(כז) וַיַּ֥עַן אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הִנֵּה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י וְאָנֹכִ֖י עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃
(27) Abraham spoke up, saying, “Here I venture to speak to my Lord, I who am but dust and ashes:
ולהגיד גדולתו של הקב"ה שאדם טובע כמה מטבעות בחותם אחד כולן דומין זה לזה ומלך מלכי המלכים הקב"ה טבע כל אדם בחותמו של אדם הראשון ואין אחד מהן דומה לחבירו לפיכך כל אחד ואחד חייב לומר בשבילי נברא העולם
And this serves to tell of the greatness of the Holy One, Blessed be He, as when a person stamps several coins with one seal, they are all similar to each other. But the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He, stamped all people with the seal of Adam the first man, as all of them are his offspring, and not one of them is similar to another. Therefore, since all humanity descends from one person, each and every person is obligated to say: The world was created for me, as one person can be the source of all humanity, and recognize the significance of his actions.
רב שמחה בונם (קול שמחה על פרשת וירא)
ואנכי עפר ואפר, אמר שכל אחד ואחד צריך להיות לו שני קעשענשס להשתמש בו בעת צרכו, בקעשיננע א' בשבילי נברא העולם (סנהדרין דף ל"ז) ובהקעשינע השני אני עפר ואפר, אלא שהרבה טועין ומשתמשין בהיפך ממה שצריכים להשתמש והבן
Martin Buber, Tales of the Hasidim
Rabbi Bunam said to his disciples:
"Everyone must have two pockets, so that he can reach into the one or the other, according to his needs. In his right pocket are the words: ‘For my sake was the world created,’ and in his left: ‘I am earth and ashes.’”
1) What are the big ideas/core concepts/key values within these teachings?
2) Why are they relevant for my students? Why do I want to teach them to my students?
3) What will my students be able to take away with from this lesson? How will I know this?
