Adventures in Mama-Land

I’ve broken this complex story down into 3 sections so that you don’t have to do the whole story at once.  Eeach section can be read and narrated back, and the child can even draw an illustration for each section.  You can do this at the same time, one after another, or on different days/times, depending on the child’s patience and ability. This story actually from my Shavuos lapbook , so I figure many people may not have seen it yet.  I believe I adapted it (it doesn’t read like my own writing), but I’m not sure exactly from where.  Of course, you don’t have to read my exact version, but you can.  :-) (also, there are a couple of errors in the lapbook version which I have corrected here) Pronunciation:  Ruth is pronounced “Rus” by Ashkenaz Jews and “Rut” by those who use Sefardi pronunciations.  I have written it as “Ruth” here; use whatever pronunciation you prefer.  “Bais Lechem” is pronounced “Beit Lechem” in the Sefardi pronunciation, but...

… it’s a book! Well, a very, VERY preliminary draft of a book.  And yes, it’s taken about two weeks longer to get to this point than I was hoping.  This delay will ultimately benefit you, my readers; I promise!  I finally whipped it into shape enough that I printed a draft at Staples (coil-bound, for easy correction… which is good, cuz I’ve already spotted some errors).  Drat, forgot to buy a red pencil – that’s what it REALLY needs. But if I say so myself, it’s looking very much like… a book.  :-) Here are some sneaky sneak previews.  If you were aghast at the parsha narrations I have provided here over the years, rest assured that the quality of the writing is WAaaaay better in this print version.  I am often appalled but am forcing myself not to be ashamed or to scrap anything unless it’s absolutely unsalvageable.      A few things I have tried to do better in the print version: Fewer exclamation marks! Uniform and consiste...

For anyone who’s used my Parsha Overview sheets with their kids at any point: If you could "fix" one thing about them, it would be to make them more... (fill in the blank with as much or as little as you want!) I’m in the process of pulling these together into a book (I’m only 9 parshiyos short, but the style is veeeeery uneven so it’s going to be a BIG job – one I hope to have finished in time to sell the book form at the Torah Home Education conference in May!), and any insight you guys could provide would be very, very helpful! Thanks!!! p.s. I know this is the most neglected of all my blogs at the moment – I’m baking up a storm, and we’re all charged up about Israel and guess what’s going by the wayside – regular daily life!!!

This is a basic overview of the parsha story in a format that can be adapted for a wide range of ages. Sources include parsha text, commentaries and midrash.  When introducing midrash or other non-pshat elements, I  use the words “some people think” or something similar ( find out why ).  If you find these overviews helpful, or if there’s a typo, or something is confusing you or your kids, please don’t leave a comment.  Just don’t.  Whatever you do… don’t… comment. Yaakov and Rivka are married now, but they aren’t perfectly happy… There is something they want more than anything else in the world. They want a baby. Now, when we want something very much, what do we do? We daven! So what do Yaakov and Rivka do? Daven! They ask Hashem for a baby. Hashem answers their tefillos. They are expecting a baby! But Rivka thinks she must be having the strangest pregnancy in the history of the universe. Her belly is always wriggling. (Some say that when she passed by a ...

This is a basic overview of the parsha story in a format that can be adapted for a wide range of ages. Sources include parsha text, commentaries and midrash.  When introducing midrash or other non-pshat elements, I  use the words “some people think” or something similar ( find out why ).  If you find these overviews helpful, or if there’s a typo, or something is confusing you or your kids, I’d love to hear from you.  Pwitty Pweez? Avraham and Sara were very old by now…! At the end of last week’s parsha, a malach stops Avraham at the last second from killing Yitzchak. This week, the parsha starts by telling us that, Sara died – left to be with Hashem in shomayim. Some people say she actually died from hearing that Avraham had brought Yitzchak for a korban. Other people, though, think she lived for years afterwards. When she dies, the Torah says her age strangely – instead of saying, “she was one hundred and twenty-seven,” it says she “was one hundred and twenty a...

This is a basic overview of the parsha story in a format that can be adapted for a wide range of ages. Sources include parsha text, commentaries and midrash.  When introducing midrash or other non-pshat elements, I  use the words “some people think” or something similar ( find out why ).  If you find these overviews helpful, or if there’s a typo, or something is confusing you or your kids, I’d love to hear from you.  Really truly!  This week’s parsha starts outdoors on a VERY hot day… Avraham has had his bris milah at 99 years old! Now he and Sara have new names (do you remember the old ones?). He’s feeling terrible three days later, but he sits outside to make sure no travellers get stuck out in the heat. Welcoming guests – hachnasas orchim – was so important to Avraham & Sara that some people think their tent had four doors to invite people from every direction! And guess what? Avraham sees three guests, coming across that hot, hot sand! Sometimes, old...

