Noah was in his generation a righteous and +whole-hearted man; Noah walked with God."[1] + + [1] whenever a _haggadah_ is useful as explaining a biblical + passage, it may be taught as part of the biblical lesson. but the + teacher should avoid teaching such legends as may misrepresent the + biblical meaning and even such as are merely extraneous to the + subject, as, for example, the legend of abraham's persecution by + nimrod, for we must be careful that these legends do not usurp the + unique place which the bible as torah must hold in jewish life and + thought. the _haggadah_ is not authoritative; the bible is. + +The episode narrated in Genesis 9.21 to 29 had better be omitted as +not adapted for children. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE TOWER OF BABEL + +Genesis 11.1 to 9 + + +=Interpretation.= These verses tell how the descendants of Noah in +the pride of a new civilization and the acquisition of the new art +of building with bricks endeavor to defeat the divine purpose of +scattering them over the world and are frustrated in their plans +through God's confusing their language. Its moral is the vanity of +any attempt on the part of man to defeat God's purpose. + +=Aim.= This lesson is not one that yields a moral which the child +is able to apply immediately in his own life. Its moral is rather +for society than for the individual in its exposure of the vanity +of reliance on the mere material elements in civilization. Inasmuch +however as it can be made interesting to the child and appealing to +his imagination it is well to teach it that it may become a part of +his store of Jewish information which will receive added meaning as +his experience grows. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= This lesson should be introduced by a +reference to the different languages with which the child has come +in contact. He can then have his attention called to the fact that, +as all men are descended from Noah, they must all originally have +spoken one language. This at once raises the question how it came +about that there are now many languages, and, when the child is +interested in this question, he has the proper mental attitude for +hearing the story. + +The motive for the building of the tower is not given very clearly +in the Bible and, in the form in which it is given, is hardly +calculated to impress the story on a child's mind. It is well, +therefore, to amplify the story in accordance with the _haggadah_ +that suggests as motive the attempt to avoid the consequences of +another such flood as at the time of Noah. The sin, therefore, of +the generation of the dispersion lies in the fact that instead of +trying to avoid God's displeasure they tried to render themselves +immune to its consequences, a moral that carries out the idea of the +Biblical narrative only stating it in more explicit terms. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE CHOICE OF ABRAM AND THE CHOICE OF CANAAN + +Genesis 12.1 to 10 and 13.1 to 18 + + +=Interpretation.= With this lesson the history of our people +begins. The Bible wishes us to see in the separation of Abram and +his clan from the parent tribe, and their migration to Canaan, not +a fortuitous circumstance, but the fulfilment of a divine plan +according to which God was to make of the descendants of Abram the +chosen people and of the land of Canaan the chosen land. Why Abram +was selected of all people is not clearly stated, but one trait of +his character is made very conspicuous here and in all subsequent +chapters, his implicit faith and obedience. The Rabbis emphasize +that, in bidding him to leave his land, God tells him merely to go +"to the land that I will show unto thee", without indicating what +land was meant. Again He promises him, "To thy seed will I give this +land", though Abram is childless. Nor was Abram permitted to believe +that his nephew Lot might have been intended by the promise, for, +when Abram's herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen quarrel, Lot chooses the +land of Sodom and not the promised land. In a word, God seems to +have selected Abram to be the father of the chosen people because +of his faith, his unquestioning willingness to submit to divine +guidance. A second trait of character that is made conspicuous is +his love of peace as illustrated in his relations with Lot. + +=Aim.= The primary aim in teaching this lesson to the child should +be to inspire him with the thought that he is one of God's chosen +people, a descendant of Abram, and should prove himself worthy +of his descent by emulating Abram's obedience to God through his +obedience to Jewish law. The whole point of this narrative is lost +if the teacher fails to emphasize the fact that Abram is the father +of the Jewish people. + +The secondary aim may well be to stimulate interest in Palestine as +the chosen land. + +A third lesson that can be taught in this connection is the lesson +of the desirability of peace. + +The last two aims however must be brought in incidentally, the +former as an indication of God's love for Abram and his descendants, +the latter as showing wherein Abram was worthy of being chosen. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= As the whole point of the narrative is +lost if the child is not made to feel the connection of the Jewish +people with Abram, take pains to explain what is meant by descent +and how a whole people can be descended from one man, by showing how +a man's grandchildren are usually more numerous than his children, +etc. It might be of advantage to use the blackboard for a graphic +illustration of this idea. Then, after having explained how God +expected to make a great nation of Abram's descendants, ask, "Do +any of you know what people today are the descendants of Abram? +Well, I will tell you. You and I and all who call themselves Jews +are descended from Abram. That is why we always speak of him as +our father Abram. Now don't you want me to tell you more about our +father Abram and about the great people that came from him and to +which we belong?" + +Hereafter always call Abram "our father Abram", as he is almost +invariably called in Jewish literature +Avraham aviynu+. This will +keep the child conscious of his descent from Abram, increase his +interest in him and make him feel that Biblical history is the +history of his own people. + +As the motives for God's choice of Abram are but vaguely suggested +in the Bible, the teacher must make them more explicit. Call +attention to the fact that the world had again become corrupt, that +idolatry prevailed--and here it becomes necessary to explain what +idolatry means--in the House of Terah as elsewhere (see Joshua 24. +2), but that there was one man, Abram, who always obeyed God and +who, God knew, would instruct his children to do so. And therefore +God told him to leave his family and his people because he wanted to +make of him a great people that would always do as he told them and +not a foolish and wicked people like those among whom he lived. + +The various _haggadic_ tales of the persecutions to which Abram was +subjected by Nimrod and even by his own father, while beautiful in +themselves and interesting to children should not be taught as part +of the lesson. (See foot-note to page 46.) + +In order to make the narrative more vivid and impressive, God's call +to Abram and his promise (Genesis 12. 1 to 3) should be quoted in +the language of the Bible, as also Abram's words to Lot (Genesis 13. +9) and God's promise when Abram settled in Canaan (Genesis 13. 14 to +18). + +When speaking of God's promise to give Abram the land of Canaan, +the teacher may digress somewhat to describe the main geographical +features of Palestine, showing children on the map where it is +situated and pointing out its main topographical characteristics, if +the children are of an age when they know how to interpret maps. The +description of the land should be such as to create an attachment +to it, dwelling on the variety of its climate, the beauty of its +scenery, and its fertility. Pictures of Palestine particularly of +the places associated with the life of Abram, should be shown. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +BEGINNING OF ABRAM'S GREATNESS + +Genesis 14 + + +=Interpretation.= Abram's blessing begins to become manifest through +his military success in the campaign to rescue Lot and his family. +He is accorded recognition by Melchizedek, king of Salem (to be +identified with Jerusalem), and "priest of God the Most High", who +gives him bread and wine and to whom he gives a tithe of the booty. +The king of Sodom also recognizes his greatness and the value of his +services, which he wishes to reward, but Abram rejects the proffered +reward in order to be able to maintain his independence and assert +his reliance on the divine promise. + +=Aim.= The aim in teaching this lesson should be to awaken an +appreciation of the heroic virtues of courage, loyalty and +independence, and, by associating them with the founder of the +Jewish people and the Jewish faith to arouse the Jewish self respect +of the child. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= It is very important in telling such +stories the moral of which is to be enforced through the child's +imitation of the virtues of the characters whose deeds it narrates, +not to tag on a moral at the end of the tale. If the child is +impressed by the story, imitation is sure to result, and, by adding +a moral stated in abstract terms, one only gives the child the +feeling that the events of the story did not really happen but were +"made up" to point the moral. But the child must be impressed by the +story, and the skillful teacher will know how to make the details +of the story itself so impressive as to bring home their moral. For +instance, instead of saying at the end of the story, "This teaches +us what a brave man Abram was since he was willing to risk his life +for Lot and his family", the teacher might begin the story somewhat +as follows: + +"Now when Abram was sitting one day at the door of his tent, a man +came running to him all out of breath and, as soon as he had gained +breath enough to speak, he said, 'There has been a terrible battle +in Sodom. I and a few others have escaped but your nephew Lot and +his family have all been taken away captive and no one can say what +will be done to them.' Thereupon Abram called together his few +followers to the number of 318 and, together with his friends and +neighbors, Aner, and Eshcol and Mamre and their soldiers, followed +after the enemy, trusting that God would help him, though he knew +the enemy had many more men than he." + +The interesting detail of how the enemy fell into the slime pits +in the valley of Siddim should not be omitted as it gives greater +vividness and reality to the narrative. + +The child can be depended upon to respond to the appeal for his +appreciation of Abram's martial virtues, but the full significance +of Abram's refusal of a share of the spoils and his statement "Thou +shalt not say I have made Abram rich" he will not grasp without +the teacher's help. Bring out his point by asking, "Why did not +Abram want to let the king of Sodom make him rich?" and if, as will +probably be the case, the child will have no answer ready, explain +as follows: + +"The reason is this. Abram had joined the war not to get money or +other riches from the enemy, for that would have been mere robbery. +He had fought to save Lot and his family, and, when they were safe, +he was satisfied. But the people of Sodom were, as you know from our +last lesson, very wicked and their kings were all the time making +war, even when there was no good reason, in order that they might +become rich by what they took from the enemy. And Abram thought, if +I take money now from the king of Sodom, some time later he may say, +'Abram, it is I who made you a rich man; now you must help me fight +against my enemies and rob them'. Therefore Abram would have nothing +to do with him and would not even take a shoestring from him. He +knew, moreover, that if he obeyed God, God would give him all that +he needed, and therefore he did not have to take presents from one +whom he could not respect and honor." + +Be sure to make clear that Melchizedek's tribute to Abram was +in recognition of the fact that his victory was a sign of God's +favor, and that Abram's giving the tithe was an expression of his +recognition of God's help in the battle. + +The lesson might be concluded by some such summary as the following: + +So our father Abram became great and famous in the new land to which +he had come, because God blessed him in all that he did so that he +came to be called by the people about him a "prince of God". + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +HAGAR AND THE BIRTH OF ISHMAEL + +Genesis 15.16.17 + + +=Interpretation.= In chapter 15 the faith of Abram is once more +given emphasis. God promises Abram great reward, but, being +childless, he is indifferent to a reward which must ultimately +pass to strangers, the descendants of Eliezer, but God explains to +him that he is to have a child of his own to whom the reward is to +descend, and he has faith in God's promise though for many years it +remains unfulfilled. + +The vision of Abram, recorded in verses 12 to 16 is significant as +showing the providential character of the Egyptian bondage. We need +not, however, discuss it here in detail, since its significance +is only apparent in the light of later lessons and it is not +intrinsically interesting to the child. + +For the interpretation of the main theme of this lesson, the reader +is referred to the introduction of this book, pages 19-20. It is to +be noted that in giving to Abram her servant Hagar as wife, Sarai +is doing an unselfish act in the hope that she may thereby help +realize the promise made to Abram, and it is little wonder that she +resents the arrogant attitude of Hagar, who is the chief beneficiary +of her unselfish act and yet vaunts it over her as though Sarai's +barrenness were a mark of inferiority and perhaps even of the divine +disfavor. + +The fact that, when Hagar flees from Sarai before the birth of +Ishmael, she is asked by the angel to return, and that after the +birth of Isaac, God not only sanctions but commands the separation, +shows distinctly that the motive for the separation was that +expressed in the words, "In Isaac shall seed be called to thee", and +that, meanwhile, Abram was to have his faith put to the test through +his attachment to Ishmael, as later through his attachment to Isaac. + +It is also to be noted, here as elsewhere, that the patriarchs and +their wives themselves had only a dim and often incorrect idea of +God's purpose in his dealings with them. Thus Sarai, realizing +that she is barren, at first reasons that God's promise to Abram +was intended to apply to him alone and not to her and therefore +necessitated his taking another wife. When Ishmael is born, Abram +thinks that he is to be the child of destiny and it is one of the +tests to which his faith is put when, after the birth of Ishmael, +God tells him that not this son but another, who is to be born to +Sarai, is to be his heir. The point of all this is that the history +of the patriarchs is not merely personal biography but that its +real significance is to be understood as showing the care that +God exercised in selecting the material out of which the chosen +people was to be moulded. Not all of Abram's descendants were to be +deemed fit for this election, but he was to become the "father of a +multitude of nations" of which only one was to be chosen. + +In teaching of the covenant that is recorded in Genesis 17, the +ceremony of circumcision cannot for obvious reasons be dwelt on in +class, but the change of Abram's and Sarai's names should be, and +therefore its significance needs to be interpreted. To give a new +name is a sign of ownership and interest. God shows his love for +Abram and Sarai and his intention to enter into closer relations +with them by giving them new names. It is to be noted that God also +gives Isaac his name (Genesis 18.21) and changes that of Jacob to +Israel after he shows himself worthy of the title. + +=Aim.= This lesson is one of a series of incidents which should +impress on the child faith in the truth of God's words, which in +the end are verified, though at first they often seem impossible of +realization and more particularly, faith in God's election of Israel. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= There are two main difficulties to +overcome in teaching this chapter; first, that the moral is such +an abstract one, the whole story as we have interpreted it being +conceived as a glimpse into the workings of providence in the +history of Israel and the world, and second, that the incidents +hinge upon family relations of a sort that a child with his +ignorance of the facts of sex cannot easily comprehend. + +The first of these difficulties can be largely overcome by giving +much more emphasis than is usually given to the human and personal +aspect of the story particularly to Abram's desire for a son and +his repeated disappointments before the final realization of God's +promise to him; and a little tact can overcome the second difficulty +as well. To show how these two difficulties may be met, it will be +necessary here to tell a great part of the story as it may be told +to a class of children between the ages of seven and eight. After +telling of God's promise to Abram to make of his seed a great nation +as numerous as the stars in heaven and of Abram's rejoicing that +he would have a son who would become after him the father of this +great people, the teacher might continue somewhat as follows: + +But year after year passed and Abram and Sarai were already growing +old, and yet God had not fulfilled His promise to Abram to give him +a son out of whose children and children's children He would make +a great and good nation. And Oh! how Abram did want to have a son. +When he would see the children of his neighbors at play with their +bright eyes and laughing faces, he would think, "_If only I had a +little child like that how happy I should be and what delight it +would be to watch him grow big and strong! How I would thank God +for such a son and how I would teach my little boy to thank God and +to love and obey Him and to be kind and good to all people as God +wants us to be so that through him and his children and children's +children all the nations of the earth would be blessed._" And he +would often tell his wishes to Sarai and they would try to comfort +each other and one would remind the other of God's promise and +would say, "_We must be patient. God has promised us a son and in +His time He will send us one._" But one day an idea came to Sarai. +She thought to herself, "Maybe it is my fault that Abram has no +children. God promised a son to Abram but he did not make any +promise to me. Maybe if Abram married someone else, God would let +Abram have a son from this other wife." Now Sarai had a servant +whose name was Hagar, and she told Abram to marry Hagar too, for in +those days men often had more than one wife. And Abram did as Sarai +suggested and, surely enough, not long after they were married it +was told to Hagar that in a few months she would bear a child to +Abram. Now you would think children, would you not, that after +Sarai had been so kind to her servant Hagar and had let her marry +Abram that Hagar would love Sarai for it and show kindness to her in +return. But Hagar showed herself at this time very mean. She felt a +foolish pride because God was going to give her a son and had given +none to Sarai and she used to say to her, "See, you are married to +Abram these many years and yet God has not given him any children +from you, but I have been but recently married to him and now I +shall soon bear him a son. Doesn't this show that God loves me more +than you? Doesn't this show that I am better than you? Do you think +I will be your servant any more? No indeed, I am not only as good +as you but better." When Sarai heard these words day after day she +was deeply grieved and angry and she complained to Abram, and Abram +told Hagar that she must continue to serve Sarai as before. But when +Sarai wanted to make Hagar do her work, she ran away and fled into +the wilderness. + +The above will suffice to show how the difficulties which we mention +can be overcome. The passages that have been italicized suggest how +the child can be given the feeling that the birth of Isaac was part +of a divine plan for the good of the world. This can be still more +clearly brought home by the latter part of the narrative in which +God rejects Ishmael as a "Wild ass of a man." The teacher must make +this quite clear to the class by asking, "Do you think that this boy +Ishmael of whom God knew that he would be wild and wicked was the +one whom God meant when He told Abram he would have a son who was +going to be a blessing to all the world?" He must also emphasize +Abram's affection for Ishmael, which made him mistake him for the +son of promise, for Abram presumably did not know of the prophecy +with regard to Ishmael's future. This will give the child the idea +contained in the narrative that "There are many devices in a man's +heart, but the counsel of the Lord that shall stand". + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +ABRAHAM ENTERTAINS THE ANGELS + +Genesis 18.1 to 16 + + +=Interpretation.= These verses have given no little difficulty +to the ancient Hebrew commentators. The first verse contains a +statement of God's appearing to Abraham but does not give any +content to this revelation, and then the three angels are introduced +into the narrative as if another revelation were here intended. +Moreover the number of angels that appeared to Abraham when one +might have served the purpose as well also presented its difficulty, +since Christian theologians, connecting this verse with the +preceding, tried to employ it as an argument for the trinity. There +are furthermore in these verses frequent changes of number which +are difficult to account for. Thus in verse 3, Abraham addresses +the angels in the singular, in verse 4 in the plural. In verse 9, +we read _va-yomeru_ "And they said" while verse 10 which seems a +continuation of this conversation begins _va-yomar_ "And he said". +In verse 13 God himself suddenly breaks into the conversation. A +comparison with other parts of the Bible in which angels appear +shows that they too exhibit similar peculiarities of style.[2] + + [2] See for instance Genesis 19. 16, 17; 31. 11 to 13; 32. 25 to 31; + 48. 15 to 16. Exodus 3. 2, etc.; 23. 20 to 22. Judges 2. 1 to 2; 4. + 12 to 14; 13. 17 to 18, 21 to 22. + +The study of these passages shows the following characteristic +features of the Biblical conception of angels which will help to +clear up the difficulties of our text. The angel, as the name both +in Hebrew and English implies, is the messenger of God. Inasmuch +as he exists only to do God's bidding his words are the words +of God and may be introduced by the words "God said" as well as +by "the angel (or angels) said". This accounts for the apparent +inconsistency in the use of singular and plural in our passage. The +angel has no discretionary power, as appears from the statement in +Exodus 23. 21, that the angel cannot forgive sin. Inasmuch as he +has no individual personality or will of his own but is merely a +manifestation of God's will, he has no name of his own, the name +being a mark of individuality, but bears the name of God, which +being a mystery, he may not reveal.[3] (Genesis 32. 3. Exodus 23. +21. Judges 13. 18.) This idea of the impersonality of the angels is +carried a step further by the Rabbis, who insist that no angel ever +executes more than one message and account for the number of angels +that appeared to Abraham by assigning to each a separate mission; +one to predict to Abraham the birth of Isaac, another to rescue Lot, +and a third to destroy Sodom. But such an explanation is scarcely +necessary as there are other passages in the Bible where a number of +angels are mentioned for no clear reason, as for instance in Jacob's +dream. As for the difficulty that we found in verses one and two, it +can now be made clear by understanding the appearance of the angels +in verse two as the explanation of the revelation referred to in +verse one. + + [3] The significance of this cannot be gone into here. An + interesting treatment of it is to be found in Wiener's Essays in + Pentateuchal Criticism. Pages 47-53. + +Regarding the significance of angels in general, we may consider the +accounts of their appearances as intended by the Biblical author to +convey his appreciation of the mystery of how God can communicate +with mortals without loss to His divine majesty. They certainly +do convey something of this appreciation to the child, for the +imagination of children notwithstanding their natural tendency to +conceive of God in anthropomorphic terms, is impressed by these +mysterious heralds of an invisible kingdom with a sense of the +majesty of God's rule. + +=Aim.= This episode has always been made use of, and rightly so, to +impress the pupil with an appreciation of that courteous interest +in the stranger and deferential attention to his wants and desires +which constitute the true grace of hospitality, but an equally +important educational value, perhaps from the point of view of the +child an even more important one, is its power of impressing him +with a sense of the mysterious possibilities of this world, in which +any passing stranger that we entertain may turn out to be an angel +in disguise, who will reveal himself to us and bless us if we do +not turn him from our door. The story should leave the child with +the feeling expressed in the exclamation, "Is anything too hard for +the Lord". The teacher must of course not lose sight nor permit the +child to lose sight of the story's connection with the main theme +of the birth of Isaac, the significance of which we have already +pointed out in the previous lesson. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= This is a story whose educational +value would only be lost by analyzing its moral as the beauty of a +flower is destroyed by pulling it apart to show its structure. Tell +the story simply and, as nearly as possible, in the language of +the Bible itself. Be careful to give the story its characteristic +picturesque setting, and begin therefore by contrasting modern +conditions of housing and travel with those of Abraham's days, thus +establishing a point of contact with the child's present experience. +The following facts should be impressed on the child: + +1. That Abraham's nomadic life, which was also the life led by many +of his contemporaries, necessitated his dwelling in a tent which +could be pitched wherever he wanted to make his home, + +2. That traveling was to a large extent on foot over hot sand or +stones, + +3. That travelers were not sure of obtaining food at regular +intervals, and + +4. That it was consequently a great kindness to offer them rest and +refreshment. + +After this introduction, tell the story of how Abraham one day saw +three tired travelers on the road approaching in the direction of +his tent and invited them to rest, refresh themselves and partake of +food. Then, in a manner which would suggest that you are confiding +to the class a great secret, tell them that these men whom Abraham +had invited were not really men at all but angels of God. + +The incident of Sarah's laughing when the angel delivers his message +and then denying that she had laughed should not be omitted as it +affords an interesting human touch to the story and still more as it +gives the occasion for the angel's reply which contains the moral +of the story, "Can anything be too wonderful for God?" There is no +need of glossing over Sarah's prevarication and certainly no need +of giving it undue emphasis, but the incident should be told in +such a way that her motive is made clear. Say, for instance; "Now +as you know, Sarah was very old, so old that she thought herself +too old to have a little baby, and when she heard, from behind the +curtain of the tent, the angel telling Abraham that in a year's time +she should have a son she laughed, just as you would laugh if I told +you that a rose bush would have roses in mid-winter. But the angel +said to Abraham, 'Why does Sarah laugh? Is there anything that God +cannot do?' Then Sarah was ashamed and said, 'I did not laugh'. But +the angel said, 'Nay but thou didst laugh and Sarah was more ashamed +than ever, for she knew that she had not told the truth, and she +said no more." + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH + +Genesis 18.7 to 19.29 + + +=Interpretation.= The incident of the destruction of Sodom and +Gomorrah, like that of the destruction of the generation of the +deluge, is meant as an assertion of God's justice. The insistence on +the justice of God is made the more emphatic by the recognition of +the fact that His dispensations are such as may lead us at times to +call His justice into question. When, therefore, Abraham exclaims, +"Shall not the judge of all the world do justice?" he is not rebuked +for his presumption, but, on the contrary, God seems to prefer his +attitude to one that would accept apparent injustice with complacent +resignation, and God does not disdain to justify Himself to Abraham +in very much the same spirit as the Book of Job represents Him +as preferring the blasphemous accusations of Job to the pious +apologetics of his friends. (Job 42. 7.) + +The particular crime assigned as an instance of the wickedness +of Sodom was a form of immorality of which strangers were the +especial victims. Lot's offer to surrender to the men of Sodom his +daughters instead of the strangers was not only prompted by a sense +of the obligation of hospitality but by the consideration of the +different degree of immorality involved in the two acts. It goes +without saying that the specific crime of the men of Sodom cannot +be explained to the children otherwise than as a disposition to +abuse strangers, the antithesis to the attitude of Abraham and Lot +towards them, and, inasmuch as the nature of the crime cannot be +taught, Lot's offer to substitute his daughters for the strangers +cannot be taught since this act would then appear as an attempt to +remedy one injustice by perpetrating another. + +=Aim.= This lesson yields more than one moral for the child. The +style of Abraham's plea for Sodom and Gomorrah is a very fine +example of devotion in prayer and should affect the child's attitude +in prayer. The lesson of hospitality taught in the story that +preceded is given further emphasis by the contrast between the +reception of the strangers by Abraham and by Lot, who was reared in +Abraham's household, on the one hand, and by the people of Sodom on +the other. This contrast between the character of Abraham and that +of the people of Sodom should appeal to the Jewish pride of the +child as a descendant of Abraham, the value of which pride we have +had occasion to point out before. The transformation of Lot's wife +into a pillar of salt is an excellent lesson in the value of prompt +obedience and the danger of hesitation and inordinate curiosity. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= In teaching of Abraham's plea for +Sodom and Gomorrah, do not merely give the substance of Abraham's +prayer but thoroughly assimilate and impart the reverential spirit +contained in such introductory phrases as "Behold now I have +taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes, +peradventure, etc." "Oh, let not the Lord be angry and I will +speak", and again, "Let not the Lord be angry and I will speak but +this once". In order that this part of the lesson shall affect the +child's attitude in prayer, speak of Abraham's plea as a prayer +by saying "Then Abraham prayed, etc.", rather than simply "Then +Abraham said", but do not, of course, go into a dissertation on +prayer; let the child draw his own moral. + +In telling of the reception of the angels in Sodom it is well to +emphasize the contrast between the way the men of Sodom treated +strangers and the way that Abraham and Lot treated them. The +accusation of the men of Sodom, "This one fellow came in to sojourn +and he will needs play the judge" is a fine involuntary tribute to +Lot's moral superiority and should be quoted. The final picture in +verse 28 should not be omitted as it emphasizes the connection of +Abraham with these events and furnishes, so to speak, a concluding +tableau to the story. + +A description of the Dead Sea region of Palestine, accompanied by a +good picture showing its present desolation, might furnish a good +conclusion to the lesson. The following questions will test the +child's comprehension of the story's moral: + +1. How did our Father Abraham treat strangers? How did Lot? Where +did Lot learn always to be kind to strangers? How did the people of +Sodom treat strangers? + +Why did God want to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah? When God told +Abraham that he would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, was Abraham glad +or sorry? What did he do? Can you repeat his prayer? + +What did the angels tell Lot and his family not to do? Did they all +obey? Why did Lot's wife look back? What happened to her because she +did not obey? + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE DIVORCE OF HAGAR + +Genesis 20 and 21 + + +=Interpretation.