“This high school lesson plan, designed for grades 9-12, uses a close reading of a section from the Talmudic text, Ketubot 48a, to explore the tension between tzedakah (charity) and the dignity of the family. The objective is for students to analyze competing Halachic perspectives, reflect on how Jewish law balances financial responsibilities with communal obligations, and connect these ancient values to contemporary issues. Through discussion and text study, students will grapple with questions of prioritizing community needs versus an individual's dignity, particularly in a case where a husband is absent.
Learning Objectives
- The learner will be able to contrast Halachic perspectives and tzedakah vs. family dignity by analyzing a Talmudic section from Ketubot 48a.
Materials Needed
- Copies of Ketubot 48a (Hebrew/Aramaic (Attached below + space for notes)
- Rashi commentary on the sugya (in Hebrew - Attached Below)
- Dictionaries or Talmudic glossary sheets
- Whiteboard or projector
- Student notebooks
Tzedakah and Family Dignity pdf
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