I have taught judaic studies in middle school and high school for over 10 years. I currently homeschool. I have been struggling along with rashi skills, and I'd like to think aloud and get some input. With my first daughter (who is now matriculated into high school), I spent about 15 minutes a day on rashi in 6-8th grade. Her rashi skills ended up being (in my opinion) mediocre, which was quite sufficient for her in the middle track of an academically rigorous high school, and they have improved marginally over the last 2 yrs there. Now I am teaching my 2nd daughter, and learning from experience. She may choose to continue homeschooling through high school, and I would like her to have stronger rashi skills regardless of her choice. She is currently in 4th grade. My rashi textual skills goals for her are to: 1. Read rashi correctly (letter recognition and reading without nekudos) 2. Tanslate rashi decently 3. and possibly know some of the more common abbreviations How have I been trying to achieve this? I pick a rashi that is pshat oriented and whose language is fairly simple. then either I tell her what it means outside, or I read it to her and explain it, or she reads it and tries to understand it, depending on complexity and her mood. Then we review it and review it until she knows it pretty fluently. What is the problem with this method? I have been a bit lax at finding rashis. I have been using them to enhance chumash--to provide more explanation of the plain meaning of the text. While this is nice, it is not giving us sufficient practice at rashi reading and translation. I estimate that we have done about 20 rashis this year, and she remembers the content of about 12-15 of them (and has almost no recollection of the rest), and can translate about 60-80% of the ones she remembers. I wonder if I should construct a rashi curriculum on its own, aside from chumash, for her to work on the skills I would like her to acquire. I need to find rashis that stand on their own and are pretty simple. The "down side" of that is that rashi really is best in the context of the pasuk. All advice and suggestions welcome. Thank you. -jessie fischbein http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19628#msg-19628 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:37:41 -0600 Phorum 5.2.19 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19664#msg-19664 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19664#msg-19664 what is Rashi's question? I think that the word "bothering" is not an
accurate translation if it means "why are you upset, what's bothering
you?". In the context in which I taught Rashi, I used the phrase mah
kah-sheh to inspire the learner to think that an answer, a statement
or an explanation, should be prompted by a question.

Dr. Annette Labovitz]]> Annette Labovitz Lookjed List Archive Mon, 16 May 2011 23:31:48 -0600 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19651#msg-19651 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19651#msg-19651
Here is a link: [torahskills.org]

There are a number of activities that can help your child learn to recognize Rashi letters. Teachers might also find these resources useful to use in a classroom on a Smartboard.

Sincerely,

Tzvi Daum
[www.torahskills.org]]]> Tzvi Daum Lookjed List Archive Mon, 09 May 2011 16:35:43 -0600 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19649#msg-19649 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19649#msg-19649
To give context to these two examples, I first point out that in a recent posting on the same thread I suggested that there are 10 major Rashi methods (presented on www.Rashiyomi.com). Some of these methods such as contradictions and database inquiries are nicely approached through the concept of bother. However the word “bother” implies a nuance of wrongness – something is wrong in the verse (like a contradiction) and Rashi is fixing this wrong. By using a language of style vs. bother a teacher can convey that Rashi comments are responses to normal nuances.

Example #1: Rashi (Dt26-05). The verse says, “With a few people my father went down to Egypt.” There is nothing “wrong” with this verse. I therefore don’t believe it fruitful to suggest to the student that something should bother him or her. Rather, Rashi is **adding supplemental information**. Rashi cites another verse which clarifies the numerical value of few – Jacob went down with 70 people to Egypt. By approaching Rashi in this way the student encourages the student to inquire about verses even when there is nothing bothersome in them.

Example #2: Rashi Gn22-11, Gn46-02, Ex01-01 and many more. The verse says “…and God said Abraham, Abraham! And Abraham said, “I am ready””. Rashi comments on the repeated style “Repetition connotes endearment.” Here again: I don’t agree with an approach that “minimal words” is normal and anything excessive is bothersome and a problem. In fact repetition is very normal in our day-to-day speech. Repetition connotes several psychological states including endearment. I expect for example husbands and wives or parents and children to use the repetitive style. By approaching Rashi stylistically we unify for the student daily discourse and midrashic exegesis.

