Ilustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
Devash is a weekly parashah magazine that makes Torah learning sweet. By engaging directly with texts and taking kids seriously as Jews, Devash helps children and grownups discover new ideas, values, and sweet morsels in the weekly Torah portion. Devash is designed for kids ages 7 and up to read independently, or together with families and teachers.
Learn more at https://www.hadar.org/torah-tefillah/devash
CONTENTS
- Midrash / מִדְרָשׁ
- When Benei Yisrael go into battle, the officers will announce that people who are afraid and weak of heart can skip the fighting. What could be going on here?
- What does appointing judges and a system of court have to do with not planting trees that are an idol?
- The Torah says that a judge who's having a hard time making a decision should seek a higher authority "who is at the time". What can we learn from those words?
- Our parashah contains the mitzvah to offer peace even when Benei Yisrael would be at war with a city. What can we learn from this?
- Commentary / פַּרְשָׁנוּת
- Is it good for Benei Yisrael to have a king?
- The Torah tells us not to cut down trees in war. Why is that?
- The word “tamim” has a lot of different meanings: pure, whole, or perfect. What does it mean for us to try to be tamim with God?
- Halakhah / הֲלָכָה
- Learn about the categories of de-orayta ("from the Torah") vs. de-rabannan ("from our rabbis") for mitzvot
- Bal tash’hit (don't destroy)
- A Moment of Hebrew / רֶגַע שֶׁל עִבְרִית
