IMAGE FLASHCARD

The unit is for 5th graders. We teach according to Benchmarks and Standards. So the unit will definitely not look like this.

Look at the image What do you see?

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Chapter overview -Exodus 18 = שמות י"ח

Chapter Exodus 18 takes place as the Israelites travel through the desert after leaving Egypt. This period marks a significant moment in the Israelites' journey. Moshe is their only leader, that they can see, he came back from Midyan to save them.The Israelites are not ready to be independent yet, and Moshe's load is heavy. Until now Moshe and his family were not together because Moshe had been focused on leading the Israelites out of Egypt and through the desert. His responsibilities as a leader kept him occupied, and he had to prioritize guiding the entire community. During this time, Moses' family stayed with his father-in-law, Jethro, in the land of Midian. When Jethro heard about what happened in Egypt, he decided to bring Zipporah and the sons back to Moshe, as family should be together.

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The chapter is written narratively. The events are written in chronological order so it is pretty easy to follow them and understand the challenges of the characters. The chapter has a lot of emphasis on dialogues. Many conversations between the characters or none. The conversations and their tone show a lot of feelings and introduce the characters in a very human position. The challenges of the Israelites, and the challenges of Moshe as an only leader are the main theme.

Writing style

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• Effective leadership involves wise decision-making and

the ability to delegate responsibilities. A leader cannot do everything by himself, he needs to make sure the burden and responsibilities are spread effectively between members of the community.

• Valuable insights can come from unexpected places and individuals.

A leader needs to be open to hearing critique from others, and listen to his advisors and people around him, as he never knows who will have a good solution,

• Building a strong community involves collaboration, support, and shared responsibilities.

A community cannot be founded and handled for long by one person.

The central themes: big ideas

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Who's who?

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Where ? where?

A very common literary device used in Biblical Hebrew is Midrash Shem= מדרש שם. Characters and places are named after meaningful events in that community or individual life. More examples: אליעזר = ה' עזר לי משה= כי נמשה מן המים

Exodus 18,3 שמות י"ח,ג

and her two sons—of whom one was named Gershom, that is to say, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land”;

וְאֵ֖ת שְׁנֵ֣י בָנֶ֑יהָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאֶחָד֙ גֵּֽרְשֹׁ֔ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר גֵּ֣ר הָיִ֔יתִי בְּאֶ֖רֶץ נׇכְרִיָּֽה"׃"

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נָבֹ֣ל תִּבֹּ֔ל גַּם־אַתָּ֕ה גַּם־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִמָּ֑ךְ כִּֽי־כָבֵ֤ד מִמְּךָ֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר לֹא־תוּכַ֥ל עֲשֹׂ֖הוּ לְבַדֶּֽךָ׃

Exodus 18,17-18 שמות י"ח,י"ז-י"ח

The first thing Jethro says is "That's not good" He sees Moshe working all day long, and the Israelites are waiting for him all day long. All sides are tired, all sides are not at their best, and there has to be a better way. You can see Jethro cares for Moshe's health and the people's future. Their relationship is good, so Jethro can advise him regarding the change needed and Moshe is making a change. We can see our big ideas here!!

But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing you are doing is not rightyou will surely wear yourself out, and these people as well. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. ;

וַיֹּ֛אמֶר חֹתֵ֥ן מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֵלָ֑יו לֹא־טוֹב֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֖ה עֹשֶֽׂה׃

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Choose a character Ziporah or Gershom/Eliezer. Write a paragraph convincing Moshe to listen to Jethro; In your paragraph talk about,the family, the state of the nation, and at least one big idea.

Assignment

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Moses was the leader of the Israelites during their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. He serves as a prophet, the mediator between God and the people, and the chief judge. He ran away from Egypt because he killed someone to save the Jew, and he returned to Egypt because God told him to. He led the Israelites through the desert, facing challenges. After they left Egypt he found himself overwhelmed with challenges. After so many years in slavery, the community needed him at all times. Then, Jethro came with the family, and Moshe listened to his advice regarding leadership and delegation. Moshe Implemented Jethro's plan by appointing capable leaders to assist in the governance of the community, making him open to other challenges that needed to be taken care of.

Jethro יתרו(Reuel): Jethro is a priest of Midian and is known as a wise and respected figure. Known for his hospitality, to Moses and the Israelites in his home. Jethro became Moshe's father-in-law and as a family, he took care of Zipporah and the sons. When he heard about the Exodus from Egypt, he brought the family back to be with Moshe. When Jethro saw the state Moshe is in, he was not happy and gave Moshe advice. he needed to build a system to support him in controlling the crowd. A system that will work for Moshe and for the Israelites. And so did Moshe with some changes

The Israelites are a nation in a passing period. They used to be enslaved, now they're free but are not ready for independence yet. They used to have a place to live, a routine, and food, but now they are scared as they are going into the unknown in the desert. The Israelites act ungratefully towards God and keep complaining to Moshe. Moshe is the only leader they know and follow.