Russell Jay Hendel; Ph.D, A.S.A;
Dept of Mathematics
Towson University
[www.Rashiyomi.com]]]> Russell Jay Hendel Lookjed List Archive Mon, 09 May 2011 04:55:25 -0600 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19640#msg-19640 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19640#msg-19640 Today there are numerous editions available with modern block type. Is there a purpose in making learning Rashi type an initial goal?

I hesitate to say that students no longer need to learn Rashi type altogether because this will in the future limit their access to parts of the traditional Jewish canon (not every text is available in block type). But from a pedagogical perspective, isn't it enough to be bombarded with with a new mode of logic (this is the student's first exposure to formalized commentary/exegesis) and a new language (this is the student's first introduction to rabbinic Hebrew) without complicating matters more with a new type?

Maybe it makes more sense to wait until a child is more comfortable/confident learning Rashi before adding yet another frustrating and complicating element? It doesn't have to wait years, but can't it wait? Just wondering.

Kol tuv,
Ari Kinsberg]]> Ari Kinsberg Lookjed List Archive Thu, 05 May 2011 09:32:08 -0600 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19635#msg-19635 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19635#msg-19635 1. Memorization / Recognition approach
2. An alternate conceptual approach
3. My Rashi taxonomy
4. Some simple examples.
5. Some Resources

1. MEMORIZATION / RECOGNITION APPROACH
A famous taxonomy of learning/teaching objectives is the Bloom-Anderson taxonomy (e.g. see [www.uwsp.edu] for a popular summary ). This taxonomy classifies objectives and methods into six broad categories and has proven useful. Generally speaking memorization / recognition is considered “low level”, while methods that require analysis, synthesis or understanding are high level. The consensus is that students are turned off by low-level methods, they have poorer motivation, poorer retention etc. Objectives and methods based on understanding, analysis and synthesis have higher motivation and retention. So a student who is simply taught to “recognize Rashi script, translate it and know some abbreviations” is expected to have mediocre knowledge of Rashi.

2. AN ALTERNATE CONCEPTUAL APPROACH
I participated in some home schooling about 15 years ago and produced about 400 worksheets. The basic set up was as follows. Some teenage female tutors taught “low level items” like recognizing Rashi script, reading and abbreviation. I taught a separate unit: In this unit, I taught Rashi using a constructivist guided-discovery pedagogical approach. I would ask the students a series of questions on the English or Hebrew text of the Bible. The questions would enable the students to derive Rashi comments by themselves. (This method was used on successfully on 7-11 year olds). The pupils had no difficulty arriving at what some adults considered difficult Rashis to explain.

3. MY RASHI TAXONOMY:
Any approach to Rashi is based on a model of assumed Rashi methods. I use 10 major methods: i) Cross references, ii) Meaning, iii) Grammar, iv) Parallelism, v) Contradiction, vi) Rabbi Ishmael Style methods, vii) Formatting, viii) Database, ix) Non-Verse, and x) Symbolism (Some examples are given below). As a rule of thumb certain methods such as Database, non-verse and Symbolism should be avoided with younger children since they are complicated. By contrast, certain methods such as cross-references, meaning, parallelism, contradiction and formatting are easily grasped even by young children (Again: Examples are given below)

4. SOME SIMPLE EXAMPLES:
Here are some exercises that can be given to young children (7-11 years old) which will lead them to arrive at the Rashi comments themselves. (Example #1 – Illustrates Cross-reference method) Review Deut. 10 and clarify through a cross-reference the word “few” in Deut. 26:5 (Answer: Rashi on Deut 26:5) (Example #2 – illustrates meaning method) Have mommy show you her various pots and pans which she uses for cooking. Based on the descriptions in the Rashis on Lev. 2:5 and 2:7 find good English translations for machavath and marchesheth. (Example #3 – illustrates parallelism method) Show the parallelism in the Gen. 49:11, “He washes his clothes in wine and in the blood-of-grapes his suth,” by lining up corresponding words. Based on your parallelism explain the terms “blood of graphs” and “suth”. (Note: Some younger pupils may need illustrations of parallelism in order to complete this exercise). (Example #4) This is a negative example. Rashi on Numbers 7 shows how the single theme “human history” can explain the symbolism of the princely gifts. I do not believe that young children could independently derive the symbolic details (Though I have been personally successful using advanced application of guided-discovery pedagogic methods).

