Neviim & Ktuvim

Goal: The chanichim should see from this story the anarchy and immoral behavior that took place during the time of the Shoftim, largely because there was no king or strong central leader in charge. They will also see the irony and the backwardness shown in this story by the people who should be leaders.

Goals: The chanichim will discuss that despite Shimshon’s true reason for living amongst the Pelishtim and starting up with him, he will become influenced by the end, and start giving into his ta’avot and his need for revenge. This will ultimately lead to his downfall.  The question in all of these stories is what are Shimshon’s intentions? Is he really 100% doing this as an undercover mission, or is he taking a lot of fringe benefits (women, power, strength, revenge)? Also the chanichim will discuss the difference between koach – physical strength – that Shimshon definitely has, and gevurah – spiritual strength, which it seems he lacks, and what we can learn from this about what the spiritual personality should be of a leader.

Goals:

1. The chanichim will see that in conquering the

land of

Israel, Hashem will provide us with miracles and help, but only if we take initiative first. All the battles fought at the beginning of Yehoshua (at the beginning of conquering the land) were a combination of miracles and teva - natural battles. Hashem, through Yehoshua, is teaching Am Israel how to fight in a natural way.

2. The chanichim will see Yehoshua’s role as a ruchani and religious leader, not just as a general in battle. In all the battles that he leads and in his speeches, Yehoshua always has the same message: G-d will only help us in battle if we keep His mitzvot and the Torah.

Goal: The chanichim will discuss how Shimshon is an extremely strange Shofet, and how this was all on purpose; that Am Israel needed an undercover Shofet who could work undercover, living amongst the Pelishtim, to fight them single handedly on behalf on Am Israel. The chanichim will discuss why Shimshon needed to be a Nazir to offset the dangers of this mission and will discuss the story of his birth and the characters of his mother and father- Manoach and Eshet Manoach.