Lesson 3.2 The Shewa

Steps

1. Warm-up

   Do this together: Say the word “banana” quickly. Do you hear how the first a almost disappears: b’NA-na? Hebrew has a mark for that quick, half-said sound.

2. Teach the new idea

   Read aloud: The story. Psalm 118 says: This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. The crowds sang words from this psalm, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

   Read aloud: How Hebrew sounds. Shewa is two dots one above the other under a letter. At the beginning of a word it is a quick e: בְּ b’, so בְּרֵאשִׁית is b’ray-SHEET. At the end of a syllable, after a short vowel, it is silent: יִשְׂרָאֵל is yis-rah-AYL, and the shewa under sin is not said.

   Read aloud: A rule of thumb. First letter of the word: say it. After a short vowel: silent. Two shewas in a row: the first is silent, the second is said. Words: וְנִשְׂמְחָה ve-nis-me-KHAH, and we will be glad.

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.

   • יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra’el) [yis-rah-AYL]: Israel
   • שְׁמוּאֵל (Shemu’el) [sh’moo-AYL]: Samuel
   • מִדְבָּר (midbar) [mid-BAHR]: wilderness
   • זֶה (zeh) [ZEH]: this
4. Show how

   Show: Read: שְׁמוּאֵל

   Say this: “The shewa under shin is at the start of the word: said, sh’.”

   Say this: “mem + shureq = moo; alef + tsere = ey; lamed = l.”

   Answer: sh’moo-AYL (Samuel).

   Show: Read: מִדְבָּר

   Say this: “mem + hireq = mid; the shewa under dalet follows a short vowel: silent.”

   Say this: “bet with dagesh + qamets = bah; resh = r.”

   Answer: mid-BAHR (wilderness).

5. Practice together

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

   Ask: Read: בְּ

   Listen for: b’ (a quick beh).

   Ask: What does a shewa look like?

   Listen for: Two dots one above the other under a letter.

   Ask: Read: לְךָ

   Listen for: leh-KHAH.

   3 more on the lesson page.

6. Project: Quick-or-quiet cards

   Read aloud: Sort shewa words into “quick” and “quiet.”

   Steps:

   1. Write these on cards: בְּרֵאשִׁית, לְךָ, יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִדְבָּר, שְׁמוּאֵל, וְנִשְׂמְחָה.
   2. Read each and decide whether the first shewa is said (quick) or silent (quiet).
   3. Put it in the right bowl and explain why.

   Tips for you:

   • Look at what comes before the shewa: nothing (start of word) or a short vowel.

   Done when your child can say:

   • I sorted all six words.
   • I can explain each one.
7. Sketchbook

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

   1. Copy בְּרֵאשִׁית and יִשְׂרָאֵל, marking each shewa “said” or “silent.”
8. From history

   Read aloud: The name shewa probably means “nothing” or “emptiness,” because the sound is so slight. English borrowed the word: in English grammar, the weak vowel sound in “about” is called a schwa.

9. Watch for
   • Saying a full e for a vocal shewa. It is very quick.
   • Reading every shewa aloud. After a short vowel it is silent.
10. Game: Quick or quiet?

    The parent points to a shewa in a word on the board. Say “quick!” and read it if it is said; put a finger to your lips if it is silent.

11. Narration

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

    Listen for: Find shewa ְ under a letter.; Read a vocal shewa as a quick e.; Tell when a shewa is silent.

12. Scripture

    This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

    Hebrew (Westminster Leningrad Codex, vowel points shown, cantillation marks left out): <span class="heb-block" lang="he" dir="rtl">זֶה־הַיּוֹם עָשָׂה יְהוָה נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בוֹ</span> Read zeh-hayyom, this is the day, and find the shewa in venismechah, we will be glad: one silent, one said.

Spread over the week

3 sessions of 20–30 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.