5. SOME RESOURCES:
A) I have a website dedicated to classifying Rashis using this taxonomic system, www.Rashiyomi.com. B) The URL [www.rashiyomi.com] gives many examples of each method which can be used in class or in homeschooling. C) From time to time I write summaries of my methods. The URL [www.rashiyomi.com] contains a six-week course I gave at the Ner Tamid congregation of Baltimore several years ago. D) The URL [www.Rashiyomi.com] contains several articles published in refereed journals presenting some of these ideas.

Russell Jay Hendel; Ph.D., A.S.A
Dept of Mathematics
Towson University
Towson Md 21244]]> Russell Jay Hendel Lookjed List Archive Thu, 05 May 2011 00:02:22 -0600 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19633#msg-19633 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19633#msg-19633 suggestion. The learner needs to know "mah ka-sheh l'rashi?" meaning:
what is rashi's question. Once the learner understands the question
that is bothering rashi, then the answer makes sense. Without the
question, the learner is missing something important because in the
majority of cases, rashi would not respond if he hadn't felt that
there was an important question.

annette labovitz
--
Dr. Annette Labovitz
Woodmere, New York 11598]]> Annette Labovitz Lookjed List Archive Wed, 04 May 2011 00:03:05 -0600 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19631#msg-19631 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19631#msg-19631
I have found that Parshios Vayetze - Veyechi as well as the beginning of Sefer Shmos have a lot of Rashis that have vocabulary that is accessible to this age. I try to teach 3-4 pesukim a day so on average I will hit a rashi every 1-2 days. There are basic Rashi vocabulary words and technique that can be highlighted based on the Rashi. For example the word אלא or לפי, questions, answer, pshat, drash, etc.


I would add to the skills you have listed the ability to break up the rashi into phrases. The way the 4th grade teacher does this is initially giving worksheets where she writes how many words are in a phrase and then having the student recopy the rashi one phrase per line on the sheet. As the year progresses, she doesn't tell them how many words are in each phrase.]]> Shira Hochheimer Lookjed List Archive Tue, 03 May 2011 10:30:48 -0600 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19628#msg-19628 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19628,19628#msg-19628
I have been struggling along with rashi skills, and I'd like to think aloud and get some input. With my first daughter (who is now matriculated into high school), I spent about 15 minutes a day on rashi in 6-8th grade. Her rashi skills ended up being (in my opinion) mediocre, which was quite sufficient for her in the middle track of an academically rigorous high school, and they have improved marginally over the last 2 yrs there.

Now I am teaching my 2nd daughter, and learning from experience. She may choose to continue homeschooling through high school, and I would like her to have stronger rashi skills regardless of her choice. She is currently in 4th grade. My rashi textual skills goals for her are to:

1. Read rashi correctly (letter recognition and reading without nekudos)
2. Tanslate rashi decently
3. and possibly know some of the more common abbreviations

How have I been trying to achieve this? I pick a rashi that is pshat oriented and whose language is fairly simple. then either I tell her what it means outside, or I read it to her and explain it, or she reads it and tries to understand it, depending on complexity and her mood.

Then we review it and review it until she knows it pretty fluently.

What is the problem with this method? I have been a bit lax at finding rashis. I have been using them to enhance chumash--to provide more explanation of the plain meaning of the text. While this is nice, it is not giving us sufficient practice at rashi reading and translation.

I estimate that we have done about 20 rashis this year, and she remembers the content of about 12-15 of them (and has almost no recollection of the rest), and can translate about 60-80% of the ones she remembers.

I wonder if I should construct a rashi curriculum on its own, aside from chumash, for her to work on the skills I would like her to acquire. I need to find rashis that stand on their own and are pretty simple. The "down side" of that is that rashi really is best in the context of the pasuk.

All advice and suggestions welcome. Thank you.
-jessie fischbein]]> jessie fischbein Lookjed List Archive Mon, 02 May 2011 23:38:40 -0600