= The incident recorded in Chapter 20 is intended +to show the care exercised by God in preserving the purity of the +chosen seed, but it cannot be taught to children because of their +ignorance of the facts of sex. Chapter 21 verses 21 to the end of +the chapter may be omitted since they offer nothing of interest to +the child. + +For the interpretation of the main theme of this chapter see +introduction pages 19-20 and Chapter VIII. It is to be noted that +God's choice of Isaac does not mean that His providence does not +extend over Ishmael as well. Not only is Ishmael's life saved but +God's promise to Abraham regarding Ishmael is kept as well as His +promise regarding Isaac. + +=Aim.= The aim in this lesson is practically the same as in Chapter +VIII, to inspire faith in God's providential interest in human +affairs in general and in Israel's destiny in particular. The child +need not understand all the implications of the narrative at the +time it is taught him but if it be taught properly the story will +make its impression and he will understand them more completely +later. God's hearing the voice of Ishmael should suggest to the +child the value of prayer and thus influence his immediate life. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= Before beginning the narrative of +this story recall to the children, by well directed questions, +the previous history of the relations of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar and +Ishmael, as we have explained them in Chapter VIII. Then point out +the complications which the birth of Isaac introduced since God +had promised that Isaac was to be the son to inherit the blessing +of Abraham together with the possession of the promised land, and +Ishmael, who was now beginning to grow up into the "wild ass of a +man" according to the prophecy that had preceded his birth, would +dispute this with him. It therefore became necessary for Hagar +and Ishmael to be sent away after the birth of Isaac. Inasmuch +as the idea of inheritance and the idea of national destiny are +too abstract for children, the story must be adapted to their +comprehension by putting it on a more personal plane somewhat as +follows: + +"Now when Hagar saw that God had given a son to Sarah also as the +angel had promised and that this son Isaac and not her own Ishmael +was the one to whom God told Abraham he would give the land of +Canaan and whose children would be the great Jewish people, she +became jealous and hated Sarah very much and even Sarah's little +baby Isaac. And Ishmael too, who was now grown up into a big wild +boy--you remember the angel had said he would be a wild man when +he grew up--also was jealous of Isaac. And Hagar tried to persuade +Abraham to give her son part of this land of Canaan that God had +promised to Isaac. Now Sarah saw all this and she knew that it would +not be good for Isaac to grow up together with this wild and wicked +Ishmael and so she told Abraham to send Hagar and her son away to +some other country where they could not do any mischief to Isaac +whom God had chosen to be the father of the Jewish people."[4] + + [4] To speak of our race as the Jewish people at any time before + the exile of the ten tribes is, to be sure, an anachronism, but we + employ it because the child knows that he and his friends are Jews + before he knows that they are Israelites or Hebrews. + +In concluding the story one might interest the child by telling +him that there are descendants of Ishmael alive today who like us +feel proud to be descended from Abraham, and describing some of the +habits of the Bedouin Arabs, their nomadic life, their pastoral +occupation similar to that of the patriarchs and also their tribal +feuds and not infrequent raids for pillage which still would justify +the prophecy, "His hand shall be against every man and every man's +hand against him", but one should in justice say that this is +not true of the large number of Arabs who have settled in more +civilized communities. A picture of Bedouins in modern times would +be of interest to the class and help give a sense of reality to the +Biblical story. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE SACRIFICE OF ISAAC + +Genesis 22.1 to 19 + + +=Interpretation.= The story of the _'Akedah_, that is the intended +sacrifice of Isaac, represents the supreme test to which Abraham's +faith was put. After Ishmael has been sent away and Isaac has been +definitely declared to be the son of promise, Abraham is commanded +by God to sacrifice Isaac. The test to Abraham's faith is not merely +of the willingness to sacrifice sentiment and affection in obedience +to God, but this latest command is a direct contradiction of God's +previous words to him and yet he obeys. + +The story can only be understood fully in the light of the religious +customs of Abraham's day, according to which human sacrifice was not +uncommon. (See II Kings 3. 27, also 21. 6, 23. 10 and Jeremiah 32. +35.) Viewed in this light God's asking Abraham to sacrifice his son +meant nothing which to a contemporary of Abraham would have seemed +essentially inconsistent with the divine character. It is God's +forbidding the consummation of this act which is the innovation, so +that this lesson teaches in a narrative form the same idea which +later received its legal formulation in Leviticus 18. 21 and 20. +2-5. The chapter has therefore a twofold message; (1) that to be +the elect of God requires of us the willingness to sacrifice any +personal desire and even natural affection in obedience to him, and +(2) that God's will, to which He claims obedience, is a benevolent +one and does not demand or desire human sacrifice. + +The idea that God does not desire human sacrifice was a great moral +discovery and this narrative in our Bible gives us an interesting +illustration of how such new spiritual insights in general are born; +namely through the willingness to commit ourselves completely to +whatever vision of truth is ours at the time. It was because Abraham +was willing to sacrifice Isaac in accordance with his previous +sense of what duty demanded of him, that this new revelation of +God's will as opposed to human sacrifice was granted him. Had he, +while sharing with his contemporaries the belief in the legitimacy +of human sacrifice, hesitated to live up to this idea when it +involved suffering for himself, he would never have been given +the understanding that God does not desire human sacrifice. Our +standards of morality are at all times imperfect, but it is only +those who commit themselves without reservation to whatever standard +they really hold that are the discoverers of new moral truths. + +The part that Isaac played in the incident is but vaguely suggested +in the Biblical narrative. The _agadic_ elaborations of the story +frequently represent Isaac as knowing what fate was intended for +him and fully acquiescing in it. That Isaac probably had his +misgivings is suggested by the question, "Behold the fire and the +wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?" At all events +he must have known what Abraham's purpose with regard to him was +when he was being bound to the altar and, as the narrative records +no protest, the Rabbinic conception of the part Isaac played is +not contradictory to the Biblical story. The teacher is therefore +justified in imparting the story in a way which would imply that +Isaac lent himself willingly to Abraham's designs regarding him. + +In the substitution of the ram for Isaac one gets a glimpse into the +significance of animal sacrifice. It probably meant to the ancients +a symbolic expression of the recognition that God had the right +to demand the sacrifice of human life in his service and that it +was a sign of his love and grace that no such demand was made. It +suggests the important role that animal sacrifice played in history +in weaning mankind from the habit of human sacrifice. + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson is to make the child feel that as a +son of Abraham his love for God should be such that, like Abraham, +he should be willing to make any sacrifice that his religion may +demand of him. The traditional association of the _shofar_ on Rosh +ha-Shanah with the Ram of the Akedah suggests that this story may be +used to give meaning to the New Year celebration. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= The pathos of this narrative is so +deep and intense that many teachers, laboring under the notion so +common in our day that children should be reared only on what is +cheerful and bright and be kept far from a knowledge of any of the +more tragic aspects of life, would like to omit teaching it to +children all together. When therefore the curriculum of the school +requires them to teach it, they tell the story in as matter of +fact a manner as possible and seem anxious to get over it. This +is a mistake however, for children have always had a fondness for +stories containing something of the tragic, even of the weird and +uncanny, as witness the popularity of Little Red Riding Hood, and +the story of the Akedah is one which can, by very reason of what +to our modern mind appeals as weird, impress its lesson on the +child's imagination. To pass over it slightingly is to spoil what +is undoubtedly the climax of the whole Abraham story and ignore one +of the best opportunities of deeply impressing the child with the +lesson of faith, obedience and self sacrifice. + +Begin the lesson by speaking of Abraham's love for Isaac, now +the only son that was left him and of the hopes he cherished of +seeing him grow up to be a great man according to God's promise. +Then tell how God resolved to test Abraham's obedience by seeing +whether he would be willing to give up that which he loved most if +so commanded. Before telling of God's command to sacrifice Isaac +remind the child of the prevalent custom of animal sacrifice which +he had heard of in connection with Cain and Noah. The fact of the +general prevalence of human sacrifice at that time should not be +taught the child as it will be impossible for him to comprehend +such a practice and as the story only gains in force for him by +making God's demand of Abraham appear extraordinary. We need not +scruple that we are violating the Biblical moral in this instance, +since the Bible's denunciation of human sacrifice is not a moral +that the child has need of. A reference to animal sacrifice will +therefore suffice to make comprehensible the command to sacrifice +Isaac. All the conversation in this story should be quoted in the +language of the Bible, not omitting Isaac's pathetic query, "Behold +the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?" +And Abraham's evasive answer, "God will provide Himself the lamb +for a burnt-offering, my son". In telling how Isaac was bound to +the altar emphasize the fact that he did not rebel although he knew +now that he was to be the sacrifice, because of his obedience to +God and his father and his confidence in them. When telling how the +ram was found caught by its horns in the bushes, ask, "How many +of you have ever seen a ram's horn?" There will probably be no +response. Then show the class a _shofar_ or a picture of one and +ask, "What is this?" The answer will be "a _shofar_". Then continue; +"Well, a _shofar_ is the horn of a ram. When we hear the _shofar_ +blown on Rosh ha-Shanah it should remind us of this ram and of how +Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac and Isaac was willing to be +sacrificed when God commanded, and we should think of how we, who +are sons of Abraham and Isaac, must be willing also to obey God and +our parents in everything even if it should be very hard to do so, +even if it should cost us our life." In order to make sure that +the child has understood the motives of the story the following +questions may be asked in reviewing it: 1. When God asked Abraham +to sacrifice Isaac, did he really want him to kill his son? 2. Why +did God ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac? 3. When Abraham tied Isaac +to the altar did Isaac rebel against his father? When we hear the +_shofar_ blown on Rosh ha-Shanah what should we think of? + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +DEATH OF SARAH AND THE MARRIAGE OF ISAAC AND REBEKAH + +Genesis 23 and 24 + + +=Interpretation.= The incident of the purchase of the Cave of +Machpelah need be mentioned only casually in connection with +the death of Sarah as the political questions involved in the +dialogue between the _Bene Heth_ and Abraham are beyond the child's +comprehension.[5] + + [5] The teacher who is interested will find them discussed in + Sulzberger's Am Haaretz. + +The care exercised in the selection of a wife for Isaac from his own +kindred rather than from the daughters of Canaan emphasizes again +the interest of Providence in selecting the stock out of which the +Chosen People was to come. Abraham's servant--presumably Eliezer, +who is mentioned in Genesis 15.2--was not permitted to take Isaac +out of Canaan as that would have been equivalent to a desertion of +his historic mission which was connected with the Promised Land. +Significant are the qualifications of the ideal wife for Isaac +suggested in the prayer of Eliezer--kindness and hospitality. + +=Aim.= The value of this lesson to the child, apart from its +connection with the more general theme of God's selection of the +seed from which the Chosen People is to spring, lies in the example +of faith in God and fidelity to his trust exhibited by Abraham's +servant, and of the kindness and consideration shown by Rebekah, +which the child's sympathy with the characters of the story would +naturally lead him to imitate. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= By following the Biblical narrative +closely, you will have little difficulty in imparting it to the +child. When telling of the death of Sarah, dwell on her virtues a +while and then explain Abraham's concern that his son Isaac should +have just such a wife as Sarah had been, one that would be worthy +to be the mother of the great nation God had promised would be +descended from Isaac. Then relate how, not finding such a wife among +his neighbors, Abraham sent to the land from which he and Sarah +had come. Explain Abraham's refusal to let Isaac go to Mesopotamia +because God had told Abraham to leave that place and had promised +that in Canaan he would make of his seed a great nation. Emphasize +the length and difficulty of the journey, pointing out the route on +the map if the children are old enough to interpret a map. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE SALE OF THE BIRTHRIGHT + +Genesis 25.1 to 34 + + +=Interpretation.= (Chapter 25. 1 to 10 may be omitted as containing +nothing of interest to children, except that Abraham's death and +burial should be mentioned.) + +The story of Jacob and Esau in their contention for the birthright +and the blessing is one that is frequently misunderstood. The +tendency to idealize the forefathers of the race has lead many +teachers to attempt to justify the conduct of Jacob in his efforts +to secure the birthright and the blessing, totally ignoring the fact +that all the wretched consequences which followed naturally upon +his attempt would seem to indicate that God did not approve. What +these consequences were will be discussed in subsequent chapters. +Other teachers sin in the opposite direction and make out Esau to +be the innocent victim of Jacob's cunning and avarice. How they can +reconcile this with the choice of Jacob to be the patriarch rather +than Esau, how they can conceive that God's will could confirm the +act of Jacob and the hand of Providence be, so to speak, forced +into blessing Jacob though Esau was the more worthy of blessing, is +difficult to understand. The mistake common to both these versions +of the Biblical meaning of the story is that they look at it mainly +as a character study of two contrasting types, whereas the moral of +the story lies not so much in the characters as in the incidents, +which, when given closer attention, reveal the fact that the motive +underlying the whole story is not the personal contest between +Jacob and Esau but the carrying out of God's plan, contained in +his promise to Abraham, the plan of bringing into existence the +people to whom He was to reveal Himself. And this idea is brought +out, as in the story of Abraham's relation to Ishmael and Isaac, +by contrasting the purposes of the human agents with God's purpose +and showing how God's purpose is made to triumph by His so shaping +the incidents of Jacob's life that they correct Jacob's original +misconception of his mission. + +Let us see how the incidents in this chapter cast light on our +theme. Note in the first instance the prophecy contained in +Genesis 25.23 which indicates in advance that Jacob and not Esau +was intended from the beginning to be the heir of the blessing of +Abraham. Note also that the prophecy speaks of "two nations" and +"two peoples", showing distinctly that the events of the narrative +were shaped by God with a view to subsequent history not merely to +the lives of Jacob and Esau as individuals. The very fact that "the +elder shall serve the younger" is to give emphasis to the divine +election of Jacob, for, according to the law and custom of those +days, the elder was entitled to the obedience and service of the +younger. Had Jacob been the older of the two brothers his subsequent +preeminence and that of his descendants would have seemed but part +of the natural course of events and would not have argued divine +election, but with Esau the first born the subsequent elevation of +Jacob does so argue. + +This, as well as much else in the story, becomes clearer to us if +we understand what was meant by the birthright. In patriarchal +times, the father was absolute ruler over his descendants. At +his death, the oldest son took his place and inherited as even in +later times, twice as large a portion of the estate as any of his +other sons. (See Deuteronomy 21.17.) But this is not all that was +involved in the birthright. If it were all, Jacob's desire for it +would have been mere avarice and ambition and would have justified +that total condemnation which many a teacher has given him. But we +must remember that the first born was also the religious head of the +tribe. (See Numbers 3.45.) It was therefore most natural for Jacob +to assume that God's promise to Abraham, with all its spiritual +implications, naturally went with the birthright. + +Now let us examine the characters as they appear in this chapter. +Esau is not the consummate villain that he is so frequently depicted +as being in later Jewish _agada_. But on the other hand, he is not +the injured hero. The story characterizes him as a skilful hunter, +interested in his woodcraft, and caring little about either the +privileges or the responsibilities of his birthright. To Jacob +however the inheritance of the blessing of Abraham was important, +perhaps a knowledge of the prophecy that had preceded his birth +making it even more so. Esau had forfeited his moral right to the +blessing through his failure to appreciate it. Not too much stress +must be laid on Esau's words "Behold I am at the point to die and +what profit shall the birthright do to me?" as these are to be +regarded not as a statement of sober fact but as the exaggeration of +a hungry man, for the Bible takes pains to explain Esau's attitude +in the words, "And he did eat and drink and rose up and went his +way. So Esau _despised his birthright_", showing that he was at the +time perfectly satisfied with the bargain he had made. This takes +from Jacob the stigma of having forced the bargain on Esau when the +latter could not help himself. He merely took advantage of Esau's +contempt for the birthright, which was sufficient evidence that he +was not worthy to possess it. At the same time, Jacob's employing +these means to secure the birthright does not seem, as will appear +more clearly in later chapters, to meet the divine approval, because +(1) this attempt to wrest the birthright from Esau through taking +advantage of Esau's weakness in itself argues a lack of complete +confidence in the realization of God's promise, in other words, a +lack of that quality of _temimut_, of naive acceptance of God's +will, which was so conspicuous a trait of Abraham's character, and +(2) because he does not fully understand the spiritual character of +his mission inasmuch as he regards its realization as dependent upon +the legal status of the birthright, which he could, so he thought, +secure by purchase. + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson is to teach the general truth that +a privilege which is not appreciated becomes forfeit, and the +particular truth that to be a Jew is to possess such a privilege, +which we must learn to appreciate. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= Before beginning the narrative of this +chapter itself, prepare the way by questions that will bring out the +fact of the election of Abraham and his descendants and the choice +that God exercised in selecting from among his descendants only +those properly qualified. Such questions are the following; "Do you +remember, when we were learning about Abraham and about how God told +him to leave his land and go to the land that He would show him, +that God made Abraham a promise? What was that promise? (Note: The +answer must include the idea that his descendants would be a great +nation, a blessing to all the world, and would inherit Canaan.) When +our father Abraham died, did this blessing go to both his children, +to Ishmael and to Isaac? To whom did the blessing belong?" + +After having thus prepared the way proceed as follows: + +"Now Isaac and Rebekah also had two children. The first born or +older was called Esau and the younger Jacob, and it was known that +only one of the two was to inherit the blessing, but for a long time +it was not known which one." + +Then contrast the two characters emphasizing the physical prowess of +Esau, which won him the more universal admiration and the preference +of his father with the quiet thoughtfulness of Jacob. In order to +impress the child, the contrast must be given largely in terms of +their physical appearance. We continue the narrative as a teacher +might tell it in class: + +"These two sons, Esau and Jacob, were very different one from the +other. Esau was a big strong man, rough and hairy in appearance, who +delighted in all sorts of sport and exercise, especially in hunting. +People admired him for his great strength and skill and most of +them thought that surely this big, strong man was the one whom God +had chosen to be the father of His people. And Isaac himself loved +Esau more than he did Jacob, because, now that Isaac was growing +old, Esau used to hunt food for him in the forest and would tell him +wonderful stories of his strength and skill in catching the deer and +other game that he prepared for him for food. But Jacob was very +different. He was not above the average man in strength and he had +no particular skill in hunting as had Esau. He was a quiet man, who +used to sit for hours in his tent, while his flocks were pasturing +nearby and think about the things he had learned from his father and +mother and from his grandfather Abraham, about how God had made the +world, and about how he had told Abraham to leave his country and go +to a new land, and, above all, about the promise that God had given +to Abraham to make of his descendants a great people. Which of these +two sons of Isaac and Rebekah had God chosen to become the father of +the Jewish people? Most people, no doubt, thought at the time that +Esau was meant, because he was the stronger and more successful in +the hunt, but there was one person who thought differently, and that +was the mother of these two young men, Rebekah. For she remembered +a prophecy that God had told her before either of the two children +were born, and this prophecy said, 'Two nations will come from thee +and two peoples will be born of thee and one will be stronger than +the other, but the elder will serve the younger'." + +The prophecy is introduced here rather than at the beginning of the +story because it is well to stimulate the child's curiosity as to +which of the two is to receive the blessing of Abraham before giving +him any hint as to the answer. By thus beginning with a statement +of the question, the child's attention is at once directed to the +central theme of the narrative without which the incident of the +sale of the birthright is not comprehensible. But now one comes +face to face with the subject of the birthright itself. Explain, +that beside Esau's strength and skill, there was another reason why +people thought that Esau was to be the chosen son, and that is +because he was the older, for it was the custom in those days that +the oldest son enjoyed what was known as the birthright. The idea of +the birthright can be explained by saying that in the days of which +we are speaking the father used to be the king over all his children +and their families and servants, that he used to lead them in war +and judge all their disputes in time of peace, and that he was also +their priest, who used to perform the sacrifices for them and lead +them in their prayers and hymns to God, but that, when the father +died, the oldest son got all these rights and this right of the +oldest son to become priest and king after the death of the father +is known as the birthright. + +After the child has a clear idea of the meaning of the birthright, +tell how Jacob thought that the one who had the birthright was he +whom God meant to make the head of the great nation he had told +Abraham about, since whoever had the birthright would be king and +priest over all the others after Isaac's death. I continue the +narrative as the teacher might tell it: + +"So Jacob kept thinking to himself, 'If only I had the birthright! +If only I had the birthright!' but Esau, who had the birthright, +seemed to care very little about it. So long as there was game +enough in the forest to keep him busy hunting, he bothered his head +very little about what he would do when, on Isaac's death, he would +have to rule the people and lead them in the service of God, and the +promise made to Abraham that some day his descendants would become +a great nation concerned him even less, for he thought only of the +affairs of the day and to the future he gave no thought at all." + +This brings us to the climax of the narrative, the actual sale +of the birthright. It must be told in such a way that the child +understands the point that Esau lost his birthright because he did +not know how to appreciate it, and that, as a universal proposition, +a privilege not appreciated is lost. This can best be done if, +before telling the story of the sale of the birthright, one presents +a hypothetical case somewhat as follows: + +"Suppose, children, that a man owned a very valuable book which he +wanted to leave when he died to one of his two children, and suppose +that one of his children was a great lover of books and the other +did not care even to look at a book or to take the trouble to learn +to read, which of the two children do you think ought to have had +the book after the father's death? Of course, the one who knew the +value of the book and how to appreciate it, because we only deserve +what we know how to appreciate. Now who do you think should have had +the birthright, Esau, who did not care about being the father of the +great people God had promised to make of Abraham's descendants, or +Jacob who did care? (Answer: Jacob.) Well, Jacob thought so too and +so he began planning how he might get Esau to give up the birthright +to him." + +In quoting the dialogue between Esau and Jacob, paraphrase Esau's +words in verse 32 so as to make it perfectly clear that they are an +expression of contempt for the birthright, "I am so hungry I could +die. What do I care for the birthright!" + +After having told the story question the children with a view to +seeing whether they understand its leading ideas. The following are +suggestive questions: + +What promise did God make to Abraham and to Isaac? + +Was this promise meant for both of Isaac's children? + +Which of Isaac's children do you think God wanted to have the +promised blessing? Why? (Note: If the child gives the wrong answer, +the teacher must ask a number of leading questions until the right +answer is secured.) + +What does birthright mean? Who had the birthright at the beginning +of our story? Did Esau care very much for the birthright? Did +Jacob want it? Why did Jacob want it? What did Jacob do to get the +birthright? + +This lesson lends itself easily to dramatization by the children. +(See Introduction, page 31.) + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +JACOB SECURES THE BLESSING + +Genesis 26.1 to 28.9 + + +=Interpretation.= In the first part of this lesson which deals +with the life of Isaac, Genesis 26.3 is significant as emphasizing +the idea of Palestine as a chosen land, an idea which is the more +significant because it suggests that Jacob's flight from the land +implied that he had somehow forfeited God's favor and that his +flight was in reality a form of exile imposed on him as a punishment +and discipline. Verses 7 to 12 must necessarily be omitted. Their +general significance is the same as that of Genesis 20. Isaac's +patience and forbearance in the matter of the wells suggests +comparison with Abraham in his relations to Lot. + +With regard to the incident of Jacob's securing the blessing, we +have already in the last chapter discussed the significance of the +main theme of this story. A few new elements, however, enter into +it here. One of these is the blindness of Isaac, which, by making +him more dependent upon Esau, keeps him from realizing Jacob's +superior qualifications for becoming heir to the blessing of +Abraham. Another new element that enters into the story is Esau's +marrying the two Hittite women "who were a bitterness of spirit to +Isaac and Rebekah". This gives an additional motive for Rebekah's +action in trying to secure the birthright to Jacob, since Rebekah +would otherwise, at the death of Isaac, become subject to Esau and +his wives. It moreover gives emphasis to the fact that Esau was +not to be the father of the chosen seed, since, in the case of all +of the patriarchs care is exercised that their wives shall likewise +be of chosen seed, of the same stock which produced the patriarchs +themselves. Genesis 27.33 is significant, particularly the words, +"yea, and he shall be blessed", as implying Isaac's recognition +that, though the blessing was secured to Jacob by a deception, it +was still an indication of God's purpose, and that he had hitherto +been mistaken in wanting to confer the blessing on Esau. The same +thought is implied in his assenting to Rebekah's suggestion that +Jacob seek a wife from her kindred and in his repeating on that +occasion the blessing, "May he give thee the blessing of Abraham", +etc. As we have already explained, this does not mean that the Bible +approves of the deception practiced by Rebekah and Jacob. Quite +the contrary. The one immediate effect is that Rebekah has to lose +Jacob; that Jacob, instead of entering immediately into possession +of the land and the birthright, is a fugitive and an exile; that, +as we shall see in subsequent chapters, Rebekah's hope for Jacob's +speedy return is not fulfilled; and that as will likewise appear +later, there is great danger of Jacob's remaining in Aramea and +totally forgetting his destiny until Providence forces him to +remember. + +The circumstances related in this narrative as we have explained +them are significant by reason of what they have to teach us with +regard to Israel's mission as the chosen people. In the first place, +there is implied the idea, which we have frequently pointed out +before, that God's purpose with regard to his people is not fully +realized by them. This is shown in our lesson by the fact that the +patriarchs are represented as acting in a way which would tend to +defeat God's purpose regarding them, as, for instance, when Isaac +almost gives the blessing to Esau and when Jacob, through the means +he chooses to secure the blessing, is compelled to flee from the +Promised Land which he was to inherit. This is a very important +corrective to that arrogance which faith in divine election is +likely to bring with it, for it contradicts the assumption that +the Jewish people is infallible. There is, moreover, implied in +this story the idea that when Israel does not rightly conceive +its mission, it must be taught through the discipline of hardship +and suffering, as in the case of Jacob, that election does not +mean immunity from punishment but, on the contrary, stricter +accountability, as expressed by Amos, "You only have I known of all +the families of the earth; therefore I will visit upon you all your +iniquities". (Amos 3.2.) + +=Aim.= The child will not be expected to grasp all the implications +of this narrative, but neither will they all escape him, and if the +story is well told, without any undue idealization of the characters +or distortion of the narrative for the sake of reading a moral +into it, the story will impress itself on him sufficiently to gain +added meaning as he reverts to it in later years. It is a mistake +to imagine that a moral which is not formulated is of necessity not +learned. + +For the child's immediate benefit, however, it is well to emphasize +the punishment of Jacob's deception in order to inculcate the ideal +of truthfulness. But great care must be exercised in order not +to make Jacob so unsympathetic that Esau becomes the hero of the +story, for this would distort the Biblical moral and give rise to a +misunderstanding of it which the pupil is not likely to correct in +later life. It must always be made plain that Jacob had a right to +want and expect the blessing, but that he should have trusted God to +give it to him and should not have tried to get it through deception. