BIBL1304E: Book of Exodus II

Abstract

In Book of Exodus II we will study the book of Shemot starting from the 11th chapter and cover the experiences of the Israelites from slavery to freedom. We will cover topics including the plague of the firstborn, the Exodus and the splitting of the sea, the revelation and laws given at Sinai, as well as the building of the Mishkan. In the course of our studies, we will address questions such as: - What does it mean to become a nation? - What are the responsibilities of freedom? - In what ways did the relationships between the Israelites, God, and Moshe develop through the course of this book? In addition to these content areas, we will focus on textual skills including reading and translating verses and selections from Rashi, identifying key words in Rashi, and focusing on the motivation for the comments on the commentaries. Students will read and translate verses and selections from Rashi and will think critically about the relationship between the texts we study. Students will know some biographical knowledge about the commentators.