Angels Sweep the Desert Floor: Bible Legends About Moses in the Wilderness
Rabbis in ancient times believed that the answers to all questions could be found somewhere in the Bible. “Turn it and turn it, for everything is in it,” they said. Each answer the rabbis found became a type of story, a midrash. Miriam Chaikin examines familiar midrashim, or stories from the Old Testament. This collection of eighteen moving and lyrical tales follows Moses and the Israelites as they wander the desert, sate their hunger with manna bread, receive the Ten Commandments, and,...
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Rabbis in ancient times believed that the answers to all questions could be found somewhere in the Bible. “Turn it and turn it, for everything is in it,” they said. Each answer the rabbis found became a type of story, a midrash. Miriam Chaikin examines familiar midrashim, or stories from the Old Testament. This collection of eighteen moving and lyrical tales follows Moses and the Israelites as they wander the desert, sate their hunger with manna bread, receive the Ten Commandments, and, ultimately, reach the Holy Land. Glowing paintings capture the majesty of heaven and the grace of angels who watch over the Israelites during their difficult journey. Biblical notes, bibliography.Judy Chernak - Children's LiteratureIf you had to wander in the desert, wouldn't it be comforting to believe that special angels sweep the desert's sandy floor each night, leaving it pristinely beautiful as you awake? And that baker angels spend their nights preparing manna, the miraculous food that tastes like whatever you crave at the moment, for you to gather effortlessly in the morning? And that the well of water, Miriam's Well, would always travel with you to nourish and sustain you as she did her younger brother Moses, the leader of the Children of Israel? Chaikin has woven legend with her own extensive imagination and knowledge into the most beautiful of books. Her introduction explaining the background of beliefs in angels and of Midrash, the weaving of tales to fill in the blanks and questions raised but unexplained in the Bible, should be read aloud as the first story to even the youngest children. Each subsequent short chapter stands on its own, magical and comforting, as it explores the relationships between Moses, Aaron, Miriam, the Israelites, the angels and God. Koshkin, who works from Russia, creates light-drenched paintings of force, quietude, drama, and peace. Make the angels part of your family by sharing these wonderful stories with your children. 2002, Clarion,
Introduction11.The Sacred Rod72.The World Above, the World Below123.Gifts in the Wilderness164.The Miriam Well235.By the Mouth of the Cloud286.Angel Raziel337.Moses Silences the Angels368.Something Entirely New409.The Mountains Argue4410.Satan Tries to Interfere4711.But Do You See God?5212.The Blue Flame5513.The Shekina Calms Hearts5914.Miriam and the Well Are Gone6615.Eighty Thousand Youths Named Aaron7216.Moses Pleads for Himself7417.Moses Does Not Want to Die7818.Ya82Notes87Source Books Consulted and Drawn Upon101
\ Children's LiteratureIf you had to wander in the desert, wouldn't it be comforting to believe that special angels sweep the desert's sandy floor each night, leaving it pristinely beautiful as you awake? And that baker angels spend their nights preparing manna, the miraculous food that tastes like whatever you crave at the moment, for you to gather effortlessly in the morning? And that the well of water, Miriam's Well, would always travel with you to nourish and sustain you as she did her younger brother Moses, the leader of the Children of Israel? Chaikin has woven legend with her own extensive imagination and knowledge into the most beautiful of books. Her introduction explaining the background of beliefs in angels and of Midrash, the weaving of tales to fill in the blanks and questions raised but unexplained in the Bible, should be read aloud as the first story to even the youngest children. Each subsequent short chapter stands on its own, magical and comforting, as it explores the relationships between Moses, Aaron, Miriam, the Israelites, the angels and God. Koshkin, who works from Russia, creates light-drenched paintings of force, quietude, drama, and peace. Make the angels part of your family by sharing these wonderful stories with your children. 2002, Clarion, \ — Judy Chernak\ \ \ \ \ School Library JournalGr 4-7-The stories in this collection take place during the Israelites' 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. They are set on earth and in heaven and feature Moses, Aaron, and Miriam interacting with a colorful array of angels. The writing is simple and lyrical, with imaginative flourishes linking the two worlds. And while the overall tone is serious, there are humorous touches, such as the angels called "Sour Faces." As she did in Clouds of Glory (Clarion, 1998), Chaikin draws from biblical and rabbinic literature as well as from her own imagination to create these stories, and lists her sources in a notes section. The full-page watercolor, tempera, and gouache illustrations have a fanciful formality that complements the narrative. Capable of exciting the creative, as well as the spiritual imagination, these wonderful stories make great read-alouds.-Linda R. Silver, Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, OH Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.\ \