Here, for your convenience and great edification, is an up-to-date index of all parsha resources at this site – including Parsha Overviews, Poems and Riddles.  Some of the links aren’t linked up yet; I plan to get all the keywords in place someday soon.  If you find a broken one, please leave a comment and I’ll fix it. Genesis Bereishis בראשית : Exodus Shemos שמות: Leviticus Vayikra ויקרא: Numbers Bamidbar במדבר : Deuteronomy Devarim דברים: Bereishis Noach Lech Lecha Vayeira Chayei Sarah Toldos Vayeitzei Vayishlach Vayeishev Mikeitz Vayigash Vayechi Shemos Vaeira Bo Beshalach Yisro Mishpatim Terumah Tetzaveh Ki Sisa Vayakhel Pekudei Vayikra Tzav Shemini Tazria Metzora Acharei Mos Kedoshim Emor Behar Bechukosai Bamidbar Nasso Behaaloscha Shlach Korach Chukas Balak Pinchas Matos Masei Devarim Vaeschanan Eikev Re’ay   Shoftim Ki Seitzei Ki Savo Nitzavim Vayelech Haazinu VeZos HaBracha And don’t forget… You can access all my Jewish ...

This is a basic overview of the parsha story in a format that can be adapted for a wide range of ages. Sources include parsha text, commentaries and midrash.  When introducing midrash or other non-pshat elements, I  use the words “some people think” or something similar ( find out why ).  If you find these overviews helpful, or if there’s a typo, or something is confusing you or your kids, I’d love to hear from you.  Pretty please, with sugar on top? Were you ever having fun, doing something you liked, when someone called you away? You were probably annoyed. If it was a parent, or another adult, I hope you’d come anyway, but for a friend, or your little brother, you might say no. This week’s parsha starts w ith Hashem calling to Avram – the great, great, great (plus a few more) grandson of Noach. Avram was living where he liked, with family all around him, but Hashem said to go – and Avram went. It was the first of ten times Hashem tested Avram. Do you think Av...

This is a basic overview of the parsha story in a format that can be adapted for a wide range of ages. Sources include parsha text, commentaries and midrash.  When introducing midrash or other non-pshat elements, I  use the words “some people think” or something similar ( find out why ).  If you find these overviews helpful, or if there’s a typo, or something is confusing you or your kids, I’d love to hear from you.  Pretty please, with sugar on top? Images this week ( taken from here ) are by Sweet Publishing , freely shared under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Welcome back!!! Bereishis means in the beginning … but because we never start OR finish learning Torah, we just carry on what we’ve been learning so far. It’s a brand-new story, about a brand-new world, but it’s important to remember where the story leads – to Har Sinai, to the Torah, and then to eretz Yisrael. But all of that is hundreds of years away n...

NOW!!!  Click here to download this summary as an MP3 audio file (large-ish download – be patient).  Feedback always welcome!  This is a basic overview of the parsha story in a format that can be adapted for a wide range of ages. Sources include parsha text, commentaries and midrash.  When introducing midrash or other non-pshat elements, I  use the words “some people think” or something similar. ( find out why ) Please see the Vayeishev overview for how we use these narratives  in our homeschool.  There are also brand-new copywork sheets for this week’s parsha… enjoy! This week, it’s Moshe’s birthday! Actually, there’s only one birthday mentioned in the entire Torah, and that’s way back in sefer Bereishis, in parshas Vayeishev (its name sounds sort of like this week’s!), where Paroh is celebrating. On that day (do you remember all the way back to last year?), he frees his butler (wine steward, שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים/sar ha-mashkim) and has the ba...

NEW!!!  Download this summary as an MP3 audio file (large-ish download – be patient).  I know it’s a rough first second effort; feedback is still VERY welcome!  (I fixed my voice in this one – I thought it was better slowed down, because it sounds unnaturally squeaky to me otherwise.) This is a basic overview of the parsha story in a format that can be adapted for a wide range of ages. Sources include parsha text, commentaries and midrash.  When introducing midrash or other non-pshat elements, I  use the words “some people think” or something similar. ( find out why ) Please see the Vayeishev overview for how we use these narratives  in our homeschool.  I also have copywork sheets to go with the weekly parsha… enjoy! Here we go – it’s the final countdown to the end of the Torah! Did you know there are 54 parshiyos (that means parshas ) in the Torah, but usually only 52 weeks in a year? That means we often have to read two parshiyos in a si...

