USCJ: April 2008

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USCJ EC Staff Meeting Shiur - April 2008

She put the child into it [the ark/basket] and placed it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. And his sister [Miriam] stationed herself at a distance, to learn what would befall him.

- Exodus 2:3-4

Miriam died there and was buried there, and the community was without water.

- Number 20:1-2

Rashi (11th Century, France) noticed the strange juxtaposition of Miriam's death and the shortage of water, and assumed that there must be a connection between the two. "From this we learn that all forty years, they had a well because of the merit of Miriam."

- Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, “Miriam - Water Under The Bridge?”

Questions for Discussion:

Miriam was the sister of Aaron and Moses, and she holds an important place in the Pesach story. Besides guarding her baby brother as he floats down the Nile and securing a job for her mother as the baby’s nursemaid once the Pharaoh’s daughter has found him, Miriam leads the women in dance and song once the Israelites have escaped Egypt and crossed the Sea of Reeds. What else do you know about Miriam?
Pictured above are two examples of a Kos Miriam (Miriam’s Cup), which in recent years has gained popularity as another ritual for Pesach. The Kos Miriam is filled with water, as the Torah text and midrashim connect Miriam to water in many ways. Have you ever put or seen a Kos Miriam on a seder table? Share stories of the Kos Miriam and the rituals surrounding it. (If no one in your group has personal experience with a Kos Miriam, you can find lots of information at www.miriamscup.com)
The story of Passover would be impossible without the women. In addition to Miriam, Yocheved – Moses’ mother, Shifra and Puah – the midwives who refused to kill the Israelite babies, Bat Paroh – Pharaoh’s daughter, Tzipporah – Moses’ wife, and the Israelite women all contributed to our liberation from Egypt. Tell the stories of these women. If you’re not sure of the details, check out Exodus chapters 1 and 2. There’s also an article with lots of good details at http://www.morim.org/Contents.aspx?id=2059.
Why are Miriam and the other women important to young children? How will you insure that your children learn their stories, and not just Moses’? Miriam was a prophetess who danced; Shifra and Puah stood up for the right thing; Yocheved loved her child fiercely. How will you plan to incorporate these elements into your class’s Passover preparations?

Printable version

Maxine Segal Handelman
Consultant for Early Childhood Education,
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism