Leora and Layla, two friends, had been asked by their parents to take their younger sisters to soccer practice. They got there really early, so they let the girls play in the playground while they waited. It was really hot out, and everyone was getting very thirsty, but they had all forgotten to bring water. Leora asked Layla to take care of her sister while she quickly went to get water for everyone.

Leora and Layla’s sisters were playing very nicely until Leora’s sister fell off the swing and her knee was bleeding. Layla’s sister ran to get Layla because she knew they had Band-Aids and cream in their bag. But Layla was a little scared of the blood, so she said they can wait till Leora gets back. When Leora got back she wasn’t happy with Layla; Layla had promised to take care of her sister and she couldn’t even deal with a little blood.

After the soccer game finished and the girls were waiting to be picked up, Layla asked Leora if she could watch her little sister for two minutes while she went to the bathroom. While Layla was in the bathroom, her sister was doing cartwheels all around the field and she fell and hurt her arm. Leora had Band-Aids, but why would she help Layla’s sister if Layla didn’t help her sister?

Connection to the parsha:

In this week’s parsha, Miriam said to Moshe, “You speak to Hashem so much and you never spend time with us, and we speak to Hashem and we always spend time with our family.”

As punishment for speaking lashon hara, Miriam got tzaraat. But Moshe didn’t hesitate to pray for Miriam to get better. We learn that even if someone does something bad to you, you shouldn’t get back at them.

Questions for the week:

1. Do you take revenge?

2. Have you ever helped someone who didn’t want to help you?

3. If so, why?

Challenge for the week:

Even if someone upsets you, try not to get back at them and take revenge.

By Maayan Singer