Birkat Hamazon 10

  • 50 minutes
  • Grades: 7-8
  • Lesson Plan

In this lesson, Birkat Hamazon will be used as a springboard to other Jewish texts. Students will study and analyze the biblical sources found in Birkat Hamazon.

Lesson objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Identify the Biblical source for Birkat Hamazon.
  2. List the Biblical citations in Birkat Hamazon.

3. Identify the Biblical citations in the text of Birkat Hamazon.

4. Explain the meaning of these Biblical citations.

Skills

The student will be able to:

  1. Study in a hevruta.
  2. Understand Biblical verses/sections.

Values

The student will:
1. Appreciate that Birkat Hamazon has a Biblical source.
2. Appreciate the importance of Torah study.
3. Appreciate Birkat Hamazon as an opportunity to study Biblical texts.

Resources & Equipment needed

  • Source sheets
  • Copy of Birkat Hamazon for each student
  • Tanakhim

Procedure

  1. Write the Biblical source for Birkat Hamazon (Devarim 8:10) on the blackboard in large letters. With the students, attempt to understand how the Rabbis arrived at Birkat Hamazon from this verse. Explain the importance of Torah study and how Birkat Hamazon can be used as a springboard for this because it utilizes so many texts.
  2. Hand out the source sheets. Write the following list of sources on the blackboard. Devarim 8:10 (Biblical source of the mitzvah of Birkat Hamazon); Psalms 137 and Psalms 126 (Shir Ha’ma’alot, Al Naharat Bavel); Jeremiah 3:19; Exodus 2:2 and Deuteronomy 7:8 (Nodeh Lekha); Proverbs 3:4 (Ba-Marom); II Samuel 22:51; and Psalms 18:51 (Migdol); Psalms 34:10-11; Psalms 136:1; Psalms 145:16; Jeremiah 17:7; Psalms 37:25; Psalms 29:11 (Yeru et Adonai).
  3. Have the students arrange themselves in havrutot and have each hevruta choose one or two sources (make sure all the sources are accounted for), and have them answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper: a) Explain in your own words the meaning of this verse/section. b) Search through Birkat Hamazon. Can you find this text or one similar to it? Please write down where you found it, and how it differs (if at all) from the original verse/section. c) Why do you think it was included in Birkat Hamazon? Use a Tanakh to better understand the context of the verse/section.
  4. Ask the students to present their findings.
  5. Ask the class if knowing the context of the verses found in Birkat Hamazon has changed their understanding of it.
  6. Conclude.

 

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO BIRKAT HAMAZON PART 9.
CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE TO BIRKAT HAMAZON PART 11. 

Appendices