The divine name

Today was another day of singing and teaching in the four Sunday School classes. Good long sermon so I got to all four and had ample time to get back to choir even in time for the general confession.

Today's lesson included singing the Shema as well as teaching some tone matching to the youngest classes. In the older classes, we explored the Divine Name in detail - Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh; where in the song we sing Adonai = Lord.  But the divine name can be written - and we wrote it

יהוה

then we wrote Adonai

אדני 

and we talked a bit about the differences, about vowels and consonants, and about practices including the name (Hashem) as a substitute.  And in line with this morning's leaflet, we talked a little about Israel and how the nations have been gathered into the promises that are given to Israel, creating the oneness that we celebrate. (All this at roughly 5 minutes a class).

The children remember all the words of the song and their usual English glosses. Here are singers, and translators for the future ...  I expect the older children could learn another song too - maybe next time...

The letter zayin

Today the lessons are brought to you by the letter zayin in four classes, linked to זכר zkr (to remember) - as in Zachariah (Yah remembers).  I quizzed the class (depending on age level) about who Z was and who was his son. Each class also sang the shema - some from memory, and each class (except the 2-year-olds) linked the name יהוה YHWH to the sentence in Moses at the burning bush.

You remember it, I am sure: Exodus 3:15. The music based on the te'amim is here.