NEW!!!  Download this summary as an MP3 audio file (large – may take 1-2 minutes or more, depending on your Internet speed).  I know it’s a rough first effort; feedback VERY welcome! This is a basic overview of the parsha story in a format that can be adapted for a wide range of ages. Sources include parsha text, commentaries and midrash.  When introducing midrash or other non-pshat elements, I  use the words “some people think” or something similar. ( find out why ) Please see the Vayeishev overview for how we use these narratives  in our homeschool.  I also have copywork sheets to go with the weekly parsha… enjoy! Four more parshiyos to go… are you ready for Rosh Hashanah? :-) This week’s parsha starts with the words (v’haya, “and it will be”) Ki Savo, “when you come.” Come where? Just like all of Devarim, it’s about entering eretz Yisrael – an amazing place with seven special fruits, flowing with milk and honey. So that’s the end of the story –...

This is a basic overview of the parsha story in a format that can be adapted for a wide range of ages. Sources include parsha text, commentaries and midrash.  When introducing midrash or other non-pshat elements, I  use the words “some people think” or something similar. ( find out why ) Please see the Vayeishev overview for how we use these narratives  in our homeschool.  I also have copywork sheets to go with the weekly parsha… enjoy!  בס״ד Only five more parshiyos in Sefer Devarim – it’s almost Simchas Torah! We already know that bnei Yisrael are going to go in to conquer eretz Cana’an (which would become eretz Yisrael) and destroy idols there. But what if the soldiers see beautiful women there, and decide to marry them? Do you remember the plan of wicked King Balak? He tricked the men of bnei Yisrael into marrying women from Moav and Midyan. Those were not nice women, and when the Jewish men married them, it made bnei Yisrael weak. Pinchas finally ki...

This is a basic overview of the parsha story in a format that can be adapted for a wide range of ages. Sources include parsha text, commentaries and midrash.  When introducing midrash or other non-pshat elements, I  use the words “some people think” or something similar. ( find out why ) Please see the Vayeishev overview for how we use these narratives  in our homeschool.  I also have copywork sheets to go with the weekly parsha… enjoy!  (p.s. Love the owl-eater in the picture below???  Download a colouring page of him here - scroll down or search for Re’ay, or “colouring” (spelled the Canadian way)!) בס״ד Only seven more parshiyos in Sefer Devarim, Moshe’s speech during the last five weeks of his life. Then, we’ll finish the entire Torah! Do you know when? (Simchas Torah) Do we stop reading it then? (No, we start all over again with the story of Bereishis!) Do you remember reading Bereishis last year? If not, that’s okay, because we read it over a...

This is a basic overview of the parsha story in a format that can be adapted for a wide range of ages. Sources include parsha text, commentaries and midrash.  When introducing midrash or other non-pshat elements, I  use the words “some people think” or something similar. ( find out why ) Please see the Vayeishev overview for how we use these narratives  in our homeschool.  I also have copywork sheets to go with the weekly parsha… enjoy!  בס״ד Do you remember? Sefer Devarim is one long speech by Moshe in the last five weeks of his life. Moshe starts this parsha by promising amazing brachas if bnei Yisrael keep the Torah in eretz Yisrael! Their children, their animals, their fields – everything will grow bigger and better and healthier. They will live very long lives. And enemies who try to attack will fail – Hashem will protect them in every way. A very famous expression comes from this week’s parsha: “Man does not live by bread alone.” כִּי לֹא עַל הַ...

This is a basic overview of the parsha story in a format that can be adapted for a wide range of ages. Sources include parsha text, commentaries and midrash.  When introducing midrash or other non-pshat elements, I  use the words “some people think” or something similar. ( find out why ) Please see the Vayeishev overview for how we use these narratives  in our homeschool.  I also have copywork sheets to go with the weekly parsha… enjoy!  בס״ד Remember from last week – all of Devarim is one long speech by Moshe in the last five weeks of his life. This week, Moshe starts with a story about himself. He desperately wanted to go to eretz Yisrael, so after defeating Og, he begged Hashem to let him go, until Hashem said not to ask anymore. We sometimes think a bossy person is a great leader – someone to shout, “Go this way, not that! – Don’t do this! Do that!” But Moshe was a teacher. Instead of bossing, he said, “here’s what happened to me – let’s find out wha...