Legacy Heritage Jewish Educators Project

Spring 2012

Eight Lesson Plans

It'sAll In Your Head: Kavanah in שמע

ברכות דף יג עמוד א - עמוד ב

Racheli Ratner

Teacher’s Name: Racheli Ratner

Grade: 9

Length of Each Lesson: 50 minutes

Goals: The overarching goals of the entire Talmud course at Heschel HS is as follows:

“The three skills upon which our approach to Talmud rests are – in their order of use – structuring, punctuating, and translating. Using the technical terms – by looking them up in the Frank Dictionary – and noting shifts in language from Hebrew to Aramaic or vice versa - the students are able to begin separating out the component sections of this text (for example: there are three separate sections, two of which are statements – one for sure by an amora – and one braita). Based on their separations they can begin punctuating, or at least make educated attempts. Finally, using those terms and their [limited] vocabulary they can begin translating. This process will be the bedrock upon which – and through which - their Heschel Talmud experience will grow.

A second category of skills relates not to decoding the text, but to deciphering its meaning. Firstly, beginning to understand Talmudic logic, and secondly, beginning to understand how the rabbis use psukim in making their drashot.

This sugya is the fifth sugya in the 9th grade Talmud class. It continues the trend of learning machlokot related to the shema. This time it centers around the nebulous concept of kavana. Like the previous sugyot, it involves both a Mishna and a Gemara, and two conflicting opinion [though in this case that expands to 3 conflicting, and four total opinions]. For how much of the shema prayer does one actually need kavana? Naturally, we investigate the sugya itself, as well as the conceptual issues of kavana that come with it.

This sugya builds on the previous one in that the discussions about the main ideas & themes of the paragraphs of the Shema leads to a natural bifurcation of the first paragraph into two main parts, most commonly the first three lines and the last three [with the middle one ambiguous]. That distinction – and the relationship between those two parts - becomes crucial for this sugya, specifically the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer.”

Lesson #1

Goals:

The student will be able to break up the sugya in to sections, punctuate and translate the sugya. The students will be able to answer the questions on the assignment.

Materials:

1. Assignments to introduce the sugya; includes text of sugya and questions (see next page)

2. Frank Dictionary

Engage:

The students know the routine—when learning a new sugya, they analyze it themselves first with the assignment.

Classroom environment:

The class consists of 20 students (boys and girls). Bookshelves are filled with Talmud books, Hebrew Dictionaries, and Frank Dictionaries for the students to use during their learning. The head teacher has engrained in them the mindset to analyze, think critically, and the importance of the learning process.

Procedure:

Teacher will give the students an assignment to do in chavrutot. (next page)

Assessment:

Students will email their answers to the teacher so that the teacher can assess that the homework was completed by each group and how well they understood the sugya.

It's All In Your Head: Kavanah

Monday, April 30, 2012

Sugya#5: ברכות דף יג עמוד א - עמוד ב

Last week you learned about the prayer of שמע and its order of paragraphs. Now you will learn about it from a different perspective, focusing on one paragraph and learning about the Kavanah factor.

As usual, use the wordlist to help break up, translate and punctuate. And don't forget to use the Frank Dictionary for the terms in blue.

Then answer the questions.

יצא- he fulfilled the obligation

למפרע-out of order

כיון-since

משנה: היה קורא בתורה והגיע זמן המקרא אם כוון לבו יצא

גמרא: תנו רבנן והיו שלא יקרא למפרע הדברים על

לבבך יכול תהא כל הפרשה צריכה כוונה תלמוד לומר

האלה עד כאן צריכה כוונה מכאן ואילך אין צריכה כוונה

דברי ר' אליעזר אמר ליה ר' עקיבא הרי הוא אומר

אשר אנכי מצוך היום על לבבך מכאן אתה

למד שכל הפרשה כולה צריכה כוונה אמר

רבה בר בר חנה אמר ר' יוחנן הלכה כרבי עקיבא

איכא דמתני לה אהא דתניא הקורא את

שמע צריך שיכוין את לבו ר' אחא משום

ר' יהודה אומר כיון שכוון לבו בפרק

ראשון שוב אינו צריך אמר רבה בר בר חנה

אמר ר' יוחנן הלכה כר' אחא שאמר משום

ר' יהודה

The Mishnah is an introduction to understanding the importance of Kavanah. What is the situation that the Mishnah describes?