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= Inasmuch as the moral of this story is +dependent on an understanding of the motives on which the characters +act, take particular pains to make your dramatic impersonation +of the characters as realistic as possible and not to delay the +movement of the plot by lengthy moralizing. This story, like the +preceding one of the sale of the birthright, lends itself very well +to dramatization by the class, and the success of the children in +assuming the roles of the different characters will be an excellent +test of your success in imparting the story. + +Though one should avoid moralizing in such a way as would interrupt +the thread of the narrative, the very complexity of the motives of +the characters gives a good opportunity to ask such questions as +would necessitate the exercise of moral judgment on the part of +the class, as for instance: Was Jacob right in trying to get the +blessing from his father by taking advantage of his blindness? Was +Jacob punished for having deceived his father? How? etc. But though +the teacher may raise these questions, they must not be left open +questions. The Biblical moral must be kept clearly in mind and +convincingly presented; otherwise such questions merely develop a +casuistical attitude on the part of the class, which is morally bad. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +JACOB'S DREAM + +Genesis 28.10-22 + + +=Interpretation.= The story of Jacob's dream, in order to be clearly +understood, should be considered in connection with the rest of +Jacob's life. His life may be divided into three periods. During the +first period, spent in his father's home, he endeavors by his own +efforts, partly through unscrupulous means, to secure the birthright +and blessing, with the result that instead of having the preeminence +over Esau he must flee before him, instead of inheriting the +Promised Land he is an exile from it, and instead of becoming the +father of a great people he becomes subject to the tribe which his +grandfather Abraham had been commanded to leave. + +The second period of Jacob's life embraces his abode in Aramea. +During this period, his early ambitions become more and more +remote and unreal. First love, then the raising of his family and +hard labor in the service of Laban draw his mind from his earlier +ambitions, and it is with reference to this period that we are told, +"A wandering Aramean was my father". (Deuteronomy 26.5.) But just +when it would seem that the hope with regard to his future, which he +had tried at first in vain to realize and had then almost abandoned, +was wholly lost, God intervenes to send him once more to his land. + +The third period of his life finds him in undisputed possession of +the land, the prophecy of his youth fulfilled, though in a way very +different from his youthful anticipations of its fulfillment. + +Now Jacob's dream at Beth El is significant by reason of its +position at the beginning of the second period in his life, during +which he increasingly forgets his mission. It is intended to inform +the reader that, though Jacob might forget, God would not and +that, though Jacob's blundering devices could not secure him the +birthright and blessing, God could secure them to him even when he +despaired of them. + +=Aim.= The aim of this story should be to impress the child with a +sense of the watchful providence of God over our forefathers and +us, and with the desire to express appreciation of this divine +guardianship in worship. This story affords an excellent occasion +for urging upon children the saying of a prayer on going to bed +and on rising, in this way showing an opportunity for the child's +application of the lesson in his daily life. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= Begin by contrasting the comfortable +feeling of the child when he goes to bed in his own room, in his +own bed, with his mother to pull the blanket over him and all the +family nearby, with the way he would feel if night overtook him in a +lonely wilderness with no one near except perhaps wild beasts, and +he had to lie down on the ground with a stone for a pillow. After +this description, give the point of the story you wish to teach, +as follows: "And yet even if you would have to sleep alone in the +wilderness, you would not be really alone, for God is always with us +and sees us even though we do not see Him, and takes care of us, as +the story I am going to tell you will show." + +Then proceed with the story of Jacob, emphasizing his despairing +mood when he leaves Beer Sheba, his fear of Esau, his grief at +parting from his parents and home, his disappointment at having to +leave the land God had promised to Abraham and Isaac and the sense +of having failed after all to secure the birthright, together with +the physical dangers and terrors of the wilderness. Then tell how +Jacob lay down in the wilderness to sleep, and how God, who had been +watching him all the time and took pity on him, sent him a beautiful +dream to comfort him. God's promise in verses 13, 14, 15 should be +quoted in Biblical language, as should also Jacob's exclamation +"Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not ... this is +none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven". +Jacob's conduct in setting the place aside for worship and his vow +should also receive notice. The significance of the name Beth El +should be taught the children and its location pointed out on the +map. + +When the story has been told and repeated by the class, ask, "How +many of you, when you go to bed or when you get up in the morning +think of how, while you are asleep, God watches over you and takes +care that nothing bad should happen to you? Do you say any prayer to +God when you go to bed or when you get up to show that you know He +takes care of you and thank Him for it? What do you say when you go +to bed? When you get up?" Several children should be questioned on +this as each child who does say his prayers will want to be given +a hearing and should be encouraged. The children might be asked to +memorize in Hebrew and English the verse +hineh lo yanoom v'lo yiyshan +shomer yisrael+ "Behold, He that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber +nor sleep" and be asked to make it a part of their night prayer. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +JACOB IN ARAMEA + +Genesis 29.1 to 31.54 + + +=Interpretation.= The general significance of this period in Jacob's +life has already been discussed. Note that when, after completing +his term of service for Leah and Rachel, he thinks of returning to +his home, the suggestion of a new contract with Laban satisfies him +and he remains, so remote is now the thought of the birthright to +him. And yet through persistent, persevering labor he does attain to +a certain measure of power and influence and to patriarchal dignity. +It is interesting to note the poetic justice which makes him during +this period of his life the victim of just that sort of deceit +which he had himself practised. Nevertheless in spite of the deceit +practised upon him by Laban, Jacob remains scrupulously true to +his side of the contract and serves the additional seven years for +Rachel although he might have been tempted to shirk, as he had been +paid in advance. (See Genesis 29.27 to 30.) To be sure he has no +scruples about taking the full advantage of his superior mastery of +the shepherd's art in his dealings with Laban, but he was certainly +under no obligations to him after the treatment he had received +from him. One naturally omits in teaching this lesson to children, +Genesis 29.31 to 30.24, except that the pupils should be taught the +names of Jacob's children because of their significance as heads of +the tribes. The incident of the theft of the _teraphim_ may also be +omitted because the absence of positive knowledge as to what the +_teraphim_ were and what part they played in the religious life of +our ancestors prevents us from doing justice to this episode. + +=Aim.= This lesson, together with the ones that precede and follow +it, is well calculated to impress on the child the superior +advantage of honest, faithful labor over craftiness and deceit. This +was already taught negatively in the preceding lessons through the +failure of Jacob to attain his ends by deception. It is taught in +this lesson both negatively and positively; negatively by Jacob's +being made to feel what it means to be deceived, and positively +by the fact that when Jacob, notwithstanding the deceit practiced +on him, continues to render faithful service, he is finally given +the opportunity to return and claim the birthright. The idea of +truthfulness is further enforced by God's example in redeeming His +promise to Jacob at Beth El. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= Before beginning this lesson review +briefly the preceding, emphasizing the change in Jacob's attitude +since his dream at Beth El, particularly his resolution not to +attempt to secure the birthright through his own cunning but to +rely on God's promise and to try to live aright in the present, +trusting God as to the future. The incident of Jacob's lifting the +stone from the well to assist Rachel in watering the flock should +be given due emphasis as children of this age are interested in +feats of strength. The romantic aspect of Jacob's love for Rachel +need not be emphasized as this is lost on the child. In telling of +Jacob's service as shepherd to Laban, attempt to give the child an +idea of what a shepherd's work actually was, how it exposed him to +all kinds of weather, how he had to protect his sheep against wild +beasts, how he had to draw water for them, to shear them, etc., +so that Jacob's serving Laban for all these years shall have some +meaning to them. As children have very peculiar ideas of the length +of time, try to give some conception of how long a time seven years +is by asking one of the children how old he is and then explaining +that seven years is probably longer than all the time that he can +remember. Explain also how the time seemed shorter to Jacob because +of his happiness in being with Rachel by a reference to the child's +own experience of how quickly time flies when he is enjoying +himself at play. To emphasize Jacob's perseverance tell of Laban's +deception, then ask, "Now if you had worked hard for a thing for +seven long years and then were cheated out of it, how would you feel +about it?" Then point out the moral somewhat as follows: + +"Jacob too felt very angry and did not at all like to work seven +more years for what should rightly have been given him then. But +no doubt the thought came to him, after all, was I any better than +Laban? Did I not deceive my father Isaac into giving me the blessing +when he wanted to give it to Esau, just as Laban has deceived me? +Maybe this is God's way of punishing me. I must be patient and work +another seven years as I have promised Laban even though it will be +hard and unpleasant, and then maybe God will let me go back home and +bless me as He has promised." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +JACOB RETURNS TO CANAAN + +Genesis 32 to 35 + + +=Interpretation.= Note the significant contrast between Jacob's +leaving Canaan and his return. When he left, he was nominally and +in his own esteem the possessor of the birthright and the blessing, +which he had secured through his own effort and which he thought +entitled him to possession of Canaan and the preeminence over +Esau. Actually, however, he had gained nothing, and was a fugitive +before Esau and an exile from the land. On his return, he makes no +demands whatever, acknowledges Esau as sovereign, is ready to pay +him tribute and to placate him with gifts, and prays to God only for +deliverance from Esau's vengeance. And yet we find him at the end of +this episode, by reason of his victory over Shechem and of Esau's +departure to Seir, in actual possession of the Promised Land and a +recognized ruler of a now important clan. + +Before entering on his more illustrious destiny, however, he must +be put to the test and atone for the desertion of his mission in +his flight from the land in consequence of his efforts to wrest +the birthright and the blessing from Esau. This test is indicated +by his struggle with the angel on the very border of the Promised +Land, a struggle from which he does not escape unscathed. Just what +the Biblical author wished to express by this struggle of Jacob +with the angel it is difficult to say. It is sometimes interpreted +by teachers and preachers as an allegorical representation of a +purely subjective struggle in Jacob's heart, but such an explanation +is extremely far-fetched. The episode suggests comparison with +the incident recorded in Exodus 4. 24-26 and seems to imply that +consecration to any high task involves exposing oneself to danger, +if, in any way, one is not thoroughly qualified for the task. +So long as Moses has not taken upon himself the task of leading +the children of Israel from Egypt his failure to circumcize his +children can be overlooked, but once he has assumed that task, he +is threatened with death for his failure to do so. Similarly, when +Jacob is about to enter into the land promised in his father's +blessing and confirmed in the vision at Beth El, he too finds +himself face to face with a divinely commissioned opponent. His +victory over the angel is symbolic of his success in finally +qualifying for his mission as is implied in the change of his name +to Israel with the explanation of its significance, "For thou +hast striven with God and with men and hast prevailed". Inasmuch +as there is not mentioned here any struggle with "men", the +thought is suggested that this victory is an omen of the future +success of the chosen people, while the shrinking of Jacob's +thigh sinew suggests that this success is not to be won without +suffering and sacrifice, an interpretation frequently found in +the Midrash. This representation of the experience of a nation +in terms of that of an individual who is the nation's founder is +much more in keeping with the spirit of Biblical literature than +the allegorical representation of abstract truths in terms of +historic or biographical events. Note in this connection Hosea +12. 3-5; "The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will +punish Jacob according to his ways, according to his doings will +He recompense him. In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and +by his strength he strove with a god-like being; so he strove with +an angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him: +At Beth El he would find him and there he would speak with us". +The meaning of these verses is obscure but it is evident that the +prophet makes Jacob's experience typical of Israel's as a people. + +=Aim.= There is in this lesson, as in almost all those that deal +with the patriarchs, a remote aim and an immediate one. The remote +aim is the impression which the incidents recorded will make upon +the pupil when they are brought back to his mind in later years. +The moral of the story in this connection is that the election of +Israel is not determined by the inherent superiority of our people, +but by God's purpose with regard to them and mankind, which purpose +He accomplishes by so shaping their history that it instructs and +disciplines them through struggle and achievement and reveals His +will with regard to them and their place in the world. But this +moral is too abstract and complex for the child and must only be +kept in mind by the teacher in order that he should not teach the +lesson in such a way as would later becloud the true meaning of +the story, as, for example, would be the case if he made Jacob +throughout his whole life the ideal religious hero. The immediate +lesson that the child can be taught to derive from the story is that +humble trust in God and obedience to His will can achieve for us +what a cunning that does not scruple at deceit cannot achieve. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= Begin this lesson by reminding the +class of the promise God had made to Jacob at Beth El. Then announce +that you are going to tell how God kept this promise. But before +doing so, question the children further as to why Jacob had to flee +from Canaan if God wanted him to return and rule over it. Question +until you bring out the point that Jacob had not used the proper +means to get the birthright and blessing. Illustrate by analogy +with the child's own experience the idea that, because Jacob had +attempted to secure the birthright and blessing by wrong means, +he had to be deprived of them until he finally learned the proper +means on which to rely, namely faith in God. This thought might be +illustrated as follows: + +Suppose a teacher promised a reward to a child if he would write a +composition about something the class had been taught in its lesson, +and this child copied his composition from a book, thinking that in +this way he would get the reward without having to work for it. What +would the teacher do, accept the composition? No, she would make him +write it again in his own words, and then, perhaps, if he had done +it _in the right way_, the teacher might give the reward to him. So +God had indeed promised that Isaac's son would one day become the +father of a great people in the land of Canaan, and he meant Jacob +to become such, but because Jacob tried to bring this about _in the +wrong way_, by deceiving his father and Esau, he could not at once +be made the head of this people in Canaan. So Jacob had to leave the +land that had been promised to him and work hard those twenty years +that he was with Laban, and suffer from Laban's meanness to him in +order that he might learn that if he wanted God's blessing he must +be patient and obedient and work honestly and then God would give +him His blessing. + +Then tell the story, emphasizing Jacob's submission to Esau and the +humility of his prayer to God. The latter can best be brought out by +quoting the prayer in the language of the Bible. (Genesis 32. 10 to +13.) In describing Jacob's wrestling with the angel do not read a +far-fetched moral into it. Merely explain that God sent an angel to +wrestle with Jacob and that if Jacob could make the angel bless him +that would be the sign that he was strong enough and great enough +and good enough to be the father of the Jewish people. The blessing +of the angel should be given in direct discourse. In teaching the +change of name from Jacob to Israel, call attention to the fact +that we Jews are sometimes called Children of Israel or Israelites +because we are all descended from Israel. + +Do not fail to record Esau's departure to Mount Seir, leaving Jacob +in possession of the promised land, and Jacob's fulfillment of his +vow at Beth El. Whenever recalling anything from a previous lesson +as in this instance Jacob's vow, try to get the children to tell it +to you rather than tell it yourself. Say for example, "So we have +seen how God kept His promise to Jacob to be with him when he was +away from his land, and to bring him back home in safety, and to +give to him and to his descendants the land of Canaan, but do any of +you remember the promise that Jacob made when he awoke after that +wonderful dream?" etc. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +JOSEPH SOLD INTO SLAVERY + +Genesis 37 + + +=Interpretation.= In the narratives dealing with the history of the +patriarchs, we have constantly emphasized that the point of view +of the Biblical author regarded their lives as significant not so +much as personal history, but rather as a preparation for Israel's +national existence. In the story of Joseph this point of view is +still discernible, though the chief interest has been transferred to +the personal history of Joseph. It is discernible in that Joseph's +being sold into Egypt and the settling of his father and brothers +in Goshen are conceived not as fortuitous circumstances but as +part of a divine plan which had already been revealed to Abraham. +(Genesis 15. 13.) Still the main interest is, as we have said, in +the personal career of Joseph. This narrative is preeminently a +story. It is not a story with a moral, but a story abounding in +morals. Perhaps the most important from the point of view of the +child is that which might be summed up in the words of the psalmist, +"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell +together in unity!" (Psalms 133. 1.) This is taught negatively in +the first part of the story and affirmatively in the last. But such +ideas as the danger of unjust discrimination on the part of parents, +the evil of tale-bearing and boastfulness, the value of honest, +faithful service, the nobility of resistance to temptation under +the most trying circumstances, and the beauty of forgiveness and +reconciliation are only a few of the many other morals taught by +this story. The portion of Joseph's life that is covered by this +chapter shows how Jacob's partiality to Joseph created hostility +between him and his brothers by arousing in them envy and in him +a certain vanity and sense of superiority. These characteristics +of Joseph at this period of his life are not given any attention +by most Jewish school teachers because of the tendency to idealize +all Biblical heroes, thus overlooking the obvious significance of +Genesis 37. 2, but the story only gains in meaning when we see at +the end how completely Joseph had outlived all such pettiness as is +here ascribed to him. + +There is some ambiguity in the Hebrew text as to one essential point +of the story, namely as to who sold Joseph. The verses in question +read: + +25. And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their +eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites came from +Gilead.... + +26. And Judah said unto his brethren: What profit is it if we slay +our brother.... + +27. Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites.... And his brethren +hearkened unto him. + +28. And there passed by Midianites, merchantmen, and they drew and +lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites +for twenty shekels of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt.... + +36. And the Midianites[6] sold him to Egypt. + + [6] The Hebrew has Medanites. + +From verse 28, taken by itself, it would seem that not Joseph's +brothers but the Midianites drew Joseph from the pit and sold him +to the Ishmaelites, and this theory is actually maintained by some, +who point out that not only would the traditional interpretation +require a change of subject in the middle of the verse, which is +not otherwise indicated, but it would imply the identification of +Ishmaelites and Midianites, which is untenable inasmuch as Midian +was a son of Abraham and Keturah and Ishmael the son of Abraham and +Hagar. (Genesis 25. 1 and 2.) + +But this view is also not without its difficulties, and, in my +opinion, the traditional interpretation of the verses is to be +preferred. For verses 26 to 27 indicate clearly that Judah's plan +to sell Joseph met with the approval of his brothers and we should +surely expect some expression of disappointment on their part if +in the end their plan had miscarried. The change of subject in +verse 28 which the traditional interpretation would require need +not trouble us as such change of subject is not very unusual in the +Bible. (See for instance Genesis 14. 19 to 20, 15. 13, 22. 7.) As +for the identification of Midianites with Ishmaelites the fact is +that racial names sometimes are extended to include other related +races whom history has brought into close contact. The descendants +of Hagar and Keturah are thus classed together in Genesis 25.6. Ibn +Ezra, in his commentary to our passage, calls attention furthermore +to the fact that this same identification of Midianites and +Ishmaelites is made in Judges 8.24 where Gideon, after a victory +over the Midianites, says, "'I would make a request of you, that ye +would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil.' For they had +had golden ear-rings, _because they were Ishmaelites_." The reading +Medanites in verse 36 may be a scribal error for Midianites or vice +versa, as the only difference is in the omission or insertion of a +_ od_. + +=Aim.= The aim in teaching this lesson should be to create in the +child, through his sympathetic understanding of the motives that +underly the action of the story, an appreciation of those moral +ideals which we have shown to be contained in it. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= The story of Joseph is one which no +teacher ought have any great difficulty in imparting to children, +for it is a natural favorite with them. They like it because its +ideas are simple and come, for the most part, within the range of +a child's experience. The attitude of Joseph's brothers to him +is not dissimilar to the resentment that children display at any +indication of favoritism on the part of a teacher, a resentment +which is invariably visited on "teacher's pet". The story appeals +to them also because of the rapidity of its movement, the constant +shifting of scenes and incidents, each making a new bid for their +attention, and the heroic nature of the action, in which the motives +of the characters whether good or evil reveal themselves not in mere +thoughts and words but in deeds. + +There could be no greater mistake, therefore, than to deprive +the story of all its force through interrupting the flow of the +narrative by tedious moralizing. The Biblical story does not stop +to moralize, yet the moral is clear enough, and so it will be to +the class if the teacher tells his tale with the proper feeling and +spirit. + +But the teacher must be cautioned, on the other hand, not to take +for granted the child's comprehension unaided of even so simple a +story as this. Any addition of details inserted into the narrative +with a view to helping the child visualize the incidents told is +always in order. In telling of how Joseph was lowered into the pit, +speak of his ineffectual cries and struggles to escape, for, though +children have good imaginations, they have not had enough experience +out of which their imagination could reconstruct the whole situation +from a mere hint or two. Similarly such words as pit or caravan need +descriptive epithets or phrases to bring them before the child's +eye. Moreover, the motives of the characters must be made clear by +a casual reference to analogous experiences of the child, as for +instance: + +"Now, when his brothers saw that Joseph was better loved by his +father than the rest of them they became very angry at him and +instead of trying to win their father's love for themselves also, +they tried to get even with Joseph, just as I have sometimes seen +boys at school get angry at a classmate of theirs and do all sorts +of mischief to him just because the teacher gave him higher marks +than the others who were not so successful with their lessons." + +But all such comparisons must be made only in a casual way and in as +few words as possible lest they divert the mind of the child from +the main trend of the narrative. One should not forget for this +lesson the usefulness of pictures as helping to visualize the story, +and there are many good illustrations of this story to be had. A +still greater assistance in impressing this lesson is that obtained +by permitting the children to dramatize it and act it, for this +necessitates their comprehension of the motives of the characters. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +FROM SLAVE TO VICEROY + +Genesis 39.1 to 41.46 + + +=Interpretation.= There are no surer tests of character than +transplantation to a strange country without hope of return and +degradation to a lower social stratum without hope of rising. For a +great part of our moral strength comes from the consciousness that +the eyes of others interested in our life are on us, that we dare +not disappoint their expectations of us, and that our acts affect +their happiness and honor. The person who finds himself alone in +a strange land from which he does not expect to return and from +which he does not expect rumors of his deeds to reach his former +associates must have an iron character to maintain his loyalty to +the moral standards of his earlier environment in the face of new +temptations. And particularly is this true if, at the same time as +he is transplanted into a strange land, he finds his social status +also reduced. For the ambition to rise in his new environment, +to achieve success and recognition there, might be sufficient +incentive for some "to scorn delights and live laborious days", +but for the enslaved in a new land this incentive also is lacking. +Both these tests of character Joseph had to meet and he met them +successfully. Arrived in Egypt, he wastes no time brooding over his +wrongs but sets to work diligently at his tasks in such a way as +to win him the confidence of his master. This confidence he will +not abuse even under the most seductive of temptations and even +though his fidelity to principle results in the very loss of his +master's confidence in him and in his consequent confinement in +the royal prison. Note that what keeps Joseph pure is the sense of +responsibility not only to Potiphar, but, in the first instance, to +God, so that the very fact which might lead others to sin, namely +the fact that Potiphar could not know of his misdeeds, fortifies him +against sin. "He refused and said unto his master's wife, 'Behold, +my master, having me, knoweth not what is in the house and he hath +put all that he hath into my hand; he is not greater in this house +than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, +because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, +_and sin against God_?'" In prison he shows the same qualities with +the same result of winning the confidence of people. + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson is to inspire the child with the +example of Joseph's patience, cheerfulness and faithfulness under +difficulties, all of which qualities were influenced by his trust in +God. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= The suggestions made in the preceding +chapter apply to this one as well. Help the child to visualize the +narrative and to make more explicit the feelings and motives of the +characters. Discuss, for instance, the loneliness of Joseph in this +strange land, far from his home and all that he loved, and contrast +with his early dreams of rulership his present status as a slave. +Try to give the child some idea of what slavery means, not by a +definition but by telling the different kinds of work that Joseph +had to do for his master in field and home without any pay or fixed +hours of rest and labor, and subject to unreasonable demands of +task masters, etc. Then point out that, though many people under +such circumstances would waste their time grumbling, Joseph trusted +that God would help him and made up his mind to do the best work +that he could. + +The incident of Joseph's temptation by Potiphar's wife can, of +course, be told only in general terms, the teacher relating how +Potiphar's wife, who was a very wicked woman, wanted Joseph to +help her do something that was wrong, and he refused. His refusal +should be given in direct discourse and follow the general line +of thought of Genesis 39.8 to 9, keeping as much of the Biblical +language as possible. When Joseph is cast into prison the teacher +must again help the child realize emotionally what it meant for +Joseph, after all his faithful service of Potiphar, to be thrown +into prison as the very result of his fidelity and teach the pupil +to admire Joseph's resolution to make the best of this situation +too by patient and cheerful bearing and sympathetic interest in +the other prisoners. It is also well to make the child realize the +sharp contrasts of which there are so many in this story and which +greatly enhance its interest. When the king's butler, released from +prison, also forgets Joseph and Joseph's one hope of escape seems +doomed to complete disappointment, God provides the opportunity +not only for his escape but for his elevation to the vice-royalty. +This can be further emphasized by suggesting something of the pomp +and circumstance of Pharaoh's court. I say suggesting, because the +teacher should never indulge in pure description, which is always +a bore to children. An occasional descriptive adjective or phrase +can do the work quite as well. The narration of such incidents as +the removal of Joseph's prison clothes and his being attired in +fine linen before gaining admittance into the royal presence goes +far to emphasize the desired contrast between prison and palace. +So too the new dignity conferred on Joseph is made clearer to the +child by telling him how the king gave Joseph his ring and necklace +and made him ride in the chariot next his own while all the people +bowed before him than by the description of his new official duties. +The story might be summarized and the moral pointed out in a brief +statement such as "So the Hebrew slave boy, through his faithfulness +and trust in God, became the highest in rank of all of Pharaoh's +subjects". + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +JOSEPH MEETS HIS BROTHERS + +Genesis 41.47 to 42.38 + + +=Interpretation.