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This Month's Torah Portions:
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Genesis Chapter 1, Verse 1
The First Day of Creation
"Bireisheet Bara Elokim Eit Hashamayim Ve'eit Ha'aretz..."
"In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth..."
Overview of the Biblical Text:
It was into a vast emptiness that
G-d decided to create the world. This was accomplished in a step by step
manner by adding additional creations each day for six days.
On the first day (when the world was empty and without order, and the
spirit of G-d hovered upon the surface of the deep waters,) G-d declared
"let there be light". He then separated between the darkness and light,
designating light as day and the darkness as night.
Discussion Questions:
- Why do we need light?
- What are the advantages of darkness?
- What would the world be like if we only had light?
- What would the world be like if we only had darkness?
Activity Ideas:
- Visualization Activity - Have
children close their eyes and think about what they see. This activity
helps the children to visualize the absence of their surroundings and
helps them to understand what the world looked like before Creation
occurred. On the very first day of creation, G-d gave us a special gift
so that we would be able to enjoy the marvelous world He was about to
create. He gave us the gift of light.
- Have Fun with shadows -
Vary the amount of light in the room and have the students observe how
an increase or decrease in light can determine how well they can see
their shadow. Have the students make shadow figures and shapes on the
wall; Have students look at their own shadows
- Make black and white creations - black and white sponge prints, black & white collages, black & white cookies, etc.
- Experiment with color shading and tinting - Have the students add black or white paint or food color to different colors to lighten or darken them.
- Compare various wattage of light bulbs for darker and lighter effects.
- Now you see it, now you don't - Adjust the level of light in the classroom, so that the room is
dark, but not pitch black. Put several objects on a table in front of
the students. Have the students observe the objects in front of them.
Then turn on the lights and have the students look at the objects again.
Have the students discuss how light changed the way the objects looked.
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