In this week’s Parsha, we learn that Moshe asked Pharaoh to allow the Jewish people to leave Egypt. However, Pharaoh refused. As a result, Hashem sent ten plagues to persuade him to let the Jewish people go. One of these plagues was the Makka of Barad, which means hail. These hailstones were made of ice and fire and showed Hashem’s power.
Today, we will conduct a fun science experiment that demonstrates the Makka of Barad. We will use foam, baking soda, red food coloring, and water to create a Barad mixture. After freezing the mixture, we will add it to a soap and water solution that has been colored with food coloring. Finally, we will add vinegar to the mixture, causing the Barad to explode in the water.
Supplies:
Instructions
Imagine…
Imagine you had an argument with a sibling. You feel really upset and not in the mood of talking to anyone. Suddenly, this sibling comes in to ask if he can play with one of your toys, but you are so annoyed you don’t even want to answer!
Later in the day, you are still feeling sad, when suddenly you hear a big crash! Your brother fell down the stairs and hurt himself! All of a sudden, your love for him comes rushing up and you run to quickly make sure he is okay. You realize that although you may not have felt the love earlier – it was hidden – it is nevertheless always there.
Delving Deeper
Sometimes the fire of a Jew is hidden deep inside of him. It can be very hard to find, but it is always there. It can take even just one moment to spark the flame, to re-ignite the fire.
At times, we might feel that our excitement or fire for Torah and Mitzvos begins to burn out. Doing Mitzvos can start to feel mundane or boring. But not all is lost, because the spark is always there. We can re-ignite that flame by choosing to add Simcha and enthusiasm into our Mitzvos. The more excitement we put into doing Mitzvos the more pleasure we will have when doing them. For example, if we set out to clean our room with a sense of energy and put on exciting music, it becomes a more fun and doable task. Or, if we Daven by singing the words to pleasant tunes, it may become a much more enjoyable experience. Another example: when we are helping our mommy by unloading the groceries, we can make it into a game, such as seeing how quickly we can put everything away!
Bring It Home
What are some ways to light our inner fire for doing a Mitzvah?