Define Kavanah. What does it mean in the context of this Mishnah?

What does Kavanah mean to you?

How many opinions are in this sugya?

Lesson #2

Goals:

The student will understand that meaning of the Mishnah and the scenario that it describes.

Materials:

All students have their laptops with the document of the sugya.

Engage:

Teacher will ask the students what kavanah means to them.

Procedure:

Teacher will ask the following questions to prompt the students to learn:

What is the situation that the Mishnah describes?

As you've learned before, what does it mean when it says “לבו”?

Define Kavannah; What does Kavanah mean to you? What does it mean in the context of this Mishnah--What is the difference between someone who is just reading and someone who is reading it for the mitzvah?

How many opinions are in this sugya?

Where and how did you break up this sugya?

Assessment:

The teacher will assess the class collectively to determine how well students understand the concepts and if they using phrases from the sugya and the text of שמע to support their opinions. Students will be assessed orally by their answers to the teacher's questions during the interactive discussions.

Lesson #3:

Goals:

The student will be able to translate and punctuate the first few lines of the sugya correctly. The students will understand that the Talmud typically learns something from each word or phrase. The student will understand the basis of the machloket. The student will know Rabbi Eliezer's opinion and support for it. Students will realize that “עד כאן ” is unclear and will learn two phrases it can possibly reference.

Materials:

1. Document with sugya

2. Text with the first paragraph of שמע (see next page)

Engage:

Teacher will review what was taught the day before. (This is also a form of assessment.)

Procedure:

Teacher will ask the following questions to prompt the students to learn:

Can you think of how the rabbi's learn that one should not read the שמע prayer out of order from the words “והיו הדברים האלה"?

Where in the first paragraph of שמע do we learn that we need kavanah? What specific words teach that?

“How much do you need”, meaning which parts of the prayer need kavanah?

What is Rabbi Eliezer's opinion?

What does “עד כאן ” refer to?

Assessment:

Assessment is done at the beginning of class (review of what was learned in the previous class). An assessment pertaining to the material of this lesson will be done after the following lesson, when the students learn both sides of the machloket.

The first paragraph of the Shma

Dvarim, Chapter 6

ד  שְׁמַע, יִשְׂרָאֵל:  יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, יְהוָה אֶחָד.

4 Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one.

ה  וְאָהַבְתָּ, אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל-נַפְשְׁךָ, וּבְכָל-מְאֹדֶךָ.

5 And you will love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

ו  וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם--עַל-לְבָבֶךָ.

6 And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart;

ז  וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ, וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם, בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ, וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ.

7 and you should teach them diligently to your children, and will talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.

ח  וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת, עַל-יָדֶךָ; וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת, בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ.

8 And thou willt bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they will be for frontlets between your eyes.

ט  וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל-מְזֻזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ, וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ.  {ס}

9 And you will write them upon the door-posts of your house, and upon your gates. {S}

Lesson #4:

Goals:

The student will understand Rabbi Akiva's opinion and support for it. The student will have a deeper understanding of Rabbi Eliezer's opinion by trying to understand how he would respond to Rabbi Akiva. At this point the students will understand both sides of the machloket and the final legal ruling.

Materials:

3. Document with sugya

4. Text with the first paragraph of שמע

Engage:

Teacher will review what was taught the day before, to build on what will be learned in this class. (This is also a form of assessment.) Teacher will write the pasuk “והיו...על לבבך” on the board and draw arrows in different colors, showing what is learned from each word or phrase.

Procedure:

Teacher will ask the following questions to prompt the students to learn:

What is Rabbi Akiva's opinion?

How does the pasuk written in the sugya prove Rabbi Akiva's statement?

Since this is an argument, and each has to respond to each other, what is the obvious question that we have to ask on Rabbi Eliezer?

How does Rabbi Eliezer understand the phrase “מצוך היום’’

Assessment:

As part of the oral assessment, the teacher will ask the following questions, to assess the student understanding of the machloket:

What is the debate over?

What do they agree on?

Disagree?

What is their reasoning for their opinion?

Who is more machmir?

Why would the final ruling be according to Rabbi Akiva?

The teacher will assess the students orally by noting their answers to the teacher's questions during the interactive discussions.

