Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/49

Rh dren respond readily to such work, the entire psalm or portions thereof may be committed to memory. This is, however, altogether optional. In this way the children will become somewhat familiar with other, little studied portions of the Bible. Finally, in connection with each lesson a number of stories from the Midrash are given, that great, spiritual treasure-house of post-Biblical tradition and legend. These stories, so far as possible, deal with the Biblical character or incident under discussion. But in the main they are selected chiefly because they, too, illustrate, though not infrequently from a slightly different standpoint, the same spiritual truths as the Biblical stories and readings, and serve to show how these truths and principles continued and developed in the post-Biblical period, and found expression at the hands of the rabbis.

In all this work it must be constantly borne in mind that it is the teacher's task, not to preach to children, but merely to tell the stories and read the Biblical selections; but to do this so effectively that the children will catch almost unconsciously the spirit of the lesson, and will make a part of their own belief and practice the principles of Judaism which the lessons convey. In this indirect way alone can moral instruction be given and moral impulses awakened. Children will not listen patiently to preaching. But they will hearken with pleasure if the stories be well told, and will remember the stories and, even more, the spiritual truths they express, and thus they will acquire a steadily growing and expanding knowledge of the fundamental teachings of Judaism. This, we believe, should be the real aim of the Jewish religious school.