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The actions required of the Israelites to prepare for the Exodus from Egypt symbolizes their transition to becoming a free nation, based on the idea that a free person must be proactive and take responsibility for his life.
In this unit we will learn about the actions required from the Israelites before and during the plague of the slaying of the firstborn, in preparation for the Exodus from Egypt. We will discuss the meaning of the various stages – offering and the process of eating the Passover sacrifice, putting the blood on the doorposts. We will discuss the idea that the Israelites had to take an active part in the process of becoming a free nation, and from there we will discuss the value of freedom, and the idea that a free person must be proactive and take responsibility for his life.
El éxodo de Egipto. Mapa con explicaciones1. The student will learn which mitzvot the Israelites were commanded to fulfill during the slaying of the firstborn
2. The student will obtain insights into the importance of the actions that the Israelites were required to do in preparation for leaving Egypt
Self management
The student will evaluate the status of a slave versus a free person and will consider the importance of responsibility, choice and being active as an expression of freedom
The firstborn plague was the decisive plague, after which Pharaoh demanded that the people of Israel leave Egypt. This strike was fundamentally different from the other strikes. It directly affected human lives, and included many motifs of primacy and symbolism for future generations. This was the first time that the people of Israel were commanded to obey.
In fact, the people of Israel are required to be involved and take responsibility in the process of leaving Egypt's slavery to freedom. This step
It is part of the formation of the nation of Israel, and the beginning of a system of rights and duties required of us as a people.
The Israelites are commanded to take a lamb and bring it to the house, slaughter the lamb, put blood on the doorpost and eat the meat of the sacrifice. These commandments consist of many actions, some of which were considered a challenge to Egyptian beliefs. The Ramban (on Exodus 12:3) explains why Israel is commanded to take Shesha: "The taste of this commandment... and according to the opinion of our Rabbis (in the Midrash of Shemot Rabbah) that the Egyptians worshiped it (the Shesha). Every neighbor - who informed In this mitzvah that (God) humbled their God and their power (of the Egyptians)..." Some of the actions required a great deal of faith in God, and in His supervision and leadership over the people of Israel. The very requirement to fulfill a mitzva symbolizes the commitment of the Israelites to God, and their ability , as free people, to act according to their beliefs.
We will open the lesson with a short discussion on:
The Israelites are about to leave Egypt. If you were to ask any one of them:
- What do you feel? Are you nervous? What are you expecting to happen?
- What significant changes will occur in your life?
In order to discuss the meaning of being a “free person,” we will show the students pictures that offer different interpretations of the term “freedom.” In the first stage, we will ask them to choose the picture that they believe represents freedom. In the second stage, we will ask the students to examine whether the concept of freedom, as reflected in the picture they chose, corresponds to the situation of the Israelites just before the Exodus to freedom.
Attached is a slide with the photos for projection. The activity is also attached Defining the concept of freedom.
At the conclusion of the plenary – we will collect the definitions that defined the situation of the Jewish People, on the eve of the slaying of the firstborn.
In the first stage, we will give the students work assignments, which they will do in pairs.
The students will consider how active the Israelites were required to be during the first nine plagues, and will discuss the requirement that they become more active and involved in the process of the Exodus.
The activity is attached in link – Who has to be more active?
1. Which redemption or rescue is more significant, one that is done entirely by God? Or one that the Israelites participate in the process?
2. How can the involvement or partnership of the Israelites be expressed in the actual Exodus from Egypt?
We will learn the following verses:
During the previous plagues we saw a separation between the Israelites and the Egyptians. The Israelites were not harmed, but they were not required to do anything.
1. The students will read Chapter 12, verses 1-11 in the Havruta, identify the actions that the Israelites were required to do and consider their significance – why were they required to do these specific actions in order to leave Egypt?
The activity is attached in link – The commandments before the slaying of the firstborn.
2. We will discuss the following questions in the plenary:
Note that there are no correct or incorrect answers. The purpose of the exercise is to sharpen the meaning of the various actions and enable the students to intensify the discussion. The sentences focus on the various aspects – from the perspective of the Israelites, of the Egyptians, one of faith, a mental approach, etc.
Each pair of students will write a short paragraph in response to the questions, while including the four main sentences.
Another option: attached is a file with a worksheet on the meaning of the actions that the Israelites were required to do, including the possible answers to the questions raised by the commentators.
Instead of the option suggested in Items 2-4, the students can answer the questions on the worksheet. Answers: Why a commandment? Why a lamb? Why blood on the doorposts?
Attached worksheet in link Why a commandment? Why a lamb? Why blood on the doorposts?
The students will discuss questions dealing with the changes that the Israelites underwent in preparation for the Exodus from Egypt, according to the practice of 1-2-4-all, in the following stages:
1. Present the two questions to the students. The student will answer the questions alone:
As a nation, and as individuals.
2. Split into pairs. The students will share their answers and write common points as a basis for answering both questions.
3. Split into groups of four – each group will discuss the answers to both questions and raise points of similarity and difference in the ideas they raised. They will ultimately reach one conclusion to the question:
Choose one of the characteristics and values that you would like to take with you on your journey.
Choose one characteristic and one value that you would suggest to the entire Jewish People to take with them.
Activity attached in link: The Israelites during the plague of the slaying of the firstborn
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