= In this chapter of the Joseph narrative we find +that Providence has put Joseph's brothers completely in his hand; +their physical sustenance is dependent on his providing them with +corn, they are strangers in Egypt while he is the prime minister +of Pharaoh's court, and, moreover, by reason of his Egyptian dress +and speech and the change which the twenty years have made in his +appearance--he was but seventeen when he was sold--they cannot +recognize him and are therefore thrown altogether off their guard +as to any designs of vengeance that he may cherish. The interest +therefore centers on the attitude that Joseph would assume toward +them. + +As the Bible merely tells us what Joseph said or did but not what +he thought, we are left to construe his motives from his deeds +and words. Accordingly, it would seem that Joseph is at first in +doubt, so he plans to detain his brothers in prison for a time on +the charge of being spies, feeling that their actions under such an +accusation might give some clue as to how he should treat them, and +hoping perhaps that the evil of their lot might possibly suggest +the evil that they had done him. His first proposition is that one +of them go back and bring Benjamin, whom he is particularly anxious +to see, but he finally decides to let all but one return. He is not +disappointed in the thought that their affliction might suggest +their sin, as is seen from the dialogue in Genesis 42.21,22, which +also gives him the information that Reuben had espoused his cause. +He therefore selects as his hostage not Reuben the eldest but +Simeon the next eldest. Meanwhile, he shows his real benevolent +intent by giving them the corn and secretly returning the money. But +even this gives alarm to Jacob and his other sons as seeming to be +but a pretext for further charges. + +=Aim.= The main object of this lesson is to prepare a way for the +next with its moral of the beauty of forgiveness. It contains +however also a fine study of conscience in that the misfortune of +Joseph's brothers revives at once the memory of their sin and brings +it to their minds in its proper colors. + +=Suggestions.= Begin by recalling Joseph's dreams to see whether the +class remembers them and their significance. Then call attention +to the thought of Joseph's brothers that they were putting an end +to his dreams in selling him to the Ishmaelites. "And yet", you +continue, "today's lesson will show how God really brought about +the realization of Joseph's dreams." This will excite the curiosity +of the children and you can then proceed with the story of the +famine and its effect. Make the famine appear as a providential +circumstance and explain its meaning by saying that God, after the +seven years of plenty did not let enough rain fall to water the +corn and wheat, which shriveled up so that the people had no flour +to bake bread, and there was not enough grass to feed the cattle so +that they had not enough meat, etc. The term famine will then not be +a mere abstraction to the child. + +At the point where Joseph meets his brothers and they do not +recognize him but he recognizes them, show how the dream has been +already in part fulfilled although Joseph's brothers did not realize +it. The chief difficulty of the teacher will be to make the children +clearly understand the motives of Joseph's conduct towards his +brothers, which is the most important thing in the lesson. This +can be facilitated by questioning the children in a way that would +necessitate their imagining themselves in Joseph's situation. For +instance, one might speak to them as follows: + +"Now when Joseph saw his brothers bowing down before him, he +remembered how cruel they had been to him, and he thought of how +wonderfully God had brought about the fulfillment of his dreams so +that now he had his brothers in his power and could punish them +in whatever way he would, for no one would question the acts of a +viceroy of Pharaoh toward a band of strangers whom nobody in Egypt +cared about. If he wanted to, he could have ordered them all to be +killed, as they had thought of doing to him; or he could have sold +them all as slaves, as they had actually sold him; or he could have +put them all in prison, as he had been kept in prison in Egypt for +so long a time; or he could have simply refused to sell them grain +and they would have died of starvation. Now what do you think you +would have done, had you been in Joseph's place?" + +Get a number of different answers from the class. In all likelihood, +the answers will propose some severe punishment. Then give a number +of reasons why Joseph rejected these severer penalties, such as, 1. +because his brothers were, after all, his brothers and we should +love our brothers, 2. because their punishment would hurt his father +Jacob and his younger brother Benjamin who were innocent, 3. because +it would affect the families of his brothers as well as themselves, +4. because they might have changed since then and become better and +felt sorry for their treatment of him, 5. because, if he could find +some way of showing them how wickedly they had acted and how good +he nevertheless was to them, it might make them feel ashamed and +resolve to be better. "But," continue your narrative, "though Joseph +did not want to hurt his brothers, he did want them to feel sorry +for what they had done to him, so that they would never do such a +thing again. So he thought 'I am not going to tell them at once that +I am Joseph their brother and that I forgive them, but, without +doing them any harm, I am going to frighten them with threats and +see whether, when they themselves are in trouble, they won't think +of the sin they did and feel sorry for it'". It is necessary to +explain the motive for Simeon's detention as being to insure the +return of the brothers with Benjamin. + +In questioning the class about the lesson, try to find out whether +the children understand its underlying ideas by such questions as +these: How was it that Joseph recognized his brothers and they could +not recognize him? Why did not Joseph at once make himself known to +his brothers? Why did Joseph speak harshly to them and accuse them +of being spies? Did Joseph's brothers know that he understood them +when they spoke to each other? Why not? What is a spy? When Joseph's +brothers thought that they would be treated as spies, for what +deed did they think this a punishment? Why did Joseph keep Simeon +prisoner? Why did Joseph return the money of his brothers? What did +his brothers think was his reason for returning it? Why did not +Jacob want to let Benjamin go with his brothers to Egypt? It goes +without saying that one must tell the story in such a way that it +shall contain a clear answer to each of the above questions. + +This episode has a great dramatic interest and should be acted by +the children. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +JOSEPH REVEALS HIMSELF TO HIS BROTHERS + +Genesis 43.1 to 45.28 + + +=Interpretation.= Little need be said in interpretation of this +story. Its lesson of the beauty of forgiveness and reconciliation +is brought out so clearly as to need no further comment. In the +attitude of his brothers to Benjamin, Joseph is able to put to the +test any possible change of heart toward himself. The favor which +he shows Benjamin at the meal that he had prepared for them may +be considered as a test of whether the spirit of envy is still +rife among them, and, inasmuch as they do not seem to manifest any +jealousy on this occasion, they may be considered to have passed +this first test. But the real test came when Joseph proposed to +retain Benjamin as his slave. On this occasion Judah, the very one +who had proposed selling Joseph, makes his eloquent plea in behalf +of Benjamin, a speech which reveals his deep sympathy with his +father's grief, and appreciation of what the loss of Joseph meant +to his father, and the willingness to sacrifice his own liberty for +Joseph's brother Benjamin, who had, as the son of Rachel, taken +Joseph's place in the heart of Jacob. Joseph could wish no further +evidence of his brothers' change of heart and it is no wonder that +he "could not refrain himself" any longer. + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson is to provide a noble example of the +magnanimity of forgiveness and the beauty of filial and fraternal +love. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= The story of Joseph as told in the +Bible is so wonderfully impressive in its simplicity for the child +as well as for the adult that the only advice one feels inclined +to give to the teacher of this story is that he should model his +narrative as closely as possible upon the lines of the Biblical +story itself. Read and reread these chapters of the Bible and try to +discover the means by which the Biblical author produces his effects +on the reader's emotions. Do not permit to escape you the pathos +of such situations as when Jacob reproaches his sons for having +told of their brother Benjamin's existence as though they could +have foreseen what would follow this disclosure; or when Joseph, +brought face to face with Benjamin, cannot control his feelings and +withdraws to another room to weep; or when his brothers, conscious +of their innocence, offer to give their lives if the divining cup +be found in their sacks and then to their consternation find it +in the sack of Benjamin; or when Judah, in pleading with Joseph, +mentions the effect of the loss of Joseph upon Jacob; or when the +brothers bring the news to Jacob of Joseph's glory and he refuses to +believe it until he is given incontrovertible proof; and a number of +similar situations to which it might be possible to call attention. +After the preparation for this climax which the preceding lessons +afforded, the teacher who has made himself fully at home with his +subject will have no difficulty in impressing the child. In this +story, it is particularly important to report all conversation in +direct discourse. + +Suggestive questions to ask the children are the following: Why did +not Jacob want to let Benjamin go with his brothers? Why did they +refuse to go without him? Why did Jacob finally let them go? Why +did Joseph give Benjamin a larger portion than the others at the +banquet? Why did Joseph put his cup in the sack of Benjamin? Why +was it Judah in particular of all Joseph's brothers who pleaded for +Benjamin? Why do you think Joseph sent all the Egyptians from the +room when he made himself known to his brothers? When his brothers +were afraid that Joseph would punish them for their sin against +him and were ashamed of what they had done, what did Joseph say to +console them? What did Jacob say when they told him that Joseph was +alive and ruler of all Egypt under Pharaoh? + +This story too lends itself to dramatization by the children. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE DEATH OF JACOB AND OF JOSEPH + +Genesis 46.1 to 50.26 + + +=Interpretation.= In these chapters the center of interest once +more shifts from personal biography to the destiny of Israel as a +people. One is conscious throughout that his attention is being +called to the close of one period and the beginning of another. The +patriarchal period now draws to an end and the period of national +existence commences. God's purpose is no more to be shown in the +choice of individuals, but in his dealings with the people as a +whole. It is not accident that Israel's national life is to begin in +Egypt rather than in its own land; for just as Abraham, the father +of the race, was tested by his willingness to leave his home in +obedience to God, so the nation as a whole was to have a similar +experience. It had to be made to realize its election by being +taken as "a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by +signs and by wonders and by war and by a mighty hand, and by an +outstretched arm and by great terrors". (Deuteronomy 4. 34.) In +these chapters we see the beginning of the fulfillment of Abraham's +prophetic vision recorded in Genesis 15. 12-16. + +Let us see how the ideas stated in the above paragraph are conveyed +in the chapters under our consideration. Observe first Jacob's +apprehensive reluctance about going to Egypt, which needs the +assurance from God, "Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will +there make of thee a great nation. I will go down with thee into +Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again." (Genesis +46.3, 4.) Jacob before he dies reminds Joseph of God's promise +given to him at Beth El in anticipation of the exodus from Egypt, +"God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and +blessed me, and said unto me: Behold, I will make thee fruitful, +and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a company of peoples; +and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting +possession." (Genesis 48.3,4.) We may regard Jacob's insistence on +being buried in Canaan as implying the same idea. His blessing to +his children and grandchildren further bears out this thought and +Joseph's instructions with regard to the disposal of his own body +show most clearly that the sojourn in Egypt was not intended to be +permanent, though, as is seen from Joseph's words to his brothers +(Genesis 50.19, 20), it was divinely appointed. + +But though, as we have just shown, the main interest of these +chapters is from the point of view of Israel's destiny, they are not +lacking in the personal interest as well. There is a sublime pathos +in Jacob's humble acceptance of the divine decree which makes him, +after life long struggle, end his days in a strange land, with those +ambitions that he had cherished throughout life still depending +on a remote future after his death for their realization. In his +meeting with Pharaoh, he maintains well his patriarchal dignity. +But he shows no sense of triumph in the honors accorded him and his +retrospective glance over his life reveals to him little that is +not disappointing; "Few and evil have been the days of the years of +my life and they have not attained unto the days of the years of +the life of my fathers in the days of their sojournings." (Genesis +47.9.) Pathetic also is the reference of Jacob, when about to bless +the sons of Joseph, to the death of Rachel, which had taken place so +many years ago, as if the thought of Joseph's prosperity awakened +anew his grief that Rachel had not lived to see it: "And as for me, +when I came from Paddan, Rachel died unto me in the land of Canaan +in the way when there was still some way to come unto Ephrath; and +I buried her there in the way to Ephrath--the same is Beth-lehem." +(Genesis 48.7.) Yet he preserves his patriarchal authority over +his children and grandchildren to the last, blessing Ephraim above +Menassah, and not failing in his blessings to his children to +recall their past sins as warnings for the future. The devotion +of his children to him and the renewed relations of affection +between Joseph and his brothers complete the picture of the ideal +patriarchal family where love and reverence and a common faith are +the ties that bind the units together. + +Genesis 47.13 to 26 is interesting in the light of what we know of +Egyptian history from other sources than the Bible. The Pharaoh at +the time of Joseph was, it is generally agreed, one of the Hyksos +dynasty, which belonged to a Semitic tribe that had conquered +Egypt. The land before that time had been held in a sort of +feudal tenure by some of the old nobility. These gave constant +trouble, particularly in the south, to the Hyksos rulers. Joseph's +policy therefore was aimed at securing a centralization of power +in the hands of Pharaoh through his obtaining all the land and +reducing all others except the priests to the status of tenants. +This concentration of power in the hands of a single monarch, +intolerable as it would be in a modern state, was often in ancient +times the very best means of securing that measure of peace from +constant strife between petty principalities which was an absolute +prerequisite of progress and civilization. Of course the child is +not interested in such problems and this whole incident should be +omitted, but it is well for the teacher to bear these truths in +mind lest his modern political and economic theories prejudice him +against the character of Joseph. + +=Aim.= There are two aims which the teacher should bear in mind in +this lesson, one relating to the historic interest we have shown +it to contain and the other to the personal interest. In accord +with the former the teacher must give to the child those historical +and religious ideas contained in this chapter which summarize the +significance of the patriarchal period and prepare the way for their +next year's work, namely the idea of how God was making a great +nation of Jews in accordance with his promise to the patriarchs by +permitting them to multiply in Egypt, at the same time reminding +them that they were not to become Egyptians but would one day be +brought back to their land. But the aspect of the lesson that can +impress itself most readily on the children is the more personal one +with its picture of the ideal family life as a sort of final tableau +to the drama of Joseph that they have been learning. Of particular +value is the example of reverence for parents which it holds before +them. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= The most valuable help that the +teacher can get in teaching this lesson also comes from the study +of the Biblical story itself. Note that in the Bible although it +is made clear that the settlement in Egypt was brought about in +accordance with a divine plan for the development of the chosen +people, this is nowhere stated in abstract terms but we are allowed +to infer it from the words and acts of the characters and the events +as they shape themselves. In teaching children, who have no power +of forming abstract notions, no other method is possible. It is +necessary, however, for this very reason to take more pains to make +the meaning of the words and acts of the characters clear to the +child. Thus in speaking of God's appearing to Jacob at Beer-sheba +with his reassuring message, one must first state what the Bible +leaves to our own power of inference, Jacob's reluctance to go to +Egypt and the reason for his reluctance. One might say for example: + +"So Jacob made ready to leave Canaan and go to meet his son Joseph, +whom he so longed to see once more. And yet, in spite of his anxiety +to meet Joseph, he felt sorry to leave this land of Canaan where +he was born, where his father and mother and his dear wife Rachel +were buried, and where God had promised him that his children +would become a great nation. Perhaps he also felt sorry because +he remembered hearing of a prophecy that God had told to Abraham, +saying that his descendants would become slaves to a strange people +in a strange land, and he thought "Maybe now my children will be +made slaves in Egypt." But that night as he slept God sent a dream +to cheer him. He dreamt he heard God speak to him and say "--etc. + +Again, when telling of Joseph's going to meet his father, emphasize +the love that made him hasten to welcome the patriarch and the pride +with which he introduced his aged father to King Pharaoh, as well +as the solicitude for his father's and brothers' comfort implied in +the preparations for their reception in Goshen, the most fertile +part of Egypt, in the delta of the Nile. + +In speaking of the desire of Jacob and Joseph to be buried in +Canaan, explain the reason to be their wanting to remind their +descendants of God's promise to bring them out of Egypt to their +own land, Canaan. In telling of Jacob's blessing of Ephraim and +Menassah, it is not necessary to touch upon the preference given to +Ephraim as this is only significant in the light of the subsequent +history of the tribes and, by the time the child gets to that part +of the history, he will have forgotten this incident since there +is nothing in it intrinsically interesting to children, but do +not ignore Genesis 48.20, "And he blessed them that day saying: +'By thee shall Israel bless, saying: God make thee as Ephraim and +as Menassah.'" In this way it is possible to establish a point of +contact between the child's home life and the lesson by pointing out +to him that these very words are part of the blessing with which +his parents bless him on the Sabbath. This will serve to make him +realize that he is one of the people whose history he is learning. +It would also be well to ask how many children say _Ha-mal'ak +ha-go'el_ in their night prayers and to explain that this is part of +Jacob's blessing to Ephraim and Menassah. (Genesis 48.16.) + +Help the children visualize the imposing funeral rights in +connection with the burial of Jacob as showing the honor paid to +him by the Egyptians as well as by his own children. They should be +given some idea from the map of the length of the journey and the +route taken. Do not take for granted the children's comprehension +of the renewal of the fear of Joseph's brothers after their father's +death, but explain that they thought perhaps Joseph had failed to +punish them until then merely in order to spare his father, but +that after his father's burial he would have no more scruples, just +as Esau refrained from killing Jacob while his father lived but +threatened to do so after his death. + + + + +PART II + +ISRAEL UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MOSES + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE BIRTH OF MOSES + +Exodus 1.1 to 2.10 + + +=Interpretation.= The children of Israel, settled in the rich +pasture land of Goshen, had become a numerous people. At first +they prospered, but then there came a change with the accession +to the throne of the "Pharaoh who knew not Joseph." This Pharaoh +was, in all probability, not only of a different dynasty, but also +of a different race from the Pharaoh of Joseph's day. The Pharaoh +of Joseph's day was probably a descendant of the Hyksos invaders +of Egypt, a Semitic tribe of shepherds like the Israelites. The +true Egyptians, however, who were an agricultural people, and held +shepherds in abomination, perhaps because many of their practices +conflicted with the religious notions of the Egyptians, which +included the worship of sacred cattle (see Exodus 8.22), finally +overthrew this Semitic dynasty. As a consequence, the Israelites +were looked upon with suspicion and hatred as a dangerous element +in the state. The very services that they had rendered to the old +dynasty would now be held against them by the new, and instead +of being a favored race, they came to be looked upon, in spite +of their long sojourn in Egypt, as alien and hostile, and were +subjected to persecution and oppression. Persecution, at first took +the form of enforced labor in the erection of the public works of +the Pharaohs but when the Israelites seemed to thrive in spite of +this, resort was had to the drastic measure of murdering every male +infant. At this point, the Biblical story shows us how Providence +prepared redemption for Israel by sparing the life of the infant +who was destined to become the liberator. Of the general religious +significance of the Egyptian bondage, as interpreted in the Bible, +we have already spoken in preceding chapters. + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson is three-fold, first, to inculcate in +the child the ideal expressed in the words, "And a stranger shalt +thou not wrong neither shalt thou oppress him; for ye were strangers +in the land of Egypt;" (Exodus 22.20); second, to encourage him to +maintain his national Jewish aspirations in the diaspora, as did his +fathers in Egypt, and, finally, to inspire him with faith in God's +providence, as illustrated by the way in which God saved the infant +Moses. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= Begin by recalling the story of Joseph +to the class; how the Israelites who settled in Goshen--point out +its location on the map--became a numerous people, and enjoyed, for +a long time, the favor of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, in gratitude +for all that Joseph had done for Egypt at the time of the famine. +Then dwell on what the children of Israel, who were, for the most +part, simple shepherds, learned from the Egyptians, who were not +only skillful farmers, but great builders as well. This can best +be done by showing pictures of the Egyptian monuments and pointing +to the skill required in order to erect them in an age before the +use of steam and electricity was known. "But", the teacher should +emphasize, "although the children of Israel learned much from the +Egyptians, they did not copy them in everything. In one respect, +they were far in advance of the Egyptians,--in their religion. They +knew that there was one God, whom they could not see, who made the +heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, but the Egyptians +worshipped many gods. They had sacred bulls and sacred cows and +sacred cats, and even a sacred bug--a kind of beetle. The Israelites +in Egypt understood that they were not to become Egyptians, but +that God would some day lead them out of Egypt to their own land of +Palestine, as He had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. So they +continued to speak their own language, Hebrew, and to maintain their +religion." + +Explain how the insistence on keeping up their own religious +practices and their own language, and the refusal to join in the +worship of the Egyptian gods, aroused the hatred of many of the +Egyptians, and paved the way for the edicts of the "new Pharaoh", +that "knew not Joseph". This can best be done by reference to modern +instances of similar antagonism, which may have come within the +range of the child's experience or observation. Speak, for instance, +as follows: + +"When the Egyptians saw that the children of Israel would not become +like them, but kept up their own religion and language, many of them +came to dislike the Jews, for there are some people who never like +anybody who is very different from themselves. Some of you may know +boys who like to tease and annoy Chinese, because of their strange +appearance, dress and language, or who are unkind to negroes, +merely because they are black, or who like to torment foreign +children that cannot speak the English language. You well know that +there are some people that are unkind to Jews for no better reason. +In this free country nobody would think of doing us any real harm, +nor would our laws permit it, but there are some countries where +the very laws of the land try to make the life of the Jew unhappy, +merely because he is a Jew. Many of you may have heard something +about how Jews used to be treated in Russia not so long ago. And +that is exactly the way the Egyptians began to feel towards our +forefathers, when they saw that they would not worship the gods of +the Egyptians, and that they kept up their own religious practices +and spoke their own language; and when a new Pharaoh arose who had +forgotten all about Joseph and the good he had done to Egypt, a man +from an altogether different family than the Pharaoh of Joseph's +time and from a different part of the country, the Egyptians began +making laws against the Jews. Pharaoh, who particularly hated the +Jews, made a law that they should all have to work as slaves in the +building of his great treasure cities", etc. + +The rest of the story is simple and offers no difficulties to the +teacher. The only thing that needs to be emphasized is that, in +telling of the birth and rescue of the infant, Moses, the teacher +must remember that he is preparing the way for the story of the +Exodus and must emphasize that Moses was saved because God meant +him to redeem His people, not that his rescue was a lucky accident. +He can do this by speaking of God as suggesting the ideas upon +which the characters act. For instance, in telling how Miriam saw +Pharaoh's daughter take up the basket, one might say, "Then God put +a wise thought into the heart of Miriam and she ran up to Pharaoh's +daughter and asked", etc. Again, one might say, "Now when Pharaoh's +daughter saw the little crying baby God filled her heart with pity +for the helpless little infant," and one might conclude the lesson +by saying, "In this way God saved the baby, who, when he was grown +up into a man, was to deliver his people from the oppression of +Pharaoh." + +So much for the presentation of the lesson. In discussing it with +the class afterwards, do not fail to suggest by suitable questions +the duty of maintaining our Jewish practices even in the face of +the ridicule and opposition that they sometimes call forth. The +application of the story's moral should be given in terms of the +child's own experience. For instance, one might say: "When our +fathers in Egypt sacrificed to their God and would not sacrifice +to the Egyptian animal gods, did the Egyptians like this? Did the +Israelites, when they saw that the Egyptians hated them, because +they were different in race, language and religion, give up their +language and religion in order to appear like the Egyptians? Do you +think the Jewish child today ought to feel ashamed and give up his +Jewish religious practices, because his Christian friends may think +them strange or may not like them, or may not treat him with as +much kindness if he shows that he is a Jew? Sometimes Jewish boys +go to school on Jewish holidays, because their Christian friends do +not stay at home. Do you think this right? Do you think it right to +sing Christian songs in school, because you are afraid not to do +so? No teacher will ever force you to sing a song that is Christian +if you explain politely that you do not want to do so because your +religion forbids it. If you were asked to take part in a Christmas +celebration at school, what would you do? If a Christian boy offered +you some of his luncheon to eat and you were not sure that what he +gave you was _kosher_, what would you do? In those countries where +the Jews are treated badly today, merely because they are Jews, +as their fathers were treated in Egypt, have they given up their +Judaism on that account, or do they still keep it up? What would you +do if you lived in one of those countries?" + +Do not, however, dwell too much on anti-Semitism, as it is not +morally helpful to the child to feel resentment too keenly. It +would be producing the very opposite effect to the one desired if +we were to arouse in our pupils a feeling of animosity towards the +Gentile. The emphasis must be put wholly on the positive virtue of +maintaining religious loyalty in spite of the hostility which it +may, at times, arouse. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +MOSES, THE FRIEND OF THE WEAK AND OPPRESSED + +Exodus 2.11 to 23 + + +=Interpretation.= The chief interest in the narrative contained in +these verses lies in the light they cast on the character of Moses +and the traits that made him the ideal emancipator, leader and +legislator of his people. The first of these is his sympathy with +their suffering and his sense of kinship with them, which leads him, +though a prince of Egypt by rank and education, to go out among his +brethren and look upon their burdens. The second, is his indignation +at anything in the nature of injustice, whether perpetrated by +an Egyptian or an Israelite; and, finally, there is shown his +chivalrous zeal in the service of the weak and oppressed, which +sends him on a mission like that of the ideal knight-errant, "to +ride abroad redressing human wrongs", and which even in a strange +land, leads him to interfere in the cause of the shepherdesses of +Midian against the rude shepherds. + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson is to cultivate in the child, through +his admiration of Moses, those traits in Moses' character which we +have shown the narrative in these chapters to illustrate. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= Try to bring out the nobility of the +course of action that Moses took by calling the attention of the +children to other possible courses that he might have taken. Moses, +having had wealth and luxury at his disposal, might have given up +his life to enjoyment; because of his superior education, he might +have looked down with contempt upon his more ignorant brethren and +held aloof from associating with them; fearing the reproach of his +Hebrew origin, he might have avoided such association for prudential +reasons. But he did none of these things. He felt that if he had +been so wonderfully saved, and he alone been given advantages that +the rest had not received, it was because God intended him to use +these for the good of all his people. It is well, in pointing out +the courses of conduct open to Moses, to use illustrations from +modern life, thus: + +"How many children who receive all they need from their parents +and spending-money in addition, think only of spending it on sport +and amusement, and never stop to consider the needs of the poor +children who have not even food or clothing or a warm room and to +share their money with them. But Moses was not like that; although, +being brought up as the son of Pharaoh, he might have lived a life +of ease, idleness and pleasure, he preferred to go about among his +poor brethren and help them with their burdens. Moreover, though +Moses had received the best education that an Egyptian could receive +in those days, he did not let that make him conceited. No matter +how educated or how noble one may be by birth, one should not keep +aloof from the lowly and common people. So Moses, though a learned +prince, was never too proud to associate with the ignorant slaves, +his people." + +In teaching of how Moses slew the Egyptian, do not fail to bring +out the heroic character of the action by emphasis on the motive of +Moses, namely, his violated sense of justice, and on the perils to +which he must have known in advance that this act would expose him. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +GOD SENDS MOSES TO SAVE HIS PEOPLE + +Exodus 3.1-4.31 + + +=Interpretation.