Immersive Learning - Jewish Calendar
Subliminal Learning
Since Torah is eternal and we can never span it’s complete depths, there is always an element of subliminal learning. Learning that either is only on a spiritual/ soul level (see Educating Learners) or knowledge that is absorbed consequential to the subject matter, as we find in a metaphor or parable.
The following lesson utilises this phenomenon to teach the Hebrew calendar. Students are primarily learning Rashi on the mabul in Parshas Noach and through their toil in this complex learning, they learn the Torah months thoroughly.
The first set of variables Rashi brings is the two opinions of Rebi Eliezer and Rebi Yehoshua, as to when the world was created and thus, which months the Torah refers to in the count. This already gives students a double exposure to the calendar.
Students create 2 timelines that represent all the dates as follows:
Opinion of Rebi Eliezer who says the world was created in Tishrei:
Tishrei
Mar Chesvan
17 - Flood Begins
Rains 40 days and nights
Kislev
28 – Rain stops
Teves - Shvat - Adar - Nissan - Iyar
Sivan
1 – Water Stops
17 – Teivah rests on top of mountain
Tamuz
Av
1 – tops of mountains seen
Ellul
11 - Noach sends Orev bird
18 - Noach sends dove - dove returns
25 - Noach sends dove– returns with olive branch
Tishrei
1 – land dried to clay –
3 – Noach sends dove – doesn’t return
Mar Chesvan
27 - Land dries Noach comes out teiva
Opinion of Rebi Yehoshua who says the world was created in Tishrei
Nissan
17 - Flood Begins
Rains 40 days and nights
Sivan
ֿ28 – Rain stops
Tamuz - Av - Elul - Tishrei - Mar Cheshvan
Kislev
1 – water stops
17 – teiva rests on mountain
Teives
Shevat
1 – tops of mountains seen
Adar
11 - Noach sends Orev bird
18 - Noach sends dove - dove returns
25 - Noach sends dove– returns with olive branch
Nisan
1 – land dried to clay –
3 – Noach sends dove – doesn’t return
Iyar
27 - Land dries Noach comes out teiva