Teacher will also assign homework to assess that the students understanding of the machloket and the final legal decision (see next page). This is an assessment of the information from the past two lessons.

It's Still Just All In Your Head: Kavanah in שמע

Review of the Machloket and the Final Ruling

.משנה: היה קורא בתורה, והגיע זמן המקרא, אם כוון לבו, יצא

Mishnah: Someone was reading in the Torah, and the time of the reading of the text (of the shema) arrived, if he directed his mind towards fulfilling the mitzvah, he fulfilled the obligation.

גמרא: תנו רבנן: "והיו" שלא יקרא למפרע.

It says in a Braita: [The words]“And these will be” [implies] that you don't read the shema out of order.

?הדברים על לבבך" יכול תהא כל הפרשה צריכה כוונה"

[From the words] “The words on your heart/mind” could you say [that] the entire section of the shema needs kavanah? [this proposed statement is rejected]

תלמוד לומר: "האלה",

A Biblical teaching says: [The word] “These”

עד כאן צריכה כוונה. מכאן ואילך אין צריכה כוונה, דברי ר' אליעזר.

[teaches] Until here you need kavanah. From here and onwards we don't need kavanah- these are the words of Rabbi Eliezer.

אמר ליה ר' עקיבא;

Rabbi Akiva said to him [Rabbi Eliezer]

הרי הוא אומר: "אשר אנכי מצוך היום על לבבך" .

Behold it [the shema] says: “That I command on your heart today”

מכאן אתה למד שכל הפרשה כולה צריכה כוונה.

From here you learn that the whole section of shema needs kavanah.

Please answer the following questions:

1. What is Rabbi Eliezer's opinion? And what is his reasoning?

2. What is Rabbi Akiva's opinion? And what is his reasoning?

3. Which is the more compelling opinion and why do you think that?

4. What is the final legal ruling?

5. Why do you think that opinion was chosen?

Lesson #5:

Goals:

The student will undestand the concept of איכא דמתני לה אהא and the opinion of the Tanna Kamma.

Materials:

Document with the sugya

Engage:

Teacher will review the homework and have the students share their answers and discuss with each other.

Procedure:

Teacher will discuss with the students the nature of an oral tradition.

Teacher will the following questions:

What does the phrase “איכא דמתני לה אהא” mean? (as a whole concept and each word separately)

Where have you seen the concept of “ הקורא את שמע צריך שיכוין את לבו” previously?

What is the opinion of the Tanna Kamma?

Assessment:

The teacher will orally assess the class collectively to determine how well students understand the concepts by their answers to the teacher's questions during the interactive discussions.

Lesson #6:

Goals:

The student will understand Rabbi Acha's opinion (in the name of Rabbi Yehuda).

Materials:

Document with the sugya

Engage:

Review the statement in the Mishnah and in the Braita.

Procedure:

Teacher will ask the following questions to prompt the students to learn:

What does “shuv” mean?

What is the machloket?

What is Rabbi Acha in the name of Rabbi Yehuda's opinion?

Who's opinion is that similar to?

Assessment:

The teacher will orally assess the class collectively to determine how well students understand the concepts by their answers to the teacher's questions during the interactive discussions.

Lesson #7:

Goals:

The student will understand Rabba Bar Bar Chana's ruling (in the name of Rabbi Yochanan) and how it differs from the previous ruling in the previous machloket and why it matters which machloket the ruling was referring to.

Materials:

Document with the sugya

Engage:

Teacher will review Rabbi Acha's (in the name of Rabbi Yehuda) opinion.

Procedure:

Teacher will ask the following questions to prompt the students to learn:

How is Rabbi Acha's statement different than Rabbi Akiva?

How many opinions are in the sugya? How many different opinions?

What difference does it make who Rabba Bar Bar Chana (in the name of Rabbi Yochana) refers to for the final legal ruling?

What is the difference between the two machlekot?

What difference does it make if the final ruling is siding with a kulah or chumrah of a machloket?

Who's opinion is more strict-Rabbi Akiva or Rabbi Acha? And why?

Assessment:

The teacher will orally assess the class collectively to determine how well students understand the concepts by their answers to the teacher's questions during the interactive discussions.

Lesson #8:

Goals:

The student will take a test on the unit material.

