Parsha Vaera וָאֵרָא  “And I appeared”

Torah portion: Shemot/Exodus 6:2-9:35
Haphtarah (concluding portion): Ezekiel 28:25-9:21
Brit Chadasha (New Testament): Revelation 16:1-21

Did you know: Vaera is the 2nd parsha [portion] of sefer [scroll of/book of] Shemot?

Drama: There is a lot of interesting stuff going on in this parsha; snakes, magicians, plagues, and more all make for a great setting for this week’s drama presentation. This week’s presentation is a newscast. To capture your “footage” for your newscast project, you will have to create scenes and video tape them. Don’t forget to interview “passers by” as you cover the story from the front lines of Egypt’s plagues. Choose which portion of the parsha you want to report on and let the creativity begin.

Art: This week’s project is a mixed media project. Students will be introduced to a wide variety of art supplies in this lesson. This is really fitting, though, because so much is happening in the parsha. We learn about Aaron’s rod and the first seven plagues. Encourage your students to use mixed media collage techniques and incorporate the themes of the parsha into their projects (rod turning to a snake and the plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock, boils, thunder and hail, etc).  If needed, allow students to finish off their projects with magazine cut outs or small clippings/writing from photocopied Bible pages. Consider printing in Hebrew and in English. My favorite online parallel Hebrew/English Bible is here. I like it because it has the vowel points which makes it easier for me to read since I am still a student of the language.

Science: Is it possible to turn water to blood or water to wine? Well, of course it is because God did those things. In science we will mimic these miracles by using a couple of chemicals and some water. These chemicals are sodium carbonate (which is really just washing soda… NOT baking soda and is available in your grocer’s laundry section) and phenolphthalein indicator solution (which is available at a pool store or anywhere spa and pool chemicals are found… we actually have some leftover from summer). Find the experiment and teaching about WATER INTO WINE here.

Social Studies: This week we get the run-down of Moses and Aaron’s genealogy. Set up a free trial at Ancestry.com or other ancestry search site and see what you come up with. Or, make a simple family tree of relatives you already know you have. This is a great way for your kids to practice interviewing and phone skills. Encourage your children to make calls to older relatives and ask about places of birth/death, how ancestors lived, etc.

Music: This week we will continue to focus on the traditional song Mi Chamocha. Mi Chamocha is Hebrew for “who is like You?” Although the lyrics to this song don’t appear in our parsha this week, we will be studying this song in light of the events of this parsha. What wonders does YHVH perform this week? We will be singing this song as part of our homeschool music time for the first four parshiot (portions) of Shemot (Exodus). The lyrics to this song appear in parsha Beshalach which is the fourth parsha of sefer Shemot. Here is a version of Mi Chamocha that we enjoy by Tokens of Love. We also like this one by Shani Ferguson. If you would like to read this song in Hebrew as you sing along, we have a free Hebrew easy reader of Mi Chamocha to download here.

Bible and Hebrew Language: Click through the links below to find lots of resources from Restoring the Way Ministries to enhance your homeschool lessons.

Restoring the Way Materials:
MessiShul Parsha Lapbook Curriculum: Shemot
Preschool Adventure Series homeschool curriculum
Messianic Weekly (Kids) Volume 1: Shemot
Messianic Weekly (Kids) Volume 2 [subscription $1.99/wk] Messianic Weekly (Teens) Volume 1: Shemot
Messianic Weekly (Teens) Volume 2 [subscription $1.99/wk] Parsha for Preschool Volume 1
Parsha for Preschool Volume 2 [subscription $1.99/wk] Hebrew Handwriting Primer
Hebrew Handwriting With the Parsha Names
Noah’s Noodles Parsha Cookbook for Kids

Don’t forget to visit our friends:
Petah Tikvah
Heart of Wisdom
Hebraic Roots Network
Holy Language Institute