= The time now being ripe for God's fulfilling +His covenant to redeem Israel from the bondage of Egypt, He makes +His purpose known to Moses and entrusts him with the mission of +announcing the redemption to the elders of Israel and demanding +it of Pharaoh. But Moses hesitates. He doubts his qualifications +for the task, asking, "Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh and +that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" +And God's answer is, "Certainly I will be with thee." But this +does not yet satisfy Moses, he wants a guarantee of Divine aid +in God's statement, "I am +nw+." For in asking God for his name, +Moses was not merely seeking information. There is no space in +this book to take up a discussion of the critical questions raised +by these verses. The interpretation given by Wiener[7] seems +the most reasonable. He calls attention to the fact that among +primitive people--and the narratives of the Pentateuch had to be +made comprehensible to a primitive people--the name of a person, +and, more especially, of a god, was regarded as having certain +powers which were conferred upon anyone to whom he revealed his +name. When Moses asked for the name of God, it was, therefore, as +a sort of positive irrevocable guarantee of success, but God, at +this juncture, refuses to say directly, "I am +nw+" and gives the +evasive reply, "I am that I am." Then Moses, dissatisfied, declares +that the people will not believe him, and God replies by showing him +the miracle of the staff turning into a serpent, etc. Still Moses +hesitates, pleading lack of eloquence as an excuse for not going, +and God promises to inspire his utterances and to commission, also, +his brother Aaron, who was eloquent, to assist as his spokesman. The +significance of this dialogue of Moses with God is usually explained +as contained in what it reveals to us of the characteristic meekness +of Moses. It does, indeed, illustrate this conspicuous trait of his +character, but if it were the chief aim of the Biblical author to +commend the meekness of Moses we should scarcely be prepared for +the statement (Exodus 4.14), "And the anger of the Lord was kindled +against Moses." The main purpose of the Biblical author seems rather +to be to emphasize the apparent impossibility of the task which +Moses was asked to accomplish in order that the miraculous character +of the deliverance be the more evident. It is significant that +before Moses goes to speak to Pharaoh, God refuses the revelation of +His name, but after he has gone on his mission God does reveal it +(Exodus 6.2). It would seem that He resented Moses' refusal to go +without a special guarantee. The moral of the narrative is perhaps +most clearly brought out in God's rejoinder to Moses, "Who maketh a +man dumb or deaf, or seeing or blind? is it not I, the Lord?" Exodus +4.11. + + [7] Essays in Pentateuchal Criticism pages 47-53. + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson should be to inculcate in the child +faith in God's power and providence as revealed in Jewish history. +The teacher should endeavor to make the child, through admiration +of the heroism of Moses in attempting the apparently impossible in +the service of God, feel with deep conviction that in His service, +there can be no failure. He should try to get not only the child's +intellectual assent to the idea that God can accomplish anything +that He purposes, but he should arouse an emotional appreciation of +that heroism begotten of faith which leads great men to undertake +what would, to others, seem impossible. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= Inasmuch as we wish to inspire in +the child by means of this lesson, a faith in divine providence, +we must guard against any attempt at rationalizing the miracles +recorded in this and subsequent chapters. It is faith in God's +power over nature and His use of this power in the interests of +justice and righteousness that this lesson should teach, and no +philosophic explanation can bring home this truth to the child so +well as the simple, impressive narration of the miracle. A belief +in the supernatural and transcendent power of God is essential in +Judaism, and the miracle tale is the best means for emphasizing +this doctrine. To be sure, it may be necessary at an older age, to +modify and deepen one's conception of the miraculous, but the only +means by which the child can conceive of God's transcendent power, +providentially exercised, is through the simple, straight-forward +narrative of miracles He performed. No attempt, for instance, should +be made to identify the voice that addressed Moses from the burning +bush with the voice of conscience. It must remain an objective +voice. God's reply to Moses' inquiry as to His name, "I am that I +am," is sometimes made the occasion for the teacher to indulge in an +attempt at a philosophical discussion of the nature of God. We have +already suggested in our interpretation of the passage that these +words were probably never intended to convey such meaning. They are +not an answer to the question, "What is Thy name?" but a refusal to +answer it, and, therefore, it is not in place to interpret their +significance as revealing anything of the nature of God. Apart from +this consideration, however, such abstract theological discussion is +above the mental power of the child and should always be avoided. It +is, therefore, best to teach the verse without any comment, as this +by itself tends to preserve the atmosphere of mystery and awe which +envelopes the whole episode. + +In telling of the dialogue of God and Moses, the Biblical language +can be used almost throughout, and, at any rate, the speeches should +be given in direct discourse. Be careful to aid the child to an +appreciation of the reason for Moses' hesitation, both because this +is necessary to a proper understanding of the character of Moses, +and because it prepares the way for a better appreciation of the +miracle of the Exodus. For instance, in telling of the call of God +to Moses, one might continue somewhat in this wise: "When Moses +heard God say, 'Go and I will send thee to Pharaoh, and do thou +bring my people, the children of Israel out of Egypt', his heart +sank. How could he, one man, and a stranger, go before this cruel +and powerful king of a mighty nation, surrounded by courtiers, +guards and soldiers, and say to him, 'Let these thousands of slaves +who are building your cities go free?' Would Pharaoh pay any +attention to him? So Moses said to God, 'Who am I that I should +go to Pharaoh, that I should bring forth the children of Israel +out of Egypt?'" The teacher can also make the emphasis of the +narrative clearer by the questions he asks after the presentation +of the lesson, as, for instance: "What did God ask Moses to say to +Pharaoh? Do you think Pharaoh would let Israel go just because Moses +asked it? Why not? (Draw out the idea that Pharaoh was used to being +obeyed, not commanded, and that the slavery of Israel was profitable +to him.) Did Moses think that Pharaoh would obey him? What did Moses +say to God when God told him to go to Pharaoh? Why did not Moses +want to go? How did God answer Moses when Moses said that he was not +a good enough speaker?" + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +MOSES' FIRST APPEARANCE BEFORE PHARAOH Exodus 4.29 to 6.8 + + +=Interpretation.= The first step that Moses takes seems to contain a +promise of success. He and Aaron succeed in interesting the elders +of Israel in the prospect of deliverance, but the hope which this +initial success raised in the heart of Moses was soon destined to +be disappointed, for Pharaoh not only refuses the moderate request +of a three days' journey into the wilderness, but also imposes +new and impossible burdens upon the Israelites. This has the +immediate effect of discrediting Moses and Aaron in the eyes of +the people, even in the eyes of the Israelite overseers, who had +sought to intercede for their brethren with Pharaoh, and who now +reproach Moses and Aaron as the enemies of the people. In utter +despair he lays his complaint before God, and at this juncture God +vouchsafes to him that revelation of His name, which He had at first +withheld, and assures him of the fulfillment of the covenant with +the patriarchs. Moses was not to be discouraged by the hardness of +Pharaoh's heart, for even this was but to emphasize the miraculous +character of Israel's escape. This is the significance of the verses +in Exodus 6.1 and 7.3-5. + +=Aim.= The aim of this chapter is the same as that of the preceding. +In addition, it should be utilized to teach reverence for the name +of God. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= Before beginning this lesson recall +by a few questions the main points of the previous lesson, laying +especial emphasis on the difficulties of the task Moses was called +upon to perform. Then tell how the hopes of Moses were raised by +his meeting Aaron, and still more by the reception accorded him +by the elders of Israel, who remembered hearing of the prophecy +that Israel was to be led out of Egypt and go to the land promised +to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The conversation between Moses and +Pharaoh must be given in direct discourse, and in the language of +the Bible. The children must be made to realize the dilemma in +which the Jewish overseers of the work found themselves, in that +they were held accountable for the impossible tasks that they were +required to exact from the people. Their petition to Pharaoh and +Pharaoh's retort must also be given in direct discourse and in +language approaching that of the Bible, but somewhat more explicit, +so that the motives are clear to the children, thus: "Now, when +the Hebrew overseers of the work saw that they were being brutally +beaten because the children of Israel could not do the impossible +and make bricks without straw, they thought that they would come +before Pharaoh and reason with him; so they came and said: 'Oh king, +wherefore dost thou do so to thy servants, no straw is given to thy +servants, yet thou sayest to us, see that they make bricks, and when +they do not make the number of bricks thou dost require--for they +cannot make the same number if they must take the time to gather the +straw themselves--the blame is put on us, their overseers, and we +are unjustly punished.' Pharaoh would not listen to reason, but grew +red in the face with anger and said in a blustering voice, 'You are +idle fellows, idle! that is why you look for excuses not to work, +saying: Come, let us sacrifice to the Lord! And now, go to your work +and straw shall not be given to you and you shall furnish the same +number of bricks as before, when the straw was given'." + +This prepares the way for the explanation of the change in the +people's attitude to Moses, as shown in Genesis 5. 21. The words of +the overseers to Moses should be paraphrased somewhat, because the +children might not understand the figurative language, thus: "May +the Lord appear and judge you, for you have given us a bad name with +Pharaoh, and instead of keeping your promise to free us from Egypt +you have given Pharaoh an excuse to treat us worse than we have ever +been treated before." Then proceed to describe the feelings of Moses +when he heard these words, how it must have seemed at the time that +the goal for which he was striving seemed farther away than ever. +Not only had Pharaoh not granted his petition, but the one effect of +his pleading was to add to the burdens of the people, which he had +sought to relieve, so that his own people now turned against him. + +This brings the teacher to the narrative of God's revelation of +his name to Moses, the significance of which I explained in the +preceding chapter. In teaching it to the child, the chief aim, as +already indicated, should be to inspire reverence for the name of +God. A second aim should be to impress the child with the greatness +of Moses. This can be very easily done by presenting this lesson +somewhat as follows: "Then God told Moses His name, His name which +he had not told before to any other man, not even to Abraham, Isaac +and Jacob. He had made himself known to them as God Almighty, and +by many different names, but His real name he had not told them. +This name, children, you have never heard, though you have probably +all seen it." (The teacher then lets them open their prayer-books +at the +sh'ma' yisrael+, or, if they have no books with them, he +has a book ready which he opens at that place. He lets one of the +children read the first verse of the +sh'ma'+.) "Now you all know +that we read the third word in this verse 'adonoy', but that is not +what the four letters of that word +JHVH+ spell, is it? You would +expect the word to be spelt +Adonai+ wouldn't you? Well, those four +letters that make this third word of the +sh'ma'+ spell the name +that God told Moses, but we, none of us, say that name. Instead, we +say 'adonoy', which means 'The Lord', because it is not respectful +to call God by His name."[8] The teacher then asks one of the +children what his father's name is, his mother's. "When you speak +to your father and mother, do you call them by name? What do you +call them? When people speak to a king they never call him by name, +but they call him, 'Your Majesty.' A judge in a law court is never +called by name, he is called, 'Your Honor.' The President of the +United States is not addressed by name, he is addressed as 'Mr. +President.' This is all done as a mark of honor and respect, and +for the same reason we do not call God by His name but speak of Him +as the Lord, God, the Eternal, and so forth, in order to show our +respect and reverence for God. But when God saw how faithfully Moses +had obeyed Him, even though this obedience had brought him nothing +but sorrow, He loved Moses so much that He told him His name, to +show that He treated Moses as a friend who might call Him by name +as friends are used to call each other. He wanted to let Moses feel +that it made no difference even if Pharaoh was his enemy, and if the +Israelites themselves turned against him, because Moses still had +one Friend who would always stand by him, God himself. He told him, +therefore, His name, and gave him permission to use it in speaking +to the children of Israel that they might all know that God was with +him and would help him, and He said, 'I am the Lord; and I appeared +unto Abraham, unto Isaac and unto Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My +name I made Me not known to them'," etc., to the end of verse 9. In +discussing the lesson with the children, point out the sinfulness of +taking God's name in vain, even as applied to the other names of God +beside the tetragrammaton (+JHVH+). + + [8] Do not illustrate this on the blackboard, as Jewish sentiment + considers it irreverent to write the name of God on anything from + which it will be subsequently erased, or which will be cast aside + and destroyed. Instead, illustrate from printed books. If children + are required to write the name of God on the blackboard they should + be taught to write simply the initial "G" in English or +H+ or +D+ + in Hebrew. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE PLAGUES + +Exodus 6.9 to 10.29 + + +=Interpretation.= The meaning of these chapters is plain. They +contain the narrative of that contest between Pharaoh and his court +with all their magic devices on the one hand and Moses, armed with +the name of God, on the other. The reader should not fail to note +the dramatic portrayal of the impotence of blind, tyrannical rage +which vacillates between half-hearted concessions that cannot +satisfy opposition and blind fury that merely invites opposition. +With the second plague Pharaoh is ready to satisfy Moses' demand, +but he remains of this intent only until the plague is removed, +then in his apparent security, the habit of tyranny immediately +reasserts itself, and he again refuses to let Israel go. With the +fourth plague, Pharaoh offers as a compromise that the Israelites +may sacrifice to their God in Egypt. This compromise Moses rejects, +stating boldly as his reason that such a course would involve +slaying the "abomination", _i. e._, the gods, of the Egyptians, a +thing which the Egyptian people would not suffer. Thereupon Pharaoh +consents to let the Israelites go, "Only do not go afar off," but +with the removal of the plague this concession is again withdrawn. +After the seventh plague, Pharaoh, in accordance with the insistent +demand of his court, is ready for further concessions. He is +ready to permit the men to go, provided they leave the women and +children as hostages biding their return. When this concession is +rejected, his fury leads him again into a mad defiance. The ninth +plague makes him seek once more to appease Moses and Aaron. He is +ready now even to let the women and children go, only the cattle +must remain in Egypt. But Moses is firm; the cattle were needed for +sacrifice. Nothing less than a complete exodus of all the people +with their possessions for a three days' journey into the wilderness +to worship God on His holy mountain would satisfy Moses. Indeed, +he even suggests that the king himself provide animals for the +sacrifice. Then Pharaoh in a rage commits his final indiscretion, +declaring to Moses and Aaron, "Get thee from me, take heed to +thyself, see my face no more; for in the day thou seest my face +thou shalt die." This closes all negotiations between them. Moses +accepts his ultimatum. "Thou hast spoken well; I will see thy face +again no more." Henceforth, not even a three days' journey into the +wilderness will suffice. Pharaoh had pronounced his own sentence, a +sentence which the arbitrary and tyrannical always pronounce upon +themselves when opposed by the protagonists of reason and justice. + +=Aim.= The aim of this chapter, as of all those leading to the +event of the Exodus, is to inspire the child with faith in God's +providence as exercised over Israel in particular, and over mankind +in general, in the interests of liberty and justice. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= It is sometimes suggested in books on +the teaching of Biblical history that the story of the plagues be +passed over lightly, without much attention to detail. This would +be a mistake. The story of the plagues has a great fascination for +young children, the same sort of fascination which the works of +fairies and witches in their favorite fairy tales exercise over +them. The skillful teacher will make the most of the native interest +in the marvelous by employing it to increase the spirit of reverent +awe which he must endeavor to associate with the thought of God. In +telling each of these plagues, it is not enough to describe what +happened, but the teacher must assist in making the child realize +what the plagues meant to Egypt. Thus, in teaching the first plague, +dwell on how indispensable water is and what distress results if +people are deprived of water for any length of time. + +The interest of the children in the plagues must not, however, be +merely due to their interest in the marvelous. Endeavor to interest +them primarily in the contest between God and Pharaoh. All the +conversations between Pharaoh and Moses must be told as nearly as +possible in the language of the Bible, so that the child is made to +feel the strength of the firm insistence of Moses and the weakness +of Pharaoh's vacillating and temporizing attitude. Unless at the +end of the lesson the child is filled with admiration for Moses and +contempt for Pharaoh, the teacher has not taught the lesson well. + +Inasmuch as there are so many allusions to the ten plagues in Jewish +and general literature, the child should be taught to remember them +in their proper order. This can be done best by naming each plague +in a single word or brief phrase, as in the Passover Haggadah, and +writing them on the blackboard thus: + + 1. Blood. 6. Boils. + 2. Frogs. 7. Hail. + 3. Gnats. 8. Locusts. + 4. Flies. 9. Darkness. + 5. Pestilence among cattle. 10. Death of first-born. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE EXODUS + +Exodus 11.1 to 13.16 + + +=Interpretation.= These chapters relate the climax toward which the +narrative from the birth of Moses until this point has been leading, +the exodus from Egypt. They also contain the laws associated with +the commemoration of this event. The narrative begins by telling +of God's promise that the next plague would be the last, and His +command to the people to prepare for the exodus. Before they +were permitted to leave, some expression of their faith in God's +deliverance and their readiness to follow His guidance was required; +therefore, we have the command to take a lamb on the tenth day of +the month, which was to begin their new era, and sacrifice it on +the 14th, and eat the flesh of it in family groups on that night, +together with bitter herbs and unleavened bread, which thereafter +were to serve as symbols of the bondage and of the liberation from +it. The blood of this sacrifice, they were to sprinkle on the +doorposts of their houses in order to testify by this ritual to +their desire to be included in the "Army of the Lord" that was to +depart on the morrow, and all who did not testify thus to their +adherence to Israel's cause were to meet with the same fate as the +Egyptians with whom they had chosen to identify themselves. The +Israelites were to eat the lamb while standing with their loins girt +and staves in their hands, in readiness for the signal to depart. +The rabbis call attention to the fact that the sacrifice of the +Paschal lamb in Egypt by the Israelites was a very bold expression +of their faith, inasmuch as the sheep was among the sacred animals +of Egypt. When Pharaoh suggests to Moses that the Israelites could +sacrifice to their God in Egypt, he replies, "Lo, if we sacrifice +the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not +stone us?" (Exodus 8. 22.) But by this time Pharaoh and Egypt +had been so humiliated by the plagues which did not even spare +their sacred river Nile, that the Egyptians feared to attack the +Israelites, while the children of Israel had recovered their lost +confidence in Moses, and in the God in whose name he spoke to them. + +Among the laws and observances associated with the events of this +chapter are: 1. The law ordaining the first of Nisan, as the "New +Year for months", in commemoration of the inauguration of the new +era in Israel's history; 2. the annual sacrifice of the Paschal +lamb which was eaten in the family circle together with bitter +herbs and unleavened bread to recall the similar observances of the +Israelites before leaving Egypt;[9] 3. the celebration for seven +days[10] of the festival of Passover by the previous removal of +all leaven and abstention from it during the festival and by the +eating of unleavened bread in commemoration of the haste of Israel's +departure that did not allow them to make other provision; 4. the +duty of narrating these events to one's children, which gave rise +to the recital of the Haggadah on the night of Passover; 5. the +sanctification of the first-born of cattle and of men in recognition +of the providential character of the tenth plague, the latter custom +surviving in the practice of "pidyon ha-ben", "the redemption of +the first-born", and, 6. the injunction to make of this command "a +sign upon thy hand and frontlets between thine eyes" which led to +the inclusion of the passage containing these words, and the command +to sanctify the first-born among those enclosed in the _tephillin_, +thus making them a theme for daily reflection. In addition to these +practices, it is noteworthy that the Sabbath and holidays, even +those having other historic associations, are characterized in our +liturgy as +ze[k.]er liy[z.]iyat mi[z.]raym+ "memorials of the +Exodus from Egypt." The multitude of observances that are thus +designed to keep us mindful of the Exodus testify to the importance +of the leading idea associated with this event for the Jewish people +at all times, namely, the identification of the cause of Israel +with the cause of God, "And I will take you to Me for a people, and +I will be to you a God, and ye shall know that I am the Lord, your +God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians." +(Exodus 6. 7.) + + [9] Since the sacrifices have ceased with the destruction of + the Temple, the eating of the meal as part of the Seder service + answers this purpose. At this meal the Paschal lamb is symbolically + represented by the roasted bone, and the _ma[z.][z.]ot_ and _maror_ + are eaten. + + [10] In modern times eight days in the diaspora. + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson should be to make the child conscious +of his identity with Israel and of the debt of gratitude and loyalty +that this imposes upon him in view of God's redemption of Israel. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= The association of the Exodus with +the observance of Passover is the obvious method of establishing +a contact between the subject to be taught in this lesson and the +Jewish child of today. Nevertheless, it is better not to employ the +observances of the Passover as the technical "point of contact" +with which to introduce the original presentation of the lesson, as +that would delay too long the actual narration, but to use them to +introduce the discussion of the topic by the class after the teacher +has told his story. + +To introduce the narrative itself a reference to previous lessons +is sufficient, as the last few lessons have all anticipated the +events told in these chapters. This the teacher can best do by a +few introductory questions, as, for instance; "Why did God send the +plagues of which we learned in our last lesson against Egypt?" (Draw +out the answer that it was not merely to punish the Egyptians but +to compel Pharaoh to free the Israelites.) When, after the ninth +plague, Moses refused Pharaoh's offer to let the Israelites go on +condition that they left their cattle and possessions behind, what +did Pharaoh say? How did Moses answer? The teacher then continues: + + "When Pharaoh had driven Moses and Aaron from him and told them + never to come before him again or he would have them put to + death, it was plain that there was no use arguing with him any + more. God had given him many chances to change his attitude and + let the Israelites go in peace, to serve Him in the wilderness, + but Pharaoh would not listen and now God decided to send one + more plague upon Egypt, so terrible that Pharaoh would be forced + to let the Israelites go." + +In telling of the sacrifice of the Paschal lamb and the sprinkling +of the blood on the doorposts, guard against leaving the child with +the notion that God really required a sign in order to distinguish +the Hebrew from the Egyptian house. This can be done by explaining +that God wanted to test the faith of the Israelites in the expected +exodus by their readiness to make these preparations. The sprinkling +of the blood on the doorposts was to be a sign that the inmates of +the house wanted it to be considered a Hebrew house, but if they +were willing to remain in Egypt and would not trust God to lead them +out, they would naturally not make these preparations, and would +deserve to be treated like all the other Egyptians. + +Call attention to the change in the attitude of the people to Moses +and Aaron since God had shown His power in the plagues, for at first +they would not listen to them "for impatience of spirit and for +cruel bondage", and now they obeyed the minutest prescriptions of +Moses in anticipation of the exodus. + +After completing the narrative try to bring home its moral +in connection with the celebration of Passover, so that this +celebration in its annual recurrence may, by association of ideas, +reinforce the lesson you are teaching. Speak to the class somewhat +as follows: "Can you imagine how happy our forefathers felt when +they received the signal to leave Egypt? Think of what a change +it meant to them. No longer would they have to rise up early in +the morning, work, work, work all day for Pharaoh, and receive +nothing for their labor. No longer would they have a taskmaster +standing over them with a whip ready to beat them cruelly if they +did not finish the required number of bricks, although they may +have been too old or too sick to do so. No longer would they have +to do whatever the Egyptians commanded them and have to fear even +to sacrifice to their God, lest the Egyptian idol-worshipper might +stone them. To be sure, in the wilderness into which they were +going, and even in the Promised Land to which God was leading them, +they would have to work hard as shepherds and farmers, but they +would be tending their own flocks and herds and working on their own +farms. Nobody now could order them about, for his selfish purpose, +and they could obey and serve their God without interference, could +rest on His holy days and could sacrifice when and where they would. +Do you not think that if you had lived in Egypt in those days, you +would have felt happy and thankful to God and ready always to do His +wishes for having brought you forth from slavery to freedom? Would +you not feel every year, when the fifteenth of Nisan came, that you +would want to celebrate it as a great joyous holiday on which you +would thank God for the happy change He brought into your life, and +do you not think that if you had children, you would never tire of +telling them the story, particularly on the anniversary of the great +event so that they, too, should thank God for the freedom that they +are permitted to enjoy? Well, that is what our forefathers did. +Every year they celebrated the going out of Egypt and they told +the story of the departure from Egypt to their children and taught +them to celebrate it, and so the observance of this day has been +kept up to our own time, and I hope you will one day teach your +children to observe it. Can any of you tell me the name of this +festival? When our fathers told the story of God's deliverance of +Israel from Egypt they tried to have everything at hand that would +remind them of all that had occurred on that great day. In order +to remind them of the lamb that they had slaughtered, they used in +olden times to sacrifice a lamb, and they ate it in their family +groups just as they had done in Egypt; and later, when sacrifices +were no longer offered, they had, as we have today, as a reminder +of the same, a roasted bone of a lamb on their table the first two +nights of Passover. To remind them of the haste in which they left +Egypt without being able to leaven their bread (the teacher must +explain the meaning of the word leaven), they made it a law to eat +_ma[z.][z.]ot_ during that festival. Can you tell me of some of the +other things on the Seder table on Pesah? (As they are mentioned, +let the teacher explain their significance.) When you saw all these +things at the Seder table, didn't you always feel like asking what +they all meant? How many of you have ever said the +mah nishtanah+ +on Seder night? Well, that contains a number of such questions. +When you were through reading them your father began to read from +the Haggadah, did he not? He read the answer, which explains why +we celebrate Pesah, and this is the way it begins: 'Slaves were we +in the land of Egypt, and the Lord, our God, brought us forth from +thence with a mighty hand, and an outstretched arm, and if the Holy +One, blessed be He, had not brought forth our ancestors from Egypt, +we and our children and our children's children might still have +continued in bondage to the Pharaohs in Egypt. Therefore, even if +we were all great scholars, all men of understanding, all learned +in the Torah, it would, nevertheless, be our duty to tell about the +departure from Egypt, and the more one tells about the departure +from Egypt, the more one is to be praised.'" + +The children should be encouraged to discuss very freely the +celebration of the Passover, as observed in their own homes, as this +is an excellent opportunity of correlating their school instruction +with their home life. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +ISRAEL AT THE RED SEA + +Exodus 13.17 to 15.21 + + +=Interpretation.= With this chapter a new period in Jewish history +begins, the formative period, during which the unorganized horde of +refugees from Egyptian bondage is given the character of a great +nation through the providential circumstances of its history and the +inspired genius of its leader. The period is one that is replete +with miracles. Modern rationalism may attempt to explain them away, +and it is quite possible that events which, had we experienced +them, we might have ascribed to the operation of natural laws, +were felt by our ancestors with their more limited knowledge of +nature to be miracles, and were regarded as such. But, however we +may represent to our minds the incidents that took place, we must +recognize in them the hand of Providence and not merely a historic +chance. We may, if we wish, regard the parting of the Red Sea as a +tidal phenomenon, the pillar of cloud and flame as a volcanic cloud, +but we must, in that case, believe that this tidal phenomenon and +this volcanic cloud were designed for the guidance of our people. +No teacher who lacks the faith that the various vicissitudes of +our people in the wilderness were intended to preserve them and to +prepare them for their historic career, as the standard-bearers +of the Torah, can fittingly teach this period of our history for, +without such a conception, a majority of the events recorded would +be meaningless. + +The chapters of this lesson contain experiences and reflections +that are typical of the whole period of the wilderness. Note at the +outset the explanation for the roundabout route of the Israelites, +which states the fundamental reason for this whole period of trial +and vicissitudes. They were not to go to the Promised Land by way of +Philistia, because that way was too short, and they might have been +tempted, at the first rebuff, to return to Egypt, since only that +which has been won at the cost of effort and sacrifice can be fully +appreciated. The importance of taking this psychological factor into +consideration is evident from the conduct of Israel at the Red Sea, +when the first obstacle that comes in their way leads them to murmur +against the leadership of Moses, and to compare disparagingly their +present situation with what had been their lot in Egypt. This is a +state of affairs which we find again and again in the history of +this period, and it emphasizes the providential character of those +events, which could convert this horde of slaves with the stamp of +slavery on their hearts into a conquering nation conscious of a +great historic mission. + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson is to inspire the child with the +belief in God's providence exercised over His people, Israel. