Lesson 5.2 Shalom Again

Steps

1. Warm-up

   Do this together: At the very beginning of Hebrew you learned one word: shalom. Now you can read it yourself, letter by letter and vowel by vowel. What a long way you have come this year!

2. Teach the new idea

   Read aloud: The story. The priestly blessing ends: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Shalom means more than no fighting: it means wholeness, everything as it should be. The prophet Isaiah called the promised Child the Prince of Peace, and Jesus told His disciples: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.

   Read aloud: How to read shalom. שָׁ: shin (dot on the right) + qamets = shah. לוֹ: lamed + vav with a dot on top, which says oh = loh. ם: end-mem = m. Together: shah-LOHM. The vav with a dot on top, וֹ, is a new vowel, holem; you will learn it fully next year.

   Read aloud: The last line. וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם: ve-yasem lekha shalom, and give thee peace. ve- means and; yasem means may he give; lekha means to you; shalom means peace.

3. New words

   Do this: Say each word clearly; your child says it back twice. Point to a picture or the real thing when you can.

   • שָׁלוֹם (shalom) [shah-LOHM]: peace
   • לְךָ (lekha) [leh-KHAH]: to you
   • יִשָּׂא (yissa) [yis-SAH]: may he lift up
4. Show how

   Show: Read: שָׁלוֹם

   Say this: “shin + qamets = shah.”

   Say this: “lamed + holem vav = loh.”

   Say this: “end-mem = m.”

   Answer: shah-LOHM.

   Show: Read: לְךָ

   Say this: “lamed + a tiny two-dot mark (shewa, a quick e) = leh.”

   Say this: “kaf without a dot + qamets = khah.”

   Answer: leh-KHAH (to you).

5. Practice together

   Do this: Ask out loud. Let your child try first; help only after a real try.

   Ask: Read: שָׁלוֹם

   Listen for: shah-LOHM.

   Ask: What does shalom mean?

   Listen for: Peace.

   Ask: Who is called the Prince of Peace?

   Listen for: The promised Child: Jesus (Isaiah 9:6).

   3 more on the lesson page.

6. Project: Peace dove mobile

   Read aloud: Make a dove mobile with shalom.

   Steps:

   1. Cut out three doves.
   2. On one write שָׁלוֹם, on one שָׁלוֹם in English letters, and on one Peace.
   3. Hang them from the stick.
   4. Read the Hebrew dove each morning.

   Tips for you:

   • Write the Hebrew neatly, hanging from a top line.

   Done when your child can say:

   • My mobile has שָׁלוֹם written correctly.
   • I can read it.
7. Sketchbook

   Do this: Your child picks one or more; you write the date.

   1. Write the last line of the blessing in Hebrew and English: וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם, and give thee peace.
8. From history

   Read aloud: Christians in many lands still greet each other with the word for peace: shalom in Hebrew, salaam in Arabic, pax in Latin.

9. Watch for
   • Reading the holem vav וֹ as v. With a dot on top, it says oh.
   • Reading the end-mem as a new letter. It is mem: m.
10. Game: Shalom chain

    Sit in a circle. The first person says Shalom! and a family member’s name; that person answers Shalom! and passes it on. Then pass a card with וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם and each person reads one word.

11. Narration

    Say this: “Tell me what you learned today.”

    Listen for: Read שָׁלוֹם with all its points.; Read short words from Numbers 6:26.; Explain what shalom means in the Bible.

12. Scripture

    The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

    In Hebrew, from the Leningrad Codex: <span class="heb-block" lang="he" dir="rtl">יִשָּׂא יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם׃</span> This is the last line of the priestly blessing. Now you can read the last word yourself: shalom.

Spread over the week

3 sessions of 15–20 minutes. Stop while it is still going well.

1. Session 1. Warm-up, then read and teach the new idea and the new words. Show how.
2. Session 2. Practice together, then start the project. Finish the project, then the sketchbook.
3. Session 3. Narration, the game and the Scripture.