Stories We Live by: Brides Hairpin

Grades: 4-7      The Stories We Live By lessons use Jewish folktales and Rabbinic stories to teach important Jewish values. Each lesson tells a story and offers probing questions and text study for students to consider. Twelve Stories We Live By lessons are available. The teacher's guide is sold separately.

Stories We Live by: Brides Hairpin tells the story of Miriam, daughter of Rabbi Akiva. Astrologers had prophesized that Miriam would be killed by a poisonous snake at her wedding. Rabbi Akiva leaves the wedding fearing the worst and is surprised by his daughter's appearance the next morning to retrieve her hairpin. She tells her father that during the wedding feast she hears a knock at the door and finds a beggar. She retrieves her plate of food and, while giving it to the beggar, pushes her hairpin into a crack in the wall, killing a poisonous snake. The lesson is about how doing g'milut hasadim (kindness for others) and giving tzedakah can defeat an evil curse.

*When you purchase this lesson you will be provided with a link to download the lesson. Make as many copies of this lesson as you need for your school and only your school. Materials that are downloaded are not returnable. Teacher guide is not included.