Milchemet Hamelachim – Lesson 2
Four-lesson unit on Bereshit 14: 1-24. Students participate in multiple intelligence exercises in order to understand the Battle of the Kings.
Lesson objectives
Students will be able to:
1. Relate how Avram heard of the battle and Lot’s capture despite the battlefield location.
2. Describe how Avram reacted to hearing that Lot was taken captive.
3. Describe how Avram prepared for battle.
4. Describe how Avram fought his enemies.
5. Relate how Avram returned Lot and his property.
Skills
Students will be able to:
1. Locate warring kingdoms on map of Israel.
2. Locate the battlefield on map of Israel.
3. Locate Hebron, Avram’s dwelling, in relation to battlefield on map of Israel.
Values
Students will be able to appreciate:
1. Avram’s self-sacrifice in going to war and saving his nephew Lot.
2. The mitzvah of pidyon shvuyim (redeeming captives).
Terms
|
פסוק |
||
|
fugitive, runaway |
הפליט |
יג |
|
was captured |
נשבה |
יד |
|
and he gave his students armor for war |
וירק את חניכיו |
יד |
|
and he chased after them |
וירדוף |
יד |
|
until the city of Dan |
עד דן |
יד |
|
and he fought against them |
ויחלק |
טו |
|
and he returned |
וישב |
טז |
Resources & Equipment needed
- Chumashim or or Sefaria link to text for all students
- Whiteboard and board markers
- Highlighters in different colors for all students
- Copies of the Daat Mikra map for all students
Procedure
Teacher Preparation
Write the vocabulary list on the board.
Class Opening
Ask students: after the shepherds of Avram and Lot fought, where did each choose to live? Lot chose to live in Sedom. Then, review Bereshit 13:18 – where did Avram live? Hebron, in Elonei Mamre. Ask students: So who lived in the area which was involved in the war of the 4 kings against the 5 kings? Lot, because he lived in Sedom.
Explain that Kedorlaomer and his group have just conquered Sedom. Then, Lot’s belongings were taken as spoils of war and he was taken prisoner! Explain that when a person is captured during the war, it is called נלקח בשבי, meaning taken as a captive, or prisoner of war. Where was he in relation to the other kings? Let’s take a look at the map.
Map Activity
Distribute map. Tell students to find the kingdoms of Kedorlaomer’s group (Group A) and highlight them in yellow. Look at 14:1 to remember the names of the kingdoms. Which nations do we need to highlight? שנער, אלסר, עילם, גוים . Explain that the kingdom גוים does not exist on the map. Some researchers have identified this kingdom with that of the Ancient Hittites. Others have identified it as being located at בעבר הנהר which is located in the center of the map. Now let’s highlight the kingdoms of Sedom and Amora (Group B) in blue. Who can read the next verse? Now let’s look in the small inserted section of the map to find them. Highlight in blue.
Ask students: Where was the battlefield? עמק השדים, the Dead Sea! Then, ask students to find Hebron on the map, and highlight it in red.
Student Vote
Ask students: Did Avram know about Lot’s capture? Remember, there was no internet, no TV, no radio. He lived in Hebron, far away from the battlefield. Do you think he knew? Tell students to put their thumbs up if they think Avram knew about the battle and Lot’s capture, and put their thumbs down if you think he didn’t know. Mark votes on board under Avram knew /didn’t know. Now let’s see.
Textual Reading
Read the verses carefully, pausing at each phrase to check comprehension. Ask students: what does “ויבא הפליט” mean? Where was he running from? What do you think the fugitive told Avram? That Lot was captured. Read the first 5 words of pasuk 14. What does that mean? Check the board. Does this literally mean his brother? No, his nephew – it’s a Biblical way of referring to family. What was Avram’s immediate reaction? וירק את חניכיו, ילידי ביתו. He prepared his students for battle.
Ask students: How many were they? שמנה עשר ושלש מאות 318 people. Where did they go? וירדף עד דן. They chased them until the city of Dan.
Read pasuk 15 until ויכם. What did Avram do? Fought against them and chased them away. T: Read the rest of the pasuk and translate it. Locate Damascus on a map and indicate.
Read pasuk 16. What did Avram do with Lot and his belongings? He brought them home to Sedom. He brought Lot back home, along with all the women of the city who hadn’t fought, and the rest of the nation.
Teacher Pantomime
Choose a student to read the text and pantomime the phrases. Include all the main factors: the fugitive telling Avram the news, Avram hearing the news, Avram preparing his students for battle, fighting, and returning Lot and his belongings.
Mitzvat Pidyon Shvuyim
Once Avram found out that Lot was captured, did Avram hesitate to go after him? How does the text tell us this? As soon as the fugitive tells him Lot was captured, he immediately prepares his students for battle.
Ask students: why does it make SENSE that Avram would HESITATE to save Lot? It’s dangerous – anything can happen in war. He was outnumbered. Remind students that he didn’t like Lot very much. They didn’t get along so well, remember how they separated, and even their shepherds didn’t get along. So, why would Avram want to go save Lot? They’re still family, and it’s a mitzvah to return a prisoner of war to his home. This mitzvah is called Pidyon Shvuyim. The Rambam calls this one of the biggest mitzvot ever.
Ask students: why do you think that Pidyon Shvuyim is considered one of the biggest mitzvot in the world? Have students consider on their own why this may be.