Materials:

Test (see next page)

Engage:

n/a-students know its coming

Procedure:

Teacher will give the students the test and will stay in the classroom to answer any of the students' questions.

Assessment:

The test will assess the students' understanding and comprehension of the unit material.

The grading will follow the points assigned to each question.

Name:__________________

Now is your last chance to show us that you have learned

what we've taught you and reviewed with you.

This is the last time I will ask you-

Is It All In Your Head?

Friday May 11, 2012

1. Define: Please translate each word or phrase and explain their usage when applicable.

a) אם כוון לבו

b) יכול תהא

c. איכא דמתני לה אהא - Translate each word individually and explain the phrase as a whole

· איכא

· דמתני

· לה

· אהא

d) שוב

2. “וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם עַל לְבָבֶךָ ”

a) Explain what the Rabbis learned from each word or phrase of this pasuk.

b) How does Rabbi Eliezer read this pasuk? Make sure to explain what he thinks about each phrase and how they all fit together.

c) How does Rabbi Akiva read this pasuk? Make sure to explain what he thinks about each phrase and how they all fit together.

3. “עד כאן”

a) Translate these words.

b) Why is it difficult to understand what they are referring to?

c) What words of the shema is this phrase referring to? What are the various possibilities and explain the rationales for each?

4. Punctuate and translate the following phrase.

“ דברי ר' אליעזר אמר ליה ר' עקיבא ”

5. In the second Braita, what is the exact opinion of the Tannah Kammah and how do you know that?

6. There are two statements attributed to Rabbah Bar Bar Chanah. He couldn't have said both, so what did he really say?

7. Over the past few days, many of you asked “who cares.” So now I'm asking you—why does it matter which Braita Rabba Bar Bar Chana is referring to? (Give 2 answers)

8. List the 4 machlokot found in this sugya.

1)

2)

3)

4)

9. Explain how the nature of the Talmud, as an oral tradition, plays an important part in this sugya.

10. In the last sugya we learned that Rabbi Shimon said that the order of the shema is based on “ללמוד ללמד לעשות” and Rabbi Yehoshua said “עול מלכות שמים”. Based on that, who would each of them side with—Rabbi Eliezer or Rabbi Akiva? Explain.

**Addendum: Quiz was given to students (before Lesson #5) to assess their comprehension of the first machloket and initial halachic ruling. Grading followed the points assigned on the margin**

Name:_________________

After learning for a week....do you know it?

Is it really all in your head?

Friday May 4, 2012

היה קורא בתורה והגיע זמן המקרא אם כוון לבו יצא

תנו רבנן והיו שלא יקרא למפרע הדברים על

לבבך יכול תהא כל הפרשה צריכה כוונה תלמוד לומר

האלה עד כאן צריכה כוונה מכאן ואילך אין צריכה כוונה

דברי ר' אליעזר אמר ליה ר' עקיבא הרי הוא אומר

אשר אנכי מצוך היום על לבבך מכאן אתה

למד שכל הפרשה כולה צריכה כוונה אמר

רבה בר בר חנה אמר ר' יוחנן הלכה כרבי עקיבא

איכא דמתני לה אהא דתניא הקורא את

שמע צריך שיכוין את לבו ר' אחא משום

ר' יהודה אומר כיון שכוון לבו בפרק

ראשון שוב אינו צריך אמר רבה בר בר חנה

אמר ר' יוחנן הלכה כר' אחא שאמר משום

ר' יהודה

1. Place a period a) where the Mishnah ends

b) where the Braita ends

c) after the initial halachic ruling

2. Put quotes around all the words found in Shema

3. Underline the words of Rabbi Eliezer

4. Circle the words of Rabbi Akiva

5. “היה קורא בתורה”

What is this person reading? Give contextual support.

6. What is the connection between the Mishnah and the Gemara?

7. Which 2 phrases modify “ הדברים על לבבך ” ?

8. Is Rabbi Eliezer a Tannah, Amorah, or is it unclear? How do you know?

9. Is Rabbi Akiva a Tannah, Amorah, or is it unclear? How do you know that?

10. Is Rabba Bar Bar Channa a Tannah, Amorah, or is is unclear? How do you know that?

11. Is Rabbi Yochanan a Tannah, Amorah, or is is unclear? How do you know that?

12. Define:

a) אם כוון לבו

b) למפרע

c) מכאן ואילך