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= Begin the lesson by pointing out that +God had fulfilled His promise to free the Israelites from Egypt. But +where were they to go now? Recall by questions, God's promise to the +patriarchs to give Canaan to the Israelites. Recall also Jacob's +desire to be buried in Palestine and Joseph's similar request. +Then locate Palestine and Egypt on the map, and show by the scale +of miles how far apart they are. Observe that if the Israelites +could cover twenty miles a day in their journey, it would take them +a little more than two weeks to complete the journey. "But," you +continue, "God did not lead them directly to the land of Canaan, +because the people were not prepared to keep a land of their own." +One may use the following illustration to make the reason clear: + +"If one opens the cage of a canary bird that has been born and +raised in a cage it will not immediately fly out and away; for some +time it will stay in the cage afraid to leave it, then it will +timidly go out a little way and if anything frightens it, will hurry +back into its cage. Now, the Israelites had been in Egypt like a +caged bird. They were not free to go where they would and do what +they would. Then all of a sudden they were free. But they were so +used always to being told by the Egyptians what they should do, that +they were afraid to do things for themselves, and, indeed, did not +know how. God knew that if they came to Canaan, and they saw there +an army of the Canaanites coming against them to battle, they would +be so frightened, that, instead of fighting them boldly and bravely, +they would at once go back to Egypt and become slaves to Pharaoh, +just as the bird goes back to the cage when it is frightened. God, +therefore, decided not to take them at once to their own land, but +to lead them in a roundabout way with many turnings and twistings, +so that they would not know how to return to Egypt if they wanted to +do so." (Show on the map the direct route possible to the Israelites +and the actual route that they took.) "And now I am going to tell +you something that happened which will show you how, at the very +first difficulty, many of the Israelites wanted to go back to Egypt +and how God saved them from their troubles." + +Then tell the story of their wanderings, guided by the pillar of +cloud and fire, Pharaoh's pursuit and the crossing of the Red Sea. +Lay emphasis on the dilemma which faced the Israelites at the Red +Sea, and on their consequent state of mind, which is revealed in +Exodus 14.10-12. These complaints should be quoted in the language +of the Bible. The children might be required to memorize Moses' +reply, which sums up the message of the lesson, "Stand still and see +the salvation of the Lord." Read to the class the song of Moses and +encourage the memorizing of favorite verses from the song. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +FROM THE RED SEA TO SINAI + +Exodus 15.22 to 18.27 + + +=Interpretation.= The significance of the events which took place +at Marah, in the wilderness of Sin, and at Rephidim is the same +as of those recorded in the preceding chapter. The antagonism +felt towards Amalek, which made him the arch-type of all Israel's +historic foes, is to be explained by the fact that he was the first +to go out of his way to oppose Israel, attacking it where it was +weak at a time and in a manner which, because of the lack of any +obvious provocation, impressed the Israelites as a direct attempt +to defeat God's purpose in having brought them from Egypt. This +is suggested by the words, "The hand upon the throne of the Lord; +the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation." +(Exodus 17. 16.) Thus, Ibn Ezra says in his commentary to Exodus +17. 14, "The reason for God's saying, 41 will utterly blot out the +remembrance of Amalek', is because he provoked the Lord, for the +dukes of Edom had been terrified with the dread of Him on account +of the miracles which He had performed in Egypt and at the Red Sea, +and so, too were Moab and Philistia, and behold this Amalek, hearing +of the mighty deeds of the Lord in behalf of His people, Israel, +came from a distant region to fight with Israel, and dreaded not +the Lord, as it is written (Deuteronomy 25. 18), 'and he feared not +the Lord'." The incident of the Israelites being victorious, so +long as Moses' hands were raised, is to be explained as the rabbis +explain it in the Mishnah (Rosh ha-Shanah III. 8). "Could the hands +of Moses in any wise make or break a victory that we are told, 'And +it came to pass when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed'? +This can only mean to tell us that so long as the Israelites looked +upward and subjected their hearts to their Father in heaven, they +prevailed, and when not, they fell." + +The visit of Jethro is recorded as a contrast to the preceding +episode. Jethro is the type of the "righteous proselyte" who, seeing +God's purpose in exalting Israel, seeks to identify himself with +Israel's cause. + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson is the same as of the preceding. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= The teaching of this lesson presents +no great difficulties, the events narrated being in themselves +interesting to children. Try to aid the child in realizing the +hardships of wandering through the wilderness by a description of +the geographical features of the wilderness, the lack of roads, of +water, of food for man and cattle, the fear of wild beasts, and +of marauding tribes like Amalek, the lack of housing facilities, +etc. Endeavor to make the child realize how the Israelites felt, +when contrasting these conditions with those that existed in +the fertile Nile valley. This will help them to understand the +murmurings against Moses, and what a thankless task it was that +Moses had assumed in leading the Israelites. Do not fail to appeal +to their hero worship by pointing out the unselfishness of Moses +in continuing to lead the people in spite of their ingratitude. In +teaching of the double portion of Manna, which they gathered on +the eve of the Sabbath, one may associate it with the two loaves +of bread used at the Sabbath meal in the child's home. In telling +the story of Amalek's attack, it is well to mitigate the harshness +of the Biblical injunction to remember what Amalek did to us, by +associating with it the moral taught by the following Midrash: + +"To what may the children of Israel (at this juncture) be compared? +To a child, who was being carried on his father's shoulders through +the street and whenever he saw any object he desired he would say to +his father, 'Buy it for me', and his father would buy it for him. +This happened once, twice, thrice. While they were proceeding thus, +the child saw his father's friend and asked him, 'Have you seen +anything of my father?' Thereupon, the father offended, said, 'Fool! +you are riding on my shoulders, and whatever you want I provide +for you and yet you dare ask this man, "Have you seen anything of +my father?"' So what did the father do? He put the child down and +refused to carry him any further. Just then a dog came and bit the +child. Even such was the conduct of Israel. When they went forth +from Egypt, God at once surrounded them with clouds of glory. They +desired Manna; the Holy One, blessed be He, gave it them. They +desired quail; He gave it them. Whatever they needed, He gave them. +Nevertheless, they began to doubt and said, 'Is the Lord among us or +not?' (Exodus 17. 7.) Thereupon, the Holy One, be He blessed, said +to them, 'As ye live, I shall make it known to you. Behold the dog +is coming and will bite you.' And who is the dog? Amalek, as it is +said, 'And Amalek came'," etc. + +In teaching this and similar lessons, it is important to locate all +places on the map, as this gives greater reality to the stories. The +association of a legend with a particular place has always had the +effect on simple minds of making it appear more worthy of credence, +and it is well to utilize this psychological fact in order to give +a sense of reliability and reality to the Biblical narrative. To +show pictures of the places mentioned, is even more valuable an aid, +which should also be applied wherever possible. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE REVELATION + +Exodus 19.1 to 20.18 + + +=Interpretation.= The event which is the subject of this lesson is +without exception the most important event in Jewish history, and +from the point of view of Judaism, in the history of the world. +All previous Jewish history leads up to it; all subsequent Jewish +history harks back to it. In the story of the Patriarchs, the +central theme is the choice of the material out of which that nation +is to spring, which will accept the Torah, and commit itself to live +for and by it. The central theme of the story of the exodus is the +preparation of the people for this event, God's purchasing Israel, +to use the Biblical phrase, from his masters, that he might serve +God alone. And the central theme of all subsequent Jewish history +is the struggle to make the principles of this Torah dominant over +Israel and to guard its ideals, and the institutions to which it +gave rise against foreign aggression on the one hand, and foreign +seduction on the other. The event of the great Revelation is +therefore of the utmost significance. + +What took place at Mt. Sinai? Something of the awe which set +bounds about the mountain that the people dared not break through, +must be ours, as we approach this subject. We must realize that +an event such as this cannot be recorded in the terms of our +daily experience. We can only guess and guess feebly at what the +experience meant for our forefathers from the records that they +have left us, clothed in all the poetic imagery of our Bible +narrative. At Sinai, in the midst of most impressive natural +surroundings, thunder, lightning, earthquake, fire and smoke, the +people became conscious of God's presence, as they had never been +conscious of His presence before. And while thus impressed with +the infinite power of the God who had led them out of Egypt that +they might worship Him there in the wilderness, they entered into +a covenant with Him. Under the inspired guidance of the greatest +of all prophets, they were made to realize that this God demanded +obedience to law, as the condition of His continuing to be their God +and to lead them as His people, whom He had redeemed from Egypt. + +And the content of this revealed covenant is the Decalogue, the most +significant moral code in the world's history, which has exercised +an influence upon mankind more profound and beneficent than any +other. After insisting upon the recognition of the God who redeemed +Israel from Egypt as the sole source of all authority and the sole +object of worship, and endeavoring to secure the acknowledgment +of these claims by enjoining reverence for God's name, this code +lays down laws governing all the most important human relations. +It insists on the sanctity of the home, both in the tie between +husband and wife, and between parent and child. It insists on the +sacredness of human life, and guarantees the right of property, +which is essential to human development. It demands truth and +justice in the administration of law. It concerns itself little with +ceremonial forms, but it insists, nevertheless, on the observance of +the Sabbath, without which man cannot attain to full human dignity +and to the consecration of life but sinks to the level of a beast +of burden or an automaton, mechanically securing the means of life +with no leisure to contemplate its ends. Nor is the Decalogue merely +concerned with man's overt acts, but demands purity of motive, for +it condemns covetousness equally with theft and adultery. + +The revelation on Mt. Sinai, meant to the soul of Israel, what the +experience of the prophetic call meant to the prophet, when he first +heard the voice of God appointing him to a mission of which he had +not dreamed before. Israel left Egypt a fugitive horde, it came to +Sinai and was there transformed into a great nation, conscious of +a historic mission that distinguished it from and exalted it above +other peoples, to become "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." +(Exodus 19. 6.) Israel has not always been true to this mission, has +perhaps never lived up fully to all its implications, but from that +time to this Israel has never quite forgotten it, has never lost +faith in it. + +In emphasizing the significance of the Decalogue, one must, however, +not lose sight of the fact that the Ten Commandments were not +the only laws that were revealed to Moses on Sinai, and that the +Sinaitic covenant involved not merely obedience to the Decalogue, +but obedience to all other laws to which Judaism attributes a divine +origin. According to tradition many of the oral laws, which are +not contained in the Bible, were _halakah lemosheh misinai_, "Laws +revealed to Moses on Sinai". Historic criticism may suggest a later +origin to most of these and even to many laws in the Pentateuch, but +there is nothing in the Biblical narrative that limits revelation to +the Decalogue, and, according to Jewish belief, all of the Torah is +revealed. + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson should be to inspire the child with +reverence for the Law, and faith in its divine origin and authority +over him. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= The teacher may well begin the lesson +by calling the child's attention to the reading of the Sefer Torah +in the synagogue. Ask whether the Sefer Torah is, in appearance, +like any other book, and let the children tell the obvious +differences. Inform them of differences of which they are not aware, +as for example, that it is always written by hand and on parchment, +with ink especially prepared for the purpose, etc. Then continue +somewhat as follows: + +"Now, do you know why we always treat this book differently from +other books, why we take such pains in writing it, why we write +it always on strong parchment rather than paper which can tear +easily? Why we dress it, so to speak, in velvet or other beautiful +coverings? Why we decorate it with silver or gold ornaments? Why +we keep it in the most beautiful part of the synagogue? It is +because this book is different from all other books. This book +contains the word of God, which God himself taught to the people of +Israel in ancient times, and which was handed down from father to +son until the present time. It contains the history that we have +been learning, but it contains much more. It contains laws and +commandments that God wants us to keep, and whoever obeys all these +laws and commandments is a good Jew. In the lesson that we shall +take up today, we shall learn how God began teaching these laws to +our fathers, and we shall learn some of the most important of these +laws of God, which are so important that all the civilized nations +have made them a part of their law." + +The great task of the teacher in this lesson is to create that +atmosphere of awe and reverence, with which the Biblical narrative +invests the episode of the Revelation. The mere explanation of +the meaning of the Ten Commandments is not enough to effect this, +because the significance of their content is in large part beyond +the child's comprehension, and their form is too abstract to appeal +to him emotionally. The point of contact that we have suggested will +aid somewhat by associating with the Revelation the reverence that +the child sees paid to the Sefer Torah in the synagogue.[11] A close +following of the Biblical narrative suggests other devices. The +people of Israel were to prepare themselves for three days, and the +necessity for this preparation kept them in an attitude of conscious +suspense and attention. The narrative of these preparations will +have a similar effect. Attempt to arouse the children's curiosity as +to what God was going to tell Israel before you begin to tell them +the Ten Commandments. Exodus 19. 3-6 should be quoted and explained. +The fact that Moses and Aaron were required to set bounds about the +mountain beyond which none but he whom God called could pass, also +adds to the impressiveness of the occasion, which will not be lost +upon the children. Finally, the concomitant disturbances of nature, +the thunders, lightnings, quakings, and flame, and thick darkness, +and the voice of the Shofar waxing louder and louder, together +with the picture of the trembling people at the foot of the mount +and Moses going up alone into the "thick darkness where God was" +must be told in such graphic terms as to impress them deeply on +the imagination of the child. Instead of telling the children the +Ten Commandments in the usual conversational tone that you would +naturally employ when addressing children, it would be well in this +instance to read them the Biblical account from Exodus 19.16 to +20.21, and require that when you come to the actual reading of the +Decalogue, the class rise as the congregation does when it is read +in the synagogue and remain standing until the reading of the Ten +Commandments is completed. + + [11] Of course, such a method of approach is only possible where + the child attends services, but it is exceedingly important that + provision for attendance at a regular service be made by every + religious school. + +The children will, of course, understand very little of the meaning +of the Ten Commandments from the reading, but they will understand +and absorb the reverential attitude of the teacher towards them. +After the reading, however, it devolves upon the teacher to explain +their significance as far as this can be done to children. Avoid, +however, too lengthy and discursive treatment, as the child will +be impatient to go on with the story. A more detailed treatment +of them should be taken up later in the course, either when the +children are taught to translate the Decalogue in their Hebrew work, +or in connection with the instruction about the significance of +Shabuot, or as part of the work of a Bar Mitzvah, or Confirmation +Class, or on several or all of these occasions, but not as a lengthy +interruption to the "story" of the Bible in which children in their +early years of school are most interested. + +The First Commandment can be explained, however, very easily as +implying the grateful worship of God by Israel and obedience to all +His laws as the first duty of the Jew in view of what God had done +for his people in Egypt. + +The Second Commandment need not present any difficulty as the sin +and folly of idolatry, the worship of the creature instead of the +creator, is easily grasped by children. As the child will not be +tempted to idolatry this need not be given much time. + +The Third Commandment, however, should receive more attention +than it usually does. Nothing is more conducive to that spirit of +reverence, which it is the aim of this lesson to cultivate than +the conscious avoidance of God's name, except in association with +a truly religious thought. Profanity is a common vice of children, +as well as of adults. Children, especially during the habit-forming +age, should be made to feel that it is a sin and should be +avoided.[12] + + [12] For other suggestions in this connection see Part II, Chapter + IV, of this book. + +The Fourth Commandment is also of the utmost importance to +childhood. As this is not the first time that reference to the +Sabbath has been made, the teacher may take a knowledge of the +general significance of the Sabbath for granted, and should mainly +dwell on the significance of the phrase "to keep it holy" by asking +the children what we do to keep the Sabbath holy, i. e., different +from other days and devoted to Jewish thoughts. Take occasion to +admonish the children not to attend theatres, moving picture shows, +etc., on the Sabbath, and urge their attendance at services. + +The Fifth Commandment is, of course, the first law of childhood. In +discussing it with the children, try to get from them suggestions as +to how to honor parents. Encourage such rules of family etiquette +as never to contradict father or mother, never to sit in father's +or mother's seat at table, always to rise and give either of them a +seat if the other chairs in the room are occupied when they come in, +and the like. + +The Sixth Commandment needs no prolonged discussion. + +The Seventh Commandment must be explained to mean that husband and +wife must always be faithful and kind to each other. + +The Eighth Commandment needs some discussion, because children are +often prone to petty thieving. In the moral code of many children +stealing means taking money or objects of great value, but the +appropriation of small objects, such as pens, pencils, chalk, +etc., does not come under the same category. Moreover, stealing +only means taking something from somebody's hand or pocket, and +does not include the appropriation of an object which the owner +has carelessly left where another might claim it under the law of +"Finding's keeping", which, according to the code of childhood, +is often held to apply even when the finder knows to whom the +object found belongs. The teacher's duty is, therefore, to take +this opportunity of enlarging the child's concept of theft and +developing his property sense, a sense which is naturally defective +in children, since they neither earn nor hold property in their own +right. Avoid, however, abstract and purely theoretic discussion and +make your point by presenting concrete hypothetical examples for +the exercise of their moral judgment, as, for instance: + +"I am sure that none of you would take from anybody money or +anything else that you thought of great value, but suppose you saw +a little stump of a pencil that a boy had left on his desk, and you +just wanted it, or a piece of chalk from the blackboard, or some +fruit or candy that you saw in your neighbor's desk, would it be +right for you to take it? If you saw some money on the street and +you did not know how it came there, would you take it? If you saw +some money fall from a man's pocket on the street, would you take +it? If you found a pocketbook and when you opened it, saw that it +had a card with the owner's name and address on it, what would you +do? If you found a pocketbook or some money, or some pencils or +books in this school, what would you do, etc.?" + +The meaning of the Ninth Commandment must be extended to enjoin +truthfulness in general. By methods similar to those used in +explaining the Eighth, the teacher must extend the child's concept +of lying to include any kind of conscious deception, the silent lie +equally with the spoken one. + +The Tenth Commandment is a little too subtle and refined for the +child's grasp and need not be dwelt on at length. The teacher need +only explain that to want to steal, even if we are kept back from +stealing because we are afraid of the police, or afraid of our +teachers, or of any punishment, is just as wrong as to steal. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE GOLDEN CALF + +Exodus 32.1 to 34.35 + + +=Interpretation.= The people of Israel could not at once rise to +the height of that conception of God, which had been revealed to +them at Sinai. So long as Moses was with them to tell them the word +of the Lord, they found it possible to believe in God, though they +did not see Him, for He spoke to them daily through the mouth of +His appointed servant, Moses. But Moses had vanished into the thick +darkness, and days and weeks had passed without his return. This +made it increasingly difficult for them to experience the reality of +the invisible God, who had led them from Egypt. They, consequently, +demanded some image to which they might look and which might keep +them in mind of the object of their adoration. Their intention was +not so much to exchange the God who had led them from Egypt for +another as to image Him forth as an aid to their devotion. They, no +doubt, spoke in good faith when they declared, "This is thy god, O +Israel". That they should worship Him in the form of a bull (for the +calf must be understood to be the small image of a bull, small by +reason of the precious metal employed) is not surprising in view of +the common conception of the divinity in that form, both in Egypt +and in Canaan. Aaron reluctantly yields to their importunities, and +the people rejoice in having a God who can go before them. + +But Moses could not yield. To have done so would have meant to +have surrendered all that had been gained in a spiritual way by +the Exodus and the Revelation. The apostasy of the whole people, +which this act threatened, would have rendered his entire mission +fruitless. His sense of despair is well conveyed by the Biblical +narrative in the incident of the breaking of the tables of stone on +which the words of the Decalogue were inscribed. A radical remedy +was needed and Moses did not hesitate to apply it. The support which +he received from the tribe of Levi was a justification for its claim +to be the priestly tribe. + +It is in connection with this event that the character of Moses is +shown in its most sublime aspect as the perfect intercessor. His +zeal did not hesitate to apply the utmost rigor in punishing the +offenders who would not rally to his call, but once the necessary +punishment had been administered, his one thought is of his people, +how they might still be enabled to fulfill the mission to which they +had committed themselves on the day of the Revelation. God suggests +destroying the people who had forfeited their claims to redemption +and making of the descendants of Moses a chosen people, but Moses, +the ideal leader, to whom his charge is dearer than himself, is not +satisfied. Rather would he share in the punishment of his guilty +people than enjoy a selfish salvation and glory from which they are +to be excluded. (Exodus 32.32.) Then God yields to his plea and +agrees to let the people return to the land of their fathers and +to drive out their enemies from before them in accordance with the +terms of the covenant He had made with Israel after the Revelation. +There it is said (Exodus 23.20 to 22) "Behold, I send an angel +before thee, to keep thee by the way, and to bring thee into the +place which I have prepared. Take heed of him and hearken unto his +voice, be not rebellious against him; for he will not pardon your +transgression, for My name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed +hearken unto his voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an +enemy unto thine enemies and an adversary unto thine adversaries." +God's reply to Moses, therefore, is (Exodus 32. 33) "Whosoever hath +sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My book. And now go, lead +the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee; behold, +Mine angel shall go before thee; nevertheless in the day when I +visit I will visit their sin upon them."... And the Lord spoke unto +Moses: "Depart, go up hence, thou and the people that thou hast +brought up out of the land of Egypt unto the land of which I swore +unto Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, saying: 'Unto thy seed will +I give it', and I will send an angel before thee and I will drive +out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, and the Perizzite, +the Hivite, and the Jebusite, unto a land flowing with milk and +honey; for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a +stiff-necked people; lest I consume thee in the way." (Exodus 33. +1-3.) + +The general significance of angels has been discussed in a previous +chapter.[13] It is to be noted, however, that the notion prevailed +that various nations were presided over by special angels delegated +for that purpose. Thus Israel was conceived as having been led +out of Egypt through the agency of an angel, who was furthermore +entrusted with the task of leading the people to the land of +Canaan. But angels, as we have previously shown, were conceived +of as not having any discretionary power, and this angel of the +covenant was only entrusted with leading Israel to the Land of +Promise if the people would be faithful to the covenant. In the +case of any infidelity they had been specifically warned "He will +not pardon your transgression." With the sin of the golden calf, +therefore, Moses at first fears that Israel is totally doomed, but +he is reassured by God's statement that the punishment which must +come will be meted out to each individual sinner on the "day when I +visit" and will not involve the immediate destruction of the whole +people; that on the contrary, the angel would continue to lead them +to their land. But this no longer satisfies Moses. The sin of the +golden calf had convinced him that the people were too weak to live +up to the covenant that they had accepted at Sinai, and that if +their destiny was to be presided over, as that of other peoples, by +an angel, who could not forgive any breach of the covenant, they +were sure to be destroyed. He, therefore, pleads for a more intimate +relation with God, which would exempt Israel from the operations +of the natural law of retribution, by providing for the people's +forgiveness in view of the higher tasks that it undertook to perform +without apparently possessing higher qualifications. If Israel is +merely to be led to the realization of its secular destiny through +the conquest of Canaan, but is not to be more closely identified +with God's cause, by God's going in their midst, Moses prefers to +stay in the wilderness. (Exodus 33. 15.) God's declaring, "I will +not go up in the midst of thee", (Exodus 33. 3) although it comes +immediately after God's renewal of the promise to send His angel to +lead Israel to the land of Canaan, is made the occasion of mourning +and repentance. Moses removes his tent, in which he was wont to +commune with God, and which was consequently known as the Ohel Moed, +"The Tent of Meeting," (see Rashi and Ibn Ezra ad loc.), from the +camp, upon the principle, according to Rashi, that +m'noodeh larab m'noodeh +latalmiyd+ "The disciple must have no dealings with one who is +under the ban of the master." God's refusal to enter the camp of +Israel, Moses construes as obligating also his own withdrawal from +the camp. Here he pleads with God for a clearer knowledge of His +ways that he may be able to lead the people as God had charged +him to do. He wants God to make known to him the angel whom He +had determined to send with him. It is then that he receives the +assurance that he had sought, "My presence shall go with thee and +I will give thee rest." (Exodus 33. 14.) He is further vouchsafed +a revelation of God's attributes, which assures him of God's +readiness to forgive sin, though not to condone it, (Exodus 34. 6, +7), and is instructed to hew out new tablets for the Decalogue in +place of those he had broken. Exodus 33. 22, 23 presents difficulty +because of the anthropomorphic terms used with reference to God. +The general thought it wishes to express, however, seems to be that +nobody can grasp the true personality of God, but can only realize +by reflection and, as it were, retrospectively, that he had been in +God's presence, can, as the Bible expresses it, only catch a glimpse +of His retreating form. + + [13] See Part I, Chapter IX. + +=Aim.= The aim in teaching this chapter should be to arouse in the +child an appreciation of the meaning of loyalty and faithfulness, +a lesson which is taught negatively by Israel's disloyalty in +worshipping the golden calf, and positively by Moses' loyalty in +interceding for his people rather than in remaining satisfied with +his individual enjoyment of God's favor. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= There are many lessons with regard to +sin and repentance and the attributes of God and other theological +topics, which are taught in these chapters, but they are all beyond +the comprehension of children. They have, therefore, been excluded +from our formulation of the aim in teaching this lesson, and the +teacher should omit details of the narrative that do hot emphasize +the aim of the lesson, however interesting they may be from the +adult point of view. Thus the narrative of Exodus 33. 