of an
Engaging
Dvar Torah
By Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin
Director of Education, NCSY
Every great magic trick
consists of three parts or acts.
The first part is called “The Pledge.” The magician
shows you something ordinary: a deck of cards, a
bird or a man. He shows you this object. Perhaps he
asks you to inspect it to see if it is indeed real,
unaltered, normal. But of course... it probably isn’t.
1
The Pledge
The second act is called “The Turn.” The magician
takes the ordinary something and makes it do
something extraordinary. Now you’re looking for the
secret... but you won’t find it, because of course you’re
not really looking. You don’t really want to know. You
want to be fooled.
2
The Turn
3
The Prestige
But you wouldn’t clap yet. Because making
something disappear isn’t enough; you have to bring it
back. That’s why every magic trick has a third act, the
hardest part, the part we call “The Prestige.”
— The Prestige
The Pledge
The Turn
The Prestige
Present a Familiar Concept, Idea,
or Story • perhaps related to pop
culture or familiar Jewish Custom
Present a Compelling
Question • Create Tension
• Present an Unexpected Twist
Resolve difficulty • Present a
Tor ah Concept which explains
the Question presented
EXAMPLES OF AN
EXAMPLES OF AN
EXAMPLES OF AN
EFFECTIVE
EFFECTIVE
EFFECTIVE
A basic and obvious question in a text or story
A moral dilemma your audience has not considered
Audience leaves with a new understanding
of the concept discussed.
PLEDGE:
Describing a scenario you/your audience struggles with
Relating a personal story, current event, or TV/film plot
Imagery about Jewish life your audience is familiar with
EXAMPLES OF AN
INEFFECTIVE
PLEDGE:
“In this week’s parsha…
“In today’s daf…”
TURN:
EXAMPLES OF AN
INEFFECTIVE
TURN:
A question that involves a nuance in grammar
Asking a question whose answer is obvious
(i.e. “Is unity important?” or “Is anger bad?”)
PRESTIGE:
EXAMPLES OF AN
INEFFECTIVE
PRESTIGE:
Total Confusion
Audience unable to relay the topic
of what was discussed
The Shabbos Project is coming up
on October 22-24th.
As you prepare to share Shabbos with family and friends, take some time
out to meditate on and prepare some words of Torah to share.
“Anyone who shares words of Torah at their table, it is as if
they are guests at God's table”
-Pirkei Avos 3:4
Check out the reverse and use the resources below to create an amazing Dvar Torah to share. Enjoy!
lech lecha
summary
The Almighty commands Avram
(later renamed Avraham) to leave
Haran and go to the land of Canaan
(later renamed the Land of Israel).
The Almighty then gives Avram
an eternal message to the Jewish
people and to the nations of the
world, “I will bless those who bless
you and he who curses you I will
curse.”
After building an alter to thank
the Almighty and continuing his
work of spreading the message of
monotheism, Avram is forced to
leave due to famine. He travels to
Mitzrayim (later renamed Egypt)
and asks Sarai (later renamed
Sarah), to say she is his sister so
they won’t kill him to marry her
(the Egyptians were particular not
to commit adultery).
Sarai (who is extremely beautiful)
is kidnapped by Pharoh, but before
he can touch her, she is saved by a
miraculous plague. Pharaoh asks
Avram to leave Egypt and sends
him off with gold, silver, and cattle.
Avram and company settle in
Hebron (also known as Kiryat Arba)
and after deciding to part ways, his
nephew, Lot, settles in the evil city
of Sodom. Later, Avram rescues Lot
who was taken captive in the Battle
of the Four Kings against the Five
Kings.
After winning the war, Avram
returns all the captured property
and requests only “the souls” so he
can teach them. He is then blessed
by Malkitzedek (also known as
Shem) the king of Salem (later
renamed Jerusalem).
Entering into a covenant with
the Almighty, Avram is told
that his descendants will be
enslaved for 400 years and
that they will be given the
land of Israel.
Sarai,
childless,
gives
her
handmaid Hagar to Avram for a
wife so that he will have children.
Ishmael is born. Hagar flees from
Sarai, but is convinced to return by
an angel.
God changes their names to
Avraham and Sarah and tells them
that Sarah will give birth to Yitzhak
(Isaac). God promises Avraham
that a great nation will emerge
from him and makes the covenant
of Brit Milah. Avraham accepts the
covenant and circumcises all the
males of his household.
Adapted from Rabbi Kalman Packouz’s
Shabbat Shalom Weekly.
quotes &
thoughts
“What made Avraham different
isn’t that he discovered God,
but that he took the
initiative to share his
message with others.
What was the different between
Noach and Abraham? Initiative.
Noach followed after God,
Abraham
initiated
his relationship.
-Rashi, Parshas Noach
The story of Avraham’s
childhood is absent from the
Torah to teach us that
every Jew has a different
journey in discovering God.
-Chassidic Thought
Hashem was speaking to everyone.
Avraham
was just the
only one listening.
-Sefas Emes quoting the Zohar
Avraham is called an Ivri, which
means he hailed from “the
other side.” A reminder that
greatness requires
individuality.
-Medrash Yalkut 73
questions
to ponder
-Kessef Mishnah, Avoda Zara Ch. 1
We aren’t told what Avraham was
selected by God, to remind us that
God’s
love for the Jewish
people is inherent.
-Maharal, Netzach Yisroel Ch. 11
Avraham is told to leave
his home, but isn’t told
where he’s going because
you need to experience
spirituality you can’t
just hear about it.
-Mei HaShiloach, Lech Lecha
Why does God initially compare
Abraham’s children to “sand” and
then later to “stars”?
What might significant about
Abraham going down to Egypt and
what happens there?
What might changing someone’s
name signify?
What is special about the Land of
Israel?
What is so special about saying
thank you?