Core Text
- Introduce hevruta, divide class, pass out source sheets
- Hevrutas read source text to each other and explore discussion questions (Note: Unless students are already familiar with Sarah’s story, they should read “Sarah’s Backstory” at the top of the page before reading the biblical text. For a more in-depth introduction, they can read JWA’s encyclopedia article about Sarah.)
- Come back together to discuss what arose in hevruta. Begin by inviting students to share their most interesting questions and listing them on the board. Explain that finding unanswered questions in the text is the starting point of midrash (interpretation of Torah).
- If you find that students are eager to debate about answers to their questions, this can lead to great discussion, but remind them that the Jewish interpretative tradition allows for multiple answers to a single question.