12 to 23 +should be omitted, and much of the dialogue between God and Moses as +well. Moreover, the whole discussion of the part played by the angel +of the covenant and Moses' plea that not an angel but God himself +lead the people, though we have dwelt on it at considerable length +in our foregoing remarks for the benefit of the teacher, need not be +taught to the child. + +To connect the lesson with the previous one, begin by asking one of +the children to repeat the Second Commandment. Then explain how, +in the absence of Moses, the people began to find it difficult to +believe in a God whom they could not see, and, recalling the images +of the gods they had known, demanded an image of their own God in +violation of their pledge to obey the Decalogue. The conduct of +Aaron in yielding to their pleas need not be condoned or explained +away, as the only extenuation the Bible suggests is the importunity +of the popular demand. This, however, the teacher should endeavor to +make his pupils realize by telling them how every day the people +would come to Aaron and would say to him, "Where is Moses and where +is the God who spoke to us, and who, Moses said, would lead us to +the land of our forefathers? We want to see Him. Make an image of +Him for us." And though Aaron would refuse them, they would come +again the next day and the day after, and insist that he make them +an image of their God like the idols, to which they were used, until +one day Aaron became weary of their demands and told them that if +they wanted an image of God, they should bring all their gold and +jewels, their ear-rings, bracelets and rings, out of which he would +make them an image. + +Attempt to make the child realize the heinousness of the offense +involved in the making of the golden calf, as idolatry is so +remote from the child's experience, that he is not likely to be +much impressed by the significance of it. Emphasize not merely the +disobedience involved in violation of the Second Commandment, but +the blasphemy involved in conceiving of God in animal form. The +emotional attitude which the teacher should endeavor to create +should be that which led our forefathers always to speak of the gods +of other nations as the "abominations" of the heathen. This can be +done by describing, as it were, God's feelings at witnessing the +behavior of Israel, as, for instance: + +"When God saw what the people were doing, how they danced and sang +about the golden calf, and shouted, 'This is thy god, O Israel, +which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt', He was very angry. +Only forty days before they had heard His voice telling them, 'Thou +shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thyself +any graven image', and they had promised, 'All that the Lord hath +spoken we will do', and there they were worshipping a molten god +that they had made with their own hands, an image of a calf; as if +a calf or anything like it could have sent the ten plagues against +Egypt, could have divided the waters of the Red Sea, could have +spoken to them the words of the Ten Commandments from the midst +of the flaming mountain. So God wanted at first to destroy them +altogether, and He said to Moses, who was still with Him on the +mountain to learn His law, 'Go; get thee down, for thy people that +thou broughtest up out of the land of Egypt have dealt corruptly; +they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded +them; they have made them a molten calf and have worshipped it and +have sacrificed unto it and have said, "This is thy god, O Israel, +which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." Behold they are a +stiff-necked people and my anger is kindled against them, and I will +destroy them, and I will make of thee a great nation.'" + +Give the children to understand the cause of Moses' breaking the +tablets of the law by making them feel with the despair of Moses, +when, descending from the mount with the tablets in his hand, he saw +the people in the very act of violating the laws written upon them. +Of what use were the tablets of the law if the law itself was not +held sacred? + +Moses' motive for ordering the death of the offenders must be +explained as not being due to hatred, but to his realizing that +if such a measure were not taken, the rest of the people would +be led into further sin, which would necessitate the destruction +of the whole people as punishment for their wickedness, just as +a surgeon may amputate a limb to save a life. Call attention to +the fact that Moses first gives the people a chance to rally about +him if they repented of their participation in the worship of the +golden calf, a chance of which Aaron and the whole tribe of Levi +availed themselves. The purity of Moses' motives is seen from his +willingness to accept the same punishment as his people, if God is +indisposed to forgive them, rather than enjoy a reward and honor in +which they do not share. + +While endeavoring to impress the child with the sublimity of Moses' +character, be careful not to attempt abstract characterization, +but tell the story in such a way that the child appreciates the +significance of Moses' acts and words. Do not say, for example, "Now +Moses, though he was zealous, in punishing those Israelites who had +proved disloyal, was utterly unselfish in his love for Israel." Say +rather, "Now, when Moses had put to death those who had persisted in +worshipping the golden calf, he prayed to God to forgive the sins of +the rest and not to destroy the whole people. For, though God had +offered to spare Moses, who had not sinned, and even to make of his +descendants a great nation instead of the Israelites, who deserved +to be destroyed, do you think that this made Moses happy? No, for +Moses, although he had not hesitated to punish his people according +to God's command, loved them as a father loves his children, even +when they do wrong, and it hurt him to think that God was angry with +them, even though he himself enjoyed God's favor. So he said, 'O +Lord, if thou canst forgive this people, forgive them, but if not, +do not make of me and my descendants a great nation, but blot me out +of thy book', that is to say, 'Let me die and be forgotten like the +rest of these people whom I have led, and whom I love so dearly.' So +God, moved by his loyalty to his people, promised to forgive them +and to continue to lead them to their land." + +Do not fail to mention the fact that when Moses came down from the +mountain his face shone, as such a circumstance adds to the child's +reverence for his hero. + +The following are some suggestive questions which may help to bring +out the point of the lesson for the children: + +Why did the children of Israel want Aaron to make them a golden calf? + +In doing so, what commandment did they disobey? + +Why did Moses break the tablets of stone? + +How were the Israelites punished for their sin? + +What did God threaten to do to Israel for this sin? and what did he +want to do to Moses because he had not sinned? + +Did this please Moses? Why not? What did Moses pray God to do? + +Did God grant this prayer? How did God show that he had forgiven +Israel? + +How did He show that He was pleased with Moses? + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE TABERNACLE AND ITS SERVICE + +Exodus 25.1 to 31.11 and 35.4 to 40.33 + + +=Interpretation.= The Biblical passages dealing with the +construction of the Tabernacle and the nature of its appointments +and the services conducted therein are scattered through a number +of chapters of our Bible, but for pedagogic purposes it is best +to consider them together. Before discussing any details we must +realize the significance of the Tabernacle in general. We are to see +in it the parent of the temple and the synagogue and understand its +significance in the light of the importance of these institutions to +later Judaism. "Let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among +them". (Exodus 25. 8.) Our rabbis paraphrase this by the words, +"that I may cause My _Shekinah_ to dwell among them." Inasmuch as +the _Shekinah_ meant the Divine Presence made manifest, we may +render their meaning in more modern terms by declaring that the +function of tabernacle, temple and synagogue is to make us realize +the presence of God, for though we may theoretically admit His +existence without such institutions, we should not feel the reality +of His presence were it not brought home to us by the organized +worship that they cultivated. But even if it is possible to realize +the presence of God merely by the direct communion of the individual +without any organized communal worship in a community sanctuary, the +God we should then worship would not be the God of Israel and our +religion would not consecrate life to the service of His Torah. And +just as the Tabernacle, to which every animal that was to be eaten +had to be brought for sacrifice, weaned the people from the habit of +sacrificing "to the satyrs," (Leviticus 17. 7) so in later times the +Temple was the center of the national worship as against the rival +cult of Baal and Astarte associated with the "high places", and so +today the synagogue is the institution upon which we must depend to +guard the purity of Jewish religious thought from the influences +of our non-Jewish environment. In view of the significance of the +Tabernacle and its daughter institutions, we cannot begrudge the +space that our Bible gives to its construction and its ritual. + +It is impossible for us to understand the precise symbolic +significance of all the ceremonial objects and decorations of the +Tabernacle, but the very attention that is given to these details is +expressive of an appreciation of the aid to devotion which is to be +found in an appeal to the aesthetic sense of the worshipper. Some of +the symbolism is, however, quite obvious. Thus it is evident that +the placing of the Two Tables of the Law in the Ark which was kept +in the Holy of Holies, and was made of choice wood covered within +and without with gold and guarded by the figures of cherubim wishes +to testify to the sanctity of the Law as the very center and soul +of Judaism. The prohibition to any but the high priest to enter the +Holy of Holies, and the insistence on ritual purity and provisions +for the washing of hands and feet in the brass laver served to +remove the worship from the plane of the commonplace and profane +and aided in creating that atmosphere of reverence and awe which +is indispensible to true worship. The clouds of smoke from the +incense suggested something of the mystery of God as is seen from +its association in rabbinic tradition with the "cloud of glory". +kiy be'anan eraeh al hakaporet+ "For I appear in the cloud upon the +ark-cover" is construed by the Rabbis to mean the cloud of incense. + +With regard to the garments of the priests, the appearance on the +breast plate of the names of the tribes of Israel emphasizes the +representative capacity of the high priest as +sh'liy[h.] [z.]iboor+ +or agent of the congregation, whereas the diadem with the inscription ++qidesh layhevah+ "Holy unto God" was the symbol of his consecration +to God. + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson should be to interest the child in the +synagogue and public worship and more especially to develop in him +the sentiment for beauty, dignity and decorum in the service of God. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= The obvious point of contact between +the lesson and the child is the child's experience of synagogue +worship, an experience which it is the duty of every Jewish school +to provide. Begin the lesson by calling attention to the fact that +Jews everywhere gather together on Sabbaths and holidays and even +on week days to pray to God in houses called synagogues set aside +for that purpose. Then question the children as to the appearance of +the synagogue that they attend, particularly as to how it differs +from other buildings designed to hold large numbers of people, +so as to interest them in the distinctive features of synagogue +architecture and adornment, such as the Ark, the Reading Desk and +the Perpetual Lamp. The children's answers may call attention to +certain features peculiar to their own synagogue which they imagine +to be characteristic of synagogues in general. Their errors can +be corrected in an interesting way by showing them pictures of a +variety of synagogues in different lands and different architectural +styles. + +This done, call attention to the fact that our fathers in the +wilderness needed a house of worship just as much as we do and +therefore when Moses was on the mountain speaking to God, God said +to him, "Let the children of Israel make me a sanctuary that I may +dwell among them." Explain the word "sanctuary" as meaning a holy +place, "like our synagogues." "But how" you continue, "were the +children of Israel to build a house of worship in the wilderness +when they were wandering from place to place and the pillar of cloud +might any day move on and they would have to follow? They could not +take with them on the march a building of wood and stone and they +could not build a new one at every place where they stopped for a +few days. But God gave Moses the idea of a sanctuary that suited +their purpose admirably, because they could take it with them. Have +you any idea what sort of a building that was that they could carry +with them wherever they went?" If there is no response, continue. +"When an army is on the march, the soldiers cannot build houses +over night for themselves to sleep in; what have they for shelter?" +(The children will probably know that soldiers encamped live in +tents.) "Well, the children of Israel when they were wandering in +the wilderness had to live in tents and in huts that they could +take apart and put together again and carry with them from place to +place, and so their sanctuary had also to be a sort of tent that +they could take apart and put together again. But it was not an +ordinary tent. Its curtains were made of the finest cloths, with +beautiful colored designs woven on them by the most famous artists +of the day. The wood that was used for the poles on which the +curtains rested was the very finest wood that could be obtained, and +everything that was in the tabernacle was to be as beautiful as the +hand of man could make it." + +Dwell on the enthusiasm with which the Israelites responded to the +call for the material and labor needed in the construction of the +tabernacle, and on the praise that the Bible bestows on its artists, +Bezalel and Aholiab, whom God filled "with the spirit of God in +wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of +workmanship". (Exodus 35. 31.) + +After this general introduction, it is well for the teacher to show +a picture of the tabernacle to help the class visualize it.[14] But +this will show only the exterior. Draw on the blackboard the plan +of the tabernacle showing not only the division into fore-court, +sanctuary and holy of holies, but also the location of the brass +altar, the laver, the altar of incense, the table of show-bread, the +menorah, and the ark of the covenant. + + [14] Good illustrations of the tabernacle and its appointments, as + also of the priestly garments, are to be found among Tissot's Bible + Illustrations. + +Then proceed: "I have shown you a picture of the outside of the +tabernacle, now let us walk in here where the curtains are drawn +aside to admit us. We find ourselves in a large open court. It is +not at all like the synagogues we are used to. It has walls to be +sure, but they are of curtains, and as for a ceiling it has none +at all, except the blue sky above. Nor are there any seats, but +everybody stands during the service, which consists for the most +part of the sacrifice of an animal on the altar, accompanied by the +playing of musical instruments, and the singing of hymns by the +Levites,[15] (men of the tribe of Levi) to whom the care of the +sanctuary was entrusted. After the sacrifice, which is performed +by Aaron or one of his sons, the _cohanim_ or priests bless the +congregation with outstretched hands in words which are still part +of the service and which your parents say when they bless you on +Sabbath and holidays, 'The Lord bless thee and keep thee, the Lord +make His face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee, the Lord +lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace,' (Numbers 6. +22-27.) But this part of the tabernacle is not the holy part called +the sanctuary or holy place. Into this holy place which is separated +from the outer court by curtained walls, and which had a sort of +roof, not of wood, but of ram's skins dyed red and of badger skins, +only the priests, who are themselves holy, because their whole life +is given up to the service of God, may come. But we know from what +the Bible tells us exactly what it contained." Then describe the +furnishings of the sanctuary and continue. "The most holy part of +all, however, only Aaron, or, after his death, the chief priest +of his time, called high priest, was permitted to enter, and that +only once a year on the great Day of Atonement, or else when God +would call him. And the Holy of Holies, as it was called, contained +nothing but a beautiful ark or box, of which I shall show you +a picture, and in this beautiful gold covered, and artistically +decorated ark there were placed the two tables of stone that God had +given Moses, with the ten commandments engraved on them." + + [15] There is no direct evidence of this being part of the worship + of the tabernacle, but we know it to have been part of the Temple + worship and as hymns are common in ancient rituals our statement is + probably correct. + +Do not depend too much on description which easily grows tiresome, +but show pictures of all the important objects in the sanctuary and +of the priestly garments. + +In the discussion which follows the presentation of the lesson, +again associate the tabernacle with the synagogue, this time +emphasizing points of similarity rather than of difference. Thus the +position of the _sefer torah_ in the _aron_ which occupies the most +conspicuous place in the synagogue is analogous to the position of +the Tables of the Law in the ark in the tabernacle. Similarly the +_ner tamid_ is the analogue of the _menorah_, etc. + +But just as the presentation of the lesson was not merely by the +spoken word, so the reproduction of it should not be in words only, +but the class should be encouraged to draw pictures of the sanctuary +and its objects, and the best drawings should be hung about the +room. In this way the impulse to bring art into the service of +religion may at once be utilized by enabling the children to employ +art in embellishing the religious school which should also be made +to appeal to them as a _mi[k.]dash me'a[t.]_ "a minor sanctuary." + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +TRIALS OF MOSES AND ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS + +Leviticus 10.1-7. Numbers 9.15-23, also 11.1 to 12.16 + + +=Interpretation.= We have grouped in this chapter a number of +episodes in the wandering of the children of Israel, because any +one of them is too small to occupy a single lesson and because +all deal with the same general theme, though with significant +variations--rebellion and its punishment. + +With regard to the episode of the death of Nadab and Abihu, recorded +in Leviticus 10. 1 to 3, the Bible describes their offense as the +bringing of "strange fire" into the sanctuary. This offense in +itself seems disproportionate to the punishment, consequently, the +rabbis in commenting on the passage try, on the one hand, to ascribe +the punishment of the sons of Aaron to sins not expressly recorded +in the text, as for instance the sin of being intoxicated during the +service, which they derived from the fact that the prohibition of +drinking before the performance of a sacrifice immediately follows +the narrative of this incident, or, on the other, to regard Nadab +and Abihu as martyrs, who died by the divine decree to exhibit the +sanctity of the tabernacle and its ritual without really having +incurred the divine displeasure. This interpretation is based on +Leviticus 10. 3, "Then Moses said unto Aaron, 'This is it that the +Lord spoke, saying: 'Through them that are nigh unto Me I will be +sanctified and before all the people I will be glorified,'' And +Aaron held his peace." To be sure this verse may be construed to +mean that Nadab and Abihu had been punished for their failure to +sanctify God, but in view of the fact that the Hebrew term for +martyrdom is "_[k.]iddush ha-shem_" "the sanctification of God's +name" and in view of the fact, furthermore, that it would be +expected of Moses under the circumstances to say something consoling +to Aaron, who was himself innocent, rather than to emphasize the +wickedness of his sons this view of the incident must not be +lightly dismissed. In fact, the simple reading of the text suggests +a combination of these two interpretations. In taking "strange +fire", i.e., fire that had not been taken from the divinely kindled +flame on the altar (Leviticus 9. 24.), Nadab and Abihu had abused +their priestly prerogative, making themselves the masters of +the ritual of the sanctuary instead of its servants. But such a +ritual transgression might have been forgiven were it not for the +importance of the occasion, the consecration of the tabernacle, +and for the dignity of their office which demanded that they be +exceptionally circumspect in their conduct. Their punishment was, +therefore, more severe than the offense would warrant in the +case of any other than a consecrated person. Its severity was in +proportion to the holiness of the sanctuary that had been violated +and of the priestly office that had been profaned rather than to the +heinousness of the offense in itself, and it expressed God's desire +to impress upon the people the sanctity of the tabernacle and its +ritual. In dealing with Nadab and Abihu God was acting in accordance +with the rabbinic statement to the effect that "with the righteous +God is exacting even to a hair's breadth," and the rabbis could, +therefore, view the death of the Sons of Aaron somewhat in the light +of martyrdom. + +The remaining incidents, with the exception of the prophesying of +Eldad and Medad are, as we have already said, examples of rebellion +and its punishment. They are interesting instances of the trials of +Moses in his leadership of the people. Their moral is the duty of +loyalty to legitimate authority. The punishment of the people at +Kibroth-hattaavah is an excellent example of how inordinate desire +brings its own punishment, and suggests, as one of the grounds +for loyalty, submission and discipline, the fact that what we +most desire is not always what is most beneficial for us, a very +important moral for children. + +The sin of Miriam is described by the Rabbis as _lashon ha-ra_' +"slander," Its lesson is that it is wrong not merely to rebel +against righteous leadership, but even to detract from the honor +that is due to noble characters. The charge that Aaron and Miriam +brought against Moses was not the charge of any moral offense +or offense against the Law, for the Torah expressly prohibits +intermarriage only with the people of Canaan, the construction of +the law to make it applicable to all intermarriage only dating from +about the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. According to a Jewish tradition +the Cushite woman whom Moses had married is identical with Zipporah, +the daughter of Jethro. This would, of course, be untenable if +Cush necessarily meant Ethiopia, as it is usually rendered, but +it is generally thought that there was an Arabian Cush as well, +in which case the identification is possible. Miriam's resentment +was, therefore, not on religious grounds. The incident is probably +recorded in the Bible because of the opportunity it gives of +revealing the patient and forgiving character of Moses. + +The same is illustrated even more strikingly by Moses' reply to his +overzealous disciple Joshua, when he was told that Eldad and Medad +had been prophesying in the camp. His only reply is "Would that +all the Lord's people were prophets". Inasmuch as prophecy was a +gift bestowed upon the council of seventy elders (Numbers 11. 25), +whom Moses had been commanded to appoint, the fact that Eldad and +Medad, who were not among the seventy, nevertheless "prophesied" +might very well have been construed as indicating a presumptuous and +rebellious attitude. According to a tradition which has considerable +support from Numbers 11. 26, the number of men originally chosen +were seventy-two, six from each tribe, but of these two were to be +eliminated by lot and Eldad and Medad, rather than put anyone else +to possible embarrassment, refused to go to the tabernacle when +the lot was taken. This much of the _haggadah_ is at least implied +in the verse, that Eldad and Medad had originally been designated +for this assembly of elders for they were _ba-ketubim_ among those +"recorded" but did not join the rest, for they had not gone out +"unto the Tent and they prophesied in the camp." If we assume that +their not going to the tabernacle was a voluntary refusal to hold +office their conduct stands in striking contrast to the conduct of +Korah and his followers. + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson is to teach children the duty of +obedience, discipline and self-control. The contrast between the +attitude of Nadab and Abihu and that of Moses points out the +desirability of a humble and modest attitude, especially on the +part of those in authority, whereas the punishment of the rebellion +of the people at Taberah and Kibroth-hattaavah and of Miriam for her +unjust criticism of Moses teach the need of submission to righteous +authority and loyalty to disinterested leadership. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= A brief review, by question and +answer, of the previous lesson, will serve as a point of contact +for the story of the sin of the sons of Aaron. Tell how, after +the tabernacle had been completed, there was a great celebration +continuing for eight days, during which time Moses taught Aaron and +his sons, who, as priests, were to perform the sacrifices for the +people and in general to lead in the service, exactly what they were +to do, when, where and how to kill the animals that were sacrificed, +how to make the incense that had to be burnt, how to arrange the +shew-bread and prepare the cakes of the meal-offering, etc. On the +eighth day God himself, with fire from heaven, lit the wood that +had been piled on the altar and thus started the fire there, which +the priests were commanded never to let die out, but always to keep +burning. Be careful to impress the children with the sinfulness of +Nadab and Abihu's conduct, which the bare narrative of the facts +as recorded in the Bible will not accomplish. This can be done by +suggesting something of the solemnity of the occasion and of the +frivolity of their attitude in this wise: + +"Now Aaron and two of his sons, Eliezer and Ithamar, listened very +attentively to all the instructions they had received from Moses +and were determined to carry them out exactly. They felt that as +priests, chosen from among all the people to lead in the worship +of God, it was for them to set an example of faithful obedience to +all He said, the small things as well as the great. But the two +other sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, felt differently. They, too, +were proud of their new office as priests, but instead of feeling +that they must lead the people in obedience to God's laws as taught +by Moses, they felt that they as priests could do as they pleased +with the service and did not have to follow the directions of Moses. +So when they were told to burn the incense with fire lit at the +flame of the altar that God had kindled, they said to themselves, +'What difference whether we burn the incense with this holy fire +or with any other', so they took 'strange fire', that is fire that +they themselves had kindled, and brought it into the sanctuary to +show that they as priests could perform the service in whatever way +they pleased. At this God was very angry. Had an ordinary Israelite +disobeyed in some small particular it would not have been as great +an offense, but Nadab and Abihu were priests whom God expected to +lead the people in obedience and who now had set an example of +disobedience on the very day of the dedication of the tabernacle +to God's service. It was just as if a teacher had left her class +for a time in charge of a monitor whom she trusted, and then found +out later that this monitor had himself disobeyed her and had set +an example of disobedience to the class in her absence. Do you not +think the teacher would be more angry at her monitor than if he +had never been appointed to that office? That is why God was now +so angry at Nadab and Abihu and resolved that as they had set an +example of rebellion and disobedience He would make their punishment +an example so that others should be duly warned not to do as they +had done." Then follows the story of the death of Nadab and Abihu. +Do not fail to dwell on Aaron's resignation in recognition of God's +justice. + +In discussing the incident that gave its name to Kibroth-hattaavah +it is well to give other examples to show that what we most desire +is not always best for us and to have the children give examples, as +this is a moral of particular importance to childhood, suggesting +as it does a reason for that deference to elders upon which the +training of children is dependent. The case of the glutton who +craves foods that are not good for him, of the drunkard who craves +drink that proves his ruin, of the child who prefers truancy or the +pursuits of pleasure to diligence in study, etc., may all serve as +examples of sins, the very indulgence in which effects their own +punishment. But dwell particularly on the fact of the child's not +knowing what is for his own good as well as his parents know, and +the consequent duty of the child to defer to their judgment. + +The narrative of Moses' relations to Eldad and Medad presents no +difficulty. In telling Miriam's sin and punishment the emphasis +should be rather on the forgiving and magnanimous spirit of Moses +than on the pettiness of Miriam's attitude. Point out how hurt +Moses must have felt at Miriam's unjust accusation, which implied +that Moses was trying to arrogate authority to himself but how, +nevertheless, he felt no satisfaction when God punished Miriam but +prayed that she be healed and forgiven. God's vindication of Moses +(Numbers 12. 6-8) should be quoted in Biblical language. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE SPIES + +Numbers 13.1 to 14.45. Deuteronomy 1.20-46 + + +=Interpretation.= Little need be said by way of interpretation +of this episode, as the Biblical narrative makes its point very +clear. It shows us the consequences of a lack of faith and of a +lack of that courage which faith inspires. As a substitute for this +courage born of faith, not even the fury of despair can avail. This +is illustrated by the disastrous defeat of the Israelites when, +spurred on by their fear of facing the punishment for their previous +cowardice, they finally do rush to the attack contrary to the advice +of Moses, leaving the ark of the covenant behind them. The story +is, moreover, significant as showing the providential purpose of +the forty years of wandering through the wilderness--namely, the +rearing of a new generation inured to hardship and imbued with the +hope of future triumph. The faults of this slave people that needed +correction are graphically illustrated in the picture the Bible +draws of the reception with which the words of the ten spies and +of Joshua and Caleb respectively met: the panic and rebellion, the +ineffectual wailing, the clamor for a new leader to lead them back +to Egypt and the threats to stone their present leaders. The sublime +devotion of Moses is again pictured to us in his pleas for the +people and his refusal of a glorious future for himself and his seed +in which Israel should have no share. + +=Aim.= The aim in teaching this lesson is to thrill the child's +heart with admiration for the virtues of faith and courage. It +should help to establish in his mind the association of his religion +with all the heroic virtues that are dear to the heart of boyhood. