Ritual Moments as Expressions of Hope

Grades: 4-6
Length: 30 minutes

Introduction:

In this lesson, students will explore different moments in Jewish rituals where hope is expressed. Students will consider the importance of perspective as a method of developing hope.

Objectives: 

• Students will give some examples of actions/moments in Judaism that demonstrate hope. 
• Students will consider the importance of perspective as a method of developing hope. 
• Students will study Jewish texts that emphasize hope. 
• Students will identify the hopeful attitudes of Yaakov, Rachel, and David.  

Essential Questions:

• How has “tikvah” been sustained throughout the ages/Jewish History? 
• What are some Jewish mantras/statements that demonstrate hopefulness? 

Note: Some of the terms in this lesson may need to be adapted to suit younger students.  

Lesson Sequence

Part 1: Recap

The teacher should briefly recap the previous lesson while highlighting the point that prayer can be an expression of hope, as seen in Shema and Shemonah Esrai, two key Jewish prayers. The teacher should introduce the next part of the lesson by explaining that we also demonstrate our hope at different moments of Jewish practice in the Jewish calendar year. 

PART 2: Ritual Moments – Text Analysis

The teacher should then break the students into groups to examine three different “ritual moments/Jewish practice texts” together. (For younger students, the teacher can do this with the whole class). The teacher should ask the students to consider how each of these moments connects to the concept of hope and ask the students to write down their reflections on each text. This can be accomplished using the guided prompts below. 

Moments: 

• The Pesach Seder ends with the song “לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בִּיְרוּשָׁלָיִם” 
• Each week in Havdalah after Shabbat, we recite “לַיְּהוּדִים הָיְתָה אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה וְשָׂשׁוֹן וִיקָר כֵּן תִּהְיֶה לָנוּ” 
• Each month, when we bless the upcoming month, we say “ מִי שֶׁעָשה נִסִּים לַאֲבותֵינוּ וְגָאַל אותָם מֵעַבְדוּת לְחֵרוּת. הוּא יִגְאַל אותָנוּ בְּקָרוב וִיקַבֵּץ נִדָּחֵינוּ מֵאַרְבַּע כַּנְפות הָאָרֶץ” 

Guided Prompts:

• Have you ever heard of or experienced any of these moments before? 
• Do you say any of these texts with your family? 
• What do you think of when you say these texts? 
• Have you experienced any other times when any of these phrases were said? 

The teacher should then have the students share their responses with the class. The teacher should also ask the students to identify the common hope found in each of these three texts: the longing for geulah, redemption/salvation. The teacher should define geulah at an age-appropriate level. For young students, for example: the teacher can differentiate between saving someone at a specific moment (e.g. preventing a child from running into the street to catch a rolling ball) versus permanent safety (e.g. never being in danger).  

The teacher should explain that the hope for geulah is not a new hope, but rather one that is centuries old. The teacher should explain that the next part of the lesson demonstrates where this hope for geula began – with Yaakov. 

PART 3: Hope & Prayer 

This story of Yaakov demonstrates that individuals can express their personal hope for geula. The teacher should introduce the students to Yaakov’s berachot at the end of his life (Parashat Vayechi 49:1). The teacher should provide context for why Yaakov blessed each of his children and can read an example of an early beracha (ie. Yehuda/Zevulun).  

Following this, the teacher should read the beracha of Dan followed by the pasuk – “Leyeshuatcha kiviti ‘ה (‘ה/God, for I hope for your saving.)” The teacher should translate the bracha and prompt the students to question why this comment of Yaakov would appear after the beracha of Dan. 

The teacher should teach Targum Yonatan’s response below (either summarized or inside the Hebrew or English text) as to why this text appears here and ask students to share why this is a significant message.  

Targum Jonathan on Genesis 49:18 

(יח) אֲמַר יַעֲקב כַּד חָמָא יַת גִדְעוֹן בַּר יוֹאָשׁ וְיַת שִׁמְשׁוֹן בַּר מָנוֹחַ דְקַיְימִין לִפְרוֹקִין לָא לְפוּרְקָנֵיהּ דְגִדְעוֹן אֲנָא מַסְכֵּי וְלָא לְפוּרְקָנֵיהּ דְשִׁמְשׁוֹן אֲנָא מוֹדִיק דְפוּרְקַנְהוֹן פּוּרְקַן דְשַׁעְתָּא אֱלָהֵין לְפוּרְקָנָךְ סָכִית וְאוֹדִיקִית יְיָ דְפוּרְקָנָךְ פּוּרְקַן עַלְמִין 

(18) When Jacob saw Gideon bar Joash and Shimshon bar Manovach, who were established to be deliverers from the tribe of Dan, he said, I expect not the salvation of Gideon, nor look I for the salvation of Shimshon; for their salvation will be the salvation of an hour; but for Thy salvation have I waited, and will look for, O Lord; for Thy salvation is the salvation of eternity. 

• This “seeing” refers to Yaakov having a prophecy in which he saw that Shimshon, the judge who would emerge from Shevet Dan, would successfully defend Israel from their enemies. 
• For students who have learned Sefer Shoftim, the teacher should point out that Gidon and Shimshon were Shoftim who were successful in defeating the enemies of Israel. For students that have not learned Sefer Shoftim, the teacher should explain broadly that Yaakov saw through prophecy that a successful general named Shimshon would emerge from Shevet Dan and that Yaakov is stating that while Shimshon will be successful in saving the Jews in the short term, he (Yaakov) is waiting for ‘ה/God’s saving – as that will be long lasting. 

The teacher should emphasize that Yaakov was hoping for ‘ה/God’s saving of the Jewish people, not something short-term, but a saving that would be long-lasting. The teacher should connect this to the earlier texts that demonstrate that this is something that we hope for today as well.  

For older students, the teacher should suggest that Yaakov was trying to teach his sons a message by placing this pasuk within the context of the blessings. Perhaps it was a reminder to them that life will bring ups and downs, that the ultimate salvation is from ‘ה/God, and that we as Jews are hopeful people. 

PART 4: Creative Expression
This can be done in class or as a homework assignment.

Some ideas include: 

• Illustrate “an image of hope.” Each student should select one of the texts learned during the lesson and create an image that represents hope surrounding this image.
• Write a poem of hope surrounding one of the phrases above. 
• Write a journal entry explaining why the phrase selected is hopeful and why it is significant in 2023. 

Students can be encouraged to share their creative depictions with the class.