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Lesson #1: Proper behavior precedes the Torah

How I learned that if there’s something that I really wish to teach I should make sure it is boldly displayed

· Lessons,jewish,Inspiration,education

Lesson #1

“Proper behavior (or Proper ethical behavior) precedes the Torah.

"דרך ארץ קדמה לתורה"

It’s the first day of 1st-grade. I get to my classroom and meet Orli, my teacher.

Years after when I started asking myself "how did I become the person I am?" I realised that this phrase was the first lesson I got at my elementary school named:“Lev Tov” (= Good Heart). I actually believe I kept learning it every day since much because Orly chose to put this saying above our class's blackboard. What a genius design decision, every time we would look at the blackboard no matter what subject matter was being taught, that saying, that behavior, that humane message was always more important and permanent than the knowledge which was passed on to us in the current lesson. this is THE LESSON we must be keep learning.

Thanks to this lesson I learned that if there’s something that I really wish to teach and make sure the people I interact with learn I should display it visually.

This is why I think T-shirts are such an incredible way of getting your message across or why I believe that “Radical self-expression” is one of the most valuable lessons I’m learning through the Burning Man community.

The phrase is a Jewish saying based on a passage from the Chazal found in the Midrash (Leviticus Rabbah 9:3),[3] one of the important interpretations of which is that before one can learn and put into practice the mitzvot of the Torah, he or she must must pave the path with Derech Eretz,[4] meaning decent behavior, good personality traits, and suchlike.[2][5]” - Wikipedia

What does it have to do with Design

Well as design is is defined as:

broken image

After hearing this TED talk by John Hockenberry titled "We are all designers" I realised that education or active-present-being can be also communicated through design and that really left a mark with me.

Here's the talk...

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