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= Before telling this story, read over +the Biblical account in Numbers and Deuteronomy carefully in order +to get the spirit of the Biblical narrative. The Bible does not +stop to moralize, but tells its tale graphically and dramatically, +and so should the teacher. The words of the ten spies on the one +hand, and of Joshuah and Caleb on the other, should be given in +direct discourse and in Biblical language. Attempt to help the child +picture in his mind the scene in the camp when the spies returned +and rendered their report. Aid him to realize the psychology of +the people by bringing to his attention what it meant for them, a +people untrained in warfare, to fight against the Canaanites, secure +in their fortified cities. It will be more difficult to enable the +pupils to grasp the motive for the rash assault which the people +did finally undertake. This one must do by bringing before their +eyes pictures of the hardships of the prospective wanderings of the +Israelites in the wilderness, which made them unable to face further +wandering as an alternative to a possible defeat by the Canaanites. +Try to make the class view the situation through the eyes of the +Israelites at that time. This can be done by speaking to them +somewhat as follows: + +"When Moses had told the people that they would be punished by +having to wander forty years in the wilderness until all of them had +died and a new generation had grown up to take their places, they +were more terrified than ever. Frightened as they had been at the +thought of making war against the giant Canaanites in their walled +cities, they were even more frightened at the thought of having to +wander forty long years more in the wilderness, all the rest of +their lives in fact, and never even seeing the land which God had +promised to their fathers where, all this time, they had thought +that they would at least find rest from their hardships and toils. +They thought of all they had endured until then on the journey. The +scorching heat of the desert sun by day, the biting cold of the +desert winds by night, the hunger and the thirst, the long marches +over treeless rocky hills and valleys. But all that time they had +been cheered by the thought that some day the end would come and +they would be able to find rest in their new land, the Land of +Promise. But even this hope was now taken away from them and they +felt that anything would be better than to wander in the wilderness +until they died. Even to be killed in fighting the Canaanites seemed +better now. So they said, 'Lo, we are here and will go up unto the +place which the Lord hath promised; for we have sinned'." + +It may also prove difficult to help the child understand why this +change of front was not acceptable to God. The child does not +naturally analyze motive and would not see, unless it is called +to his attention, why, since as a matter of fact the Israelites +did go up to attack the enemy, they were punished by being driven +back. This can best be done by suggesting analogies with situations +within the range of a child's experience. One may in discussing +this topic, after having completed one's narrative, raise this very +question. "Why did God say he would not be with them if they went +up to attack the enemy after they had changed their mind?" and, not +receiving a satisfactory answer, one may explain in some such manner: + +"If the Israelites had decided to attack the enemy immediately when +they had heard Joshua's and Caleb's words, God would have been with +them and helped them to win the victory. But, at that time, when God +wanted them to go they were unwilling. They did not believe that He +would help them. Later when they wanted to go, because they were +afraid to wander forty years in the wilderness, it was too late. God +was not then willing. The time to obey a command is when it is given +and not after one is threatened with punishment for disobedience. If +a teacher were to give a boy some school work to do and he refused, +until she told him to stay in after school to do it and only then he +agreed to do the work rather than stay in, do you think the teacher +would be satisfied with that? No, she would say justly, 'You had +your chance to obey when the other children had, now if you are +sorry show it by taking the punishment you deserve'." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +MORE TRIALS OF MOSES + +Numbers 16.1 to 17.26, also 20.1 to 13 and 21.5 to 9 + + +=Interpretation.= The central idea that runs through all the +important episodes of these chapters is the immensity of the problem +of leadership that confronted Moses, and the contrast between the +selfish and fickle passions of the people, passions that were +constantly menacing the very existence of Israel, and the sublime +patience and constancy of Moses, although on one occasion his sorely +tried patience can stand the strain no longer and he commits the sin +by which he forfeits his right to enter the Promised Land. + +The difficulties against which Moses had to contend before the event +narrated in the preceding lesson, were multiplied after that event. +If the people before that time had been restive and discontented +whenever confronted with a difficulty, though they could always +console themselves by looking forward to their journey's end in +the Land of Promise, it was but natural that thereafter their +dissatisfaction would be greatly intensified. They had threatened +to appoint another head to lead them back to Egypt, and though +at the time this may have been nothing but an idle threat, the +opposition to Moses soon found a leader in the person of Korah, +the son of Izhar. Though he was himself a Levite, he coveted the +higher office of the priesthood to which Aaron and his family had +been appointed, but, with the instinct of the true demagogue, +posed as the champion of the people against the arbitrary authority +of the Levitical priesthood, and of Moses in appointing Aaron and +his sons as priests. He said to Moses and Aaron, "Ye take too much +upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them +and the Lord is among them; wherefore then do ye lift up yourselves +above the assembly of the Lord "? (Numbers 16. 3.) Moses' reply to +Korah shows that he saw through this pretentious championship of +the people to the envy and ambition of Korah, which were his real +motives. "Hear now, ye sons of Levi; is it but a small thing unto +you that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation +of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the +tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to +minister unto them; and that He hath brought thee near, and all thy +brethren the sons of Levi with thee? and will ye seek the priesthood +also? Therefore thou and all thy company that are gathered together +against the Lord--and as to Aaron, what is he that ye murmur against +him?" (Numbers 16. 8 to 11.) But Korah's championship of the claims +of all Israel to the priesthood won him a large following among the +other tribes, particularly among their ambitious leaders. Dathan and +Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, all of the tribe +of Reuben, are his particular henchmen, and he had also succeeded +in winning over to his cause two hundred and fifty of "the princes +of the congregation, the elect men of the assembly, men of renown." +The sedition had spread so far that nothing could have prevented the +reversion to a complete state of anarchy, save the destruction of +all those that took part, in a way so striking that it would reveal +clearly the divine purpose. This was provided for by the ordeal that +is narrated in the text. But the disaffection had spread so far that +many of the people resented the death of Korah and his followers and +were inclined to hold Moses responsible for it, until the miracle +of the blossoming of Aaron's staff convinced them. It is necessary +for the student of the Bible to understand the extent and purport of +Korah's rebellion lest he conceive of the punishment of Korah and +his followers as visited upon them merely because of an offense of +"lèse majesté", and, consequently, as utterly disproportionate to +the offense. + +The narrative of the sin of Moses and Aaron for which they were +prohibited from entering the Promised Land does not make very clear +to the modern reader precisely what the Bible views as constituting +their sin. One possible interpretation, however, is that Moses by +his words, "Hear now, ye rebels, are we to bring you forth water out +of this rock?" (Numbers 20. 10) which were followed by his striking +the rock and his failure to speak to it as God had commanded +prevented the providential character of the water's flowing from +being apparent. The incident might have been interpreted by the +popular mind as if Moses, by the magic of his staff, had himself +caused the water to flow, as is suggested by his use of the first +person, "Are we to bring you forth water," and by his failure +to comply literally with God's command. He, thus permitted an +opportunity of sanctifying God's name to pass by yielding to passion +and thinking at the time of his personal grievance more than of his +service to God. Inasmuch as this partook of the nature of the sins +of that generation of Israel, he and Aaron were to take their share +also in the punishment of Israel and were not to enter the Promised +Land. + +The thought suggested by the punishment of Nadab and Abihu recurs +again in this connection, viz: that the greater the man and his +responsibilities, the more circumspect must he be in his conduct. + +The incident of the brass serpent must be interpreted in the light +of the rabbinic comment on that subject to which we have called +attention in connection with the holding up of Moses' hands during +the battle with the Amalekites. + +"Is it then in the power of a serpent to slay or to bring to life? +But so long as the Israelites gazed heavenward and subjected their +hearts to their Father in heaven they were healed, and, if not, +they were destroyed." (Rosh ha-Shanah III, 8.) By looking up to the +brass serpent that Moses had been instructed to make, the people +testified, as it were, to their faith in God's power to heal them +from the serpent's bites. It is interesting to note that when, at a +later time in the history of the people the serpent itself became +the object of reverence and of idolatrous worship, it was destroyed +by order of King Hezekiah, in accordance with the teaching of the +prophets (2 Kings 18. 4). + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson is to develop an appreciation +of disinterested loyalty, steadfast faith and even temper, +and a contempt for selfish ambition, uncontrolled passion and +faithlessness. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= The method to be used in accomplishing +this aim is not that of drawing an abstract moral from the events +of the narrative, but one must tell one's story with feeling for +its hero, Moses, in such a way that the pupil identifies himself +with his hero and feels toward the enemies of Moses an almost +personal hostility. Before the child reaches adolescence, analysis +of character is not natural to him, and the discussion of men's +virtues and vices fruitless, but imitation of character is natural, +and hero-worship is the lever by which he may be moved to acquire a +love for virtue and a disgust with vice. + +In order to put the character of Moses in a heroic light make the +class appreciate the depth of the ingratitude and treachery against +which Moses had constantly to contend, and how difficult this made +his task of leadership. Begin by calling on a child to tell the +story of the preceding lesson. Then call attention to how sad Moses +must have felt when after all he had done for the people they were +ready in the face of every difficulty to disobey and rebel, and how +much Moses must have loved and pitied them to have prayed to God for +their forgiveness rather than simply accept from God the promise +of a happy future for himself and his descendants. Call attention +to the fact that this was not the first time that the people had +disobeyed Moses and rebelled or murmured against him, and ask the +children to tell other instances. Draw from them as many instances +as possible since this not only helps in an interesting way to +refresh the children's memory of what they had already learnt, but +also to understand what is to follow. Then continue: + +"Just as the murmuring of the people against Moses, when they heard +the report of the ten spies was not the first instance of their +rebellion against their patient leader, so it was not the last. In +fact, it became harder for Moses to lead the people now than ever." + +The reason for this can best be explained by an analogy drawn from +the experience of children, as for example: + +"You know that when a baseball team wins one game after the other +everybody praises the captain and all the members of the team are +ready to obey him, but if he loses one game after the other, they +all begin to criticise and find fault and everybody feels that he +himself would have made a better captain than the one who had been +chosen, although it may not at all have been the captain's fault +that the team was unsuccessful. So it was with the Israelites. So +long as they still hoped that Moses was going to lead them to a +land flowing with milk and honey, they were ready in the main to +obey him, except when they were afraid on account of some special +hardship and feared that he would never get them there after all; +but when Moses himself told them that they would have to wander +about for forty years in the wilderness until all the grown men +of that day should have died, they were very bitter against him. +Instead of blaming themselves, and their own cowardice and lack of +faith in God, they blamed Moses, like the losing team that blames +its captain instead of its own poor playing. And so they thought of +appointing a new captain, another man than Moses, to act as their +leader." + +At this point introduce the character of Korah to the class and tell +them of his envy of Moses, of his coveting the position of Aaron, +and of his subtle attempts to secure the leadership by telling the +people that they were all everyone as good as Moses and Aaron, for +they were all members of a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation." + +After describing success of Korah's propaganda, and pointing out +the helplessness of Moses and the extreme danger of his position, +tell of Moses' decision to entrust his vindication to God. If Korah +and his followers wished to claim the priesthood, let them act as +priests, each burning incense in the censer that he held in his +hand, and God would show whether he wanted to accept them as priests +or not. + +The judgment that was pronounced upon Korah and his followers will +then mean for the child the just punishment of disloyalty and will +reinforce his detestation of the qualities displayed by Korah and +his like, but if the teacher fails to prepare the way by enlisting +the child's interest in the situation as it developed between Moses +and the people, by some such method as we have suggested, the story +will mean little more to him than the account of an earthquake. +From the point of view of religious education, a knowledge of the +manner of Korah's punishment is not of so much consequence as an +understanding of the sin for which he was punished. + +In telling the story of the sin of Moses and Aaron, guard against +appearing to detract from the character of Moses. If the previous +lessons have been properly taught the child should by this time have +developed an intense admiration for Moses and would be inclined to +resent any disparagement of his hero, even to the point of secretly +feeling that the sin of Moses was no real sin and that his teacher's +treatment of him was quite unfair and was merely an attempt to +apologize for God's not letting him enter Canaan. The rabbis say +that the reason for God's mentioning the sin of Nadab and Abihu +was to keep us from inferring that their death was a punishment +for other and more grievous sins. One cannot help feeling that +the narrative of the sin of Moses had a similar purpose, the very +fact that Moses was so severely punished for so apparently slight +an offense, being meant to show the esteem in which he was held and +how much God expected of him, in consequence. At any rate, this +is the spirit in which it were best to approach this subject. The +emphasis should be on the provocation to sin and on Moses' pious +acceptance of his punishment and his readiness to continue leading +the people to the Promised Land even after he could not expect to +share in their final triumph. The liturgy for Simhath Torah contains +the words, "Moses died. Who shall not die?" The sentiment that the +teacher should seek to arouse by this lesson is somewhat similar. +"Moses sinned, who can be sinless?" If Moses, who is described as +the meekest of men, could sin in a moment of passion, how much more +should we guard ourselves against sin and especially when under the +influence of passion. + +In telling of how the people who had been bitten by the serpents +were healed when they looked up to the brass serpent that Moses +had made, guard against letting the child attribute any magic to +the image of the serpent itself. This can best be done by telling +them the explanation of this episode suggested above in our +interpretation. One might also associate the incident with what they +had learnt of the influence of the hands of Moses in the battle with +the Amalekites. Moreover, it might be well to tell them of how the +people's false conception of its significance in later times led to +its destruction by a pious king of Judah. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +ISRAEL ARRIVES AT THE BORDER OF THE PROMISED LAND + +Numbers 21.1 to 3 and 21 to 35, also 22.1 to 24.25, also 31.1 to 54 +and 32.1 to 42 + + +=Interpretation.= The wandering through the wilderness, which +in this chapter draws to a close, has had its desired effect in +producing a race capable of giving battle. Its powers are put to the +test by the necessity of pushing its conquests through the territory +of Sihon, King of the Amorites, and of Og, King of Bashan. + +The command to conquer these nations and the Promised Land itself +may present religious difficulties to some. Indeed, such wars of +conquest are responsible for the charge frequently brought against +religion in general, that it brought bloodshed and persecution into +the world. This would, however, be an entirely wrong conception +of the significance of this _mil[h.]emet mi[z.]wah_. We must bear in +mind that warfare was the normal state of the ancient world. If we +ask why God so ordained, we can give no answer any more than we +can to the general question of why God suffers evil to exist and +then desires man to contend against it. But no religious person +really believes that God desires the evil. Similarly we must not +construe these chapters to assume that God desires or ever desired +war but merely that, warfare between the nations being inevitable +in an age when there were no peaceful methods of settling national +and tribal disputes, God desired Israel to be victorious because +her civilization was superior to that of Canaan. Even the command +to exterminate the inhabitants must be construed in the light of +the fact that otherwise the only alternative was perpetual warfare +between the races on the land or an assimilation of Israel to the +native races with the loss of the hope that Israel's victory held +out to the world. Again and again are we told in the Torah that the +sole justification for Israel's conquest is the sinfulness of the +nations of Canaan, and that Israel's sinfulness would subject it +to the same treatment as was meted out to the Canaanites. In the +very chapters that we are considering now it is to be noted that +the command to conquer the land applied originally only to Canaan, +to which the people laid claim by virtue of inheritance from the +patriarchs who had dwelt there, and that, therefore, all that was +originally demanded of the trans-Jordanic lands is the right to pass +through without doing any injury in transit. It is only when this is +definitely refused that the Israelites are permitted to resort to +arms. + +The story of Balaam and Balak is significant as a poetic expression +of the invincibility of Israel. Balaam is sent for by Balak to curse +Israel because of the reputation that this heathen prophet and +sorcerer enjoyed. Though tempted by the bribes offered by Balak he +knows that God will not suffer him to pronounce an effective curse +upon Israel and at first refuses to go. He is, however, finally +permitted to go, after due warning, both before he sets out and +again when the angel opposes him on the way, not to speak anything +save what God puts into his mouth. The final result is that he +blesses Israel and curses Moab. + +The reader should not be troubled by the apparent admission that a +magic power attaches to a formula of curse or blessing, as the point +of the story is not to teach that curses are or are not effective, +but that, whether they are or not +lo na[h.]ash b'ya'eqob v'lo qesem +b'yisrael+ which, though usually translated otherwise, may fittingly +be rendered, "There is no enchantment against Jacob and no +divination against Israel." (Numbers 23.23.) In rabbinic tradition +the story of Balaam's dialogue with his ass is the classical text +for the preaching of humane treatment to animals. It is still +capable of yielding that moral. + +The incident of the oath taken by the tribes of Reuben, Gad and +Manasseh has a very obvious moral in its insistance on Jewish +unity and cooperation. "We will not return unto our houses until +the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance". +(Numbers 32. 18.) The fear of Moses that the premature settlement +of the trans-Jordanic tribes might lead to division in Israel +was certainly well-founded in view of subsequent events when the +development of local tribal jurisdictions almost threatened the +existence of the nation in the days of the Judges. + +=Aim.= To strengthen the child's faith in God's choice of Israel. + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= In telling of the wars of Israel all +harrowing details would naturally be omitted and the emphasis put +not on the fight, but on the victory which Israel won by the help +of God. A good point of contact for beginning the story could be +obtained by recalling the narrative of the report of the ten spies +and of the punishment to which Israel was sentenced by reason of its +acceptance of this report. + +Then show how God's punishment was adapted to the offense in that +it gave Israel the opportunity to rear a generation of brave men +in the free atmosphere of the wilderness. Be sure that the child +understands the advantage of the training in the wilderness for the +new generation, over the experience of their fathers in Egypt. It +will not suffice to state the thing abstractly, but make your point +clear by repeated illustration as follows: + +"Many years had now passed since the children of Israel had sent +the ten spies and had been told that they could not enter the +Promised Land until all the full grown men of that day should have +died. During these years almost all of that generation who had been +afraid to go up into the land had died and their sons and daughters, +who, at that time, had been children, or had not yet even been +born, had now grown up to manhood. And they were a very different +generation from what their fathers had been. In the first place they +were different in appearance. Their fathers, who in youth had been +slaves to Pharaoh, had grown up with backs bent by the burdens they +had to carry. Many of them had been permanently weakened and even +deformed by the hard treatment they had received in Egypt. But their +children, who had grown up in the wilderness and had lived all their +lives out of doors, with plenty of fresh air and healthful exercise, +and with no one to make them work at labor that was too hard for +them, grew up straight and sturdy, broad-shouldered and muscular, +like well-trained athletes. They were as different in appearance as +a poor peddler whom you may see carrying his pack on his shoulders +is from the strong and vigorous farm hand. + +"Nor did they differ in appearance only, but also in character. +Slavery had made cowards of their fathers. The slightest act of +disobedience to the task-masters bringing instant punishment, they +had learned to fear every enemy. No doubt their fathers had been +warned in childhood never to attack an Egyptian no matter what he +did, because they would in the end have to suffer for it. And so +their fathers had become accustomed to thinking of themselves as too +weak to fight and when they saw the Canaanite warriors they said, +'We are like grasshoppers compared to them.' But their sons who had +grown up in the wilderness did not know the meaning of fear. They +were used to hardship and dangers, for the wilderness was beset by +all manner of wild beasts and wild men also, and this had trained +them to be brave. Moreover they saw from childhood up how God at +every step helped His people, how He helped them at the Red Sea, how +He fed them on Manna, etc., and they said to themselves, 'Since God +is with us, we need not fear, what can man do unto us.'" + +You are now in a position to tell of the campaigns against Sihon +and Og, stressing the overtures of peace, the rejection of which +justified the invasion, and enlarging on the Israelites' sense of +triumph which resulted from their victories, in which they saw the +beginning of the realization of God's promise to give them the land +of Canaan. + +This is a good point in the narrative at which to trace the route of +Israel's marches through the wilderness and to locate the important +places on the map. + +In telling the story of Balak and Balaam be careful not to leave +the child with a superstitious belief in the efficacy of a curse, +not only because superstition is in itself evil, but because the +association of religion with superstition becomes very dangerous to +the former when the child reaches an age at which he will in all +probability see the unreasonableness of the superstition. Make it +plain that Balak's sending for Balaam to curse Israel does not mean +that Balaam actually possessed this power, but merely that Balak +believed him to possess it in accordance with the superstition of +his day. The point of the narrative should lie in the discomfiture +of Balak, which teaches that when God is bent on blessing, no human +being can effectively curse, and that God had destined Israel for +blessing. Do not make this explanation as a digression from the +story, but weave it into the narrative itself by suggestion as +follows: + +"Now Balak, the king of Moab, had heard that there lived in +Mesopotamia, a famous sorcerer named Balaam, and that whomever this +Balaam blessed would be sure to have good luck, and whomever he +cursed, bad luck, and, being very superstitious, as were most of the +people in his day, he believed that Balaam really had this power, +and so he sent presents to him to persuade him to come to Moab and +curse Israel for him so that the Israelites should be defeated in +battle." + +Do not attempt to rationalize the miracle of the ass's speaking to +Balaam. If the child wants to know how it was possible for the ass +to speak, answer that it is no harder for God to give an animal +power to speak than a man. No baby is born with the ability to +speak and we only learn to speak when God gives us the power and +intelligence. By answering the question in this manner one attaches +to the commonplace the mystery associated with the supernatural. By +attempting to rationalize, one would reduce everything to the level +of the commonplace. At a later age, when the pupil has developed a +concept of natural law, this answer may not prove satisfactory, but +it would be absurd to attempt a philosophic reconciliation of the +natural and supernatural for children at an age when they lack the +concept of either. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE DEATH OF MOSES + +Numbers 27.12 to 23. Deuteronomy 31.14 to 34.12 + + +=Interpretation.= The Biblical account of the death of Moses in its +impressive simplicity scarcely needs comment. It brings to a fitting +end the story of the life-struggle of the greatest of the prophets. +There is an infinite pathos in the thought of his never having set +foot on the soil toward which he had been leading his people for +forty years in the face of ingratitude, calumny and rebellion. But +there is also a peculiar fitness in this fate for it lifts all his +efforts in behalf of his people beyond the reach of any detraction +based on a charge of self-interest. After he knows his destiny never +to be permitted to enter the Promised Land, he continues with the +same steadfastness to devote himself to his people. He rehearses +their history and in words of passionate appeal admonishes them in +song and prophecy to be faithful to the covenant, as the very life +of the nation depended thereon. And he provides during his lifetime +for a successor to his labors and secures for him the popular +allegiance. Then, with his life-work completed but with all earthly +reward for it withheld, he ascends the mountain to behold the Land +of Promise and dies content with seeing in prophetic vision the +consummation which a less divinely meek man would have demanded to +see in realization. "No man knoweth of his sepulcher". As in life +he was content to live for God and to give God the glory, so in +his death he left no token which might attract to him the reverence +due to the God whom he served, thereby saving Judaism from that +man-worship to which other religions have fallen a prey by reason of +their identification of their religion with the personality of its +founder. "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men that +were upon the face of the earth", (Numbers 12. 3) and, therefore, +"There hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, +whom the Lord knew face to face; in all the signs and the wonders, +which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and +to all his servants, and to all his land; and in all the mighty +hand, and all the great terror, which Moses wrought in the sight of +all Israel." (Deuteronomy 34. 10 to 12.) + +=Aim.= The aim of this lesson should be to cultivate in the child a +reverent appreciation of the personality of Moses which would result +not merely in the attempt to emulate his virtues, but in the desire +to be faithful to his law in accordance with the sentiment expressed +in the verse, "Moses commanded us a law, an inheritance of the +congregation of Jacob." (Deuteronomy 33. 4.) + +=Suggestions to the teacher.= There is comparatively little +narrative in this lesson and what there is will present no +difficulty. When telling of how Moses addressed the people before +his death, read well selected extracts from the Book of Deuteronomy. +If the class has learned in its Hebrew work the translation of the ++sh'ma'+ (Deuteronomy 6. 4 to 9) and +v'hayah im shamo'a+ (Deuteronomy +11.13 to 21) or if the pupils have been taught to say them at home, +include these portions among those selected and call the attention +of the children to the fact that these words which they say daily +are among the last words of Moses, which he wanted the people to +remember after his death and to teach to their children, and that +if we say them and live according to them we are carrying out the +will of the great law-giver of our nation. This should serve to +give an added meaning and value to the child's prayers and connect +the history lesson with his daily life. Other passages adapted for +reading to children are, Deuteronomy 3. 23 to 4. 10, also 4. 32-40 +and 28. 1-4, 30. 15-20 and 32. 7-18. + +In the discussion of the lesson with the class after its first +presentation take occasion to review the life of Moses as a means +of bringing out the salient traits of his character. Call for +instances illustrating Moses' stern sense of justice, his courage, +his modesty, his readiness to forgive, etc., and seek to get as many +examples as possible so that the result will be in effect a review +of the life of Moses. Be very careful not to make your questions +too vague. Thus it would not do merely to say, "Who can tell me an +incident in the life of Moses that shows his modesty?" inasmuch as +the abstract noun "modesty" has little meaning to the child of the +age at which this story is usually taught. It would be much better +to say, "One reason that Moses was so great was because he was +modest, that is to say, he never thought about the honor that others +owed to him as leader, or felt boastful in his heart because of all +the great things he had done, and was always ready to see the good +in others and to admit whenever he was wrong. Can any of you give +me any instance in the life of Moses to show that he did not think +himself a great man? Can you give me an example to show that he was +not anxious for honors? to show that he was ready to take the advice +of others, or to admit that he was wrong when such was the case?" +After having a sufficient number of answers illustrative of the +modesty of Moses put them down on the blackboard thus: + +Moses was modest, + +1. He hesitated about leading the people from Egypt. + +2. He would not rebuke Eldad and Medad for prophesying. + +3. He veiled his face when it shone. + +4. He accepted the punishment for his sin without complaint. + +Then do the same with other traits of Moses' character, until every +incident in the career of Moses is classified thus on the basis of +its moral significance. The value of this drill is that it serves at +the same time as a review not merely of the events of the life of +Moses, but of their significance, and, moreover, provides exercise +for the moral judgment of the pupils. The success of this exercise +will depend very largely on the skill of the teacher in making his +questions simple and brief and in putting them to the class in an +animated manner, such as would make them fell that to find the +correct answers was a sort of game that they were playing. + +After the main incidents in the life of Moses are thus classified +on the blackboard in accordance with the traits of character +they exhibit, another helpful exercise would be to let the class +rearrange them in their chronological order and assign them to the +three periods of Moses' life, + +1. His life before receiving the call to save his people, + +2. His opposition to Pharaoh, + +3. His leadership of the people in the wilderness. + +This second classification might serve as the outline of an essay on +the life of Moses which the children might be requested to submit at +the end of the term as summarizing their year's work. + + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's note: + +Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. +Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as +printed. + +The cover for the eBook version of this book was created by the +transcriber and is placed in the public domain. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Manual for Teaching Biblical History, by +Eugene Kohn + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MANUAL FOR TEACHING BIBLICAL HISTORY *** + +***** This file should be named 44754-8.txt or 44754-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/7/5/44754/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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