Setup: Before Shabbos, prep index cards with short quotes or phrases from the parsha.
Examples:
• “Curse this nation for me!” — Balak
• “Only what G-d puts in my mouth will I speak.” — Balaam
• “Why did you hit me these three times?!” — The donkey
How to Play:
• Someone reads a card aloud.
• Players must guess who said it or what part of the story it comes from.
Variation for younger kids: Act it out dramatically and have others guess who it is!
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🐎 2. “Donkey Dash”: Freeze Tag with a Twist
How to Play:
• One kid is the “angel” and everyone else is a “donkey.”
• When the angel is watching (arms crossed), donkeys must freeze.
• When the angel looks away, donkeys dash toward the finish line.
• First donkey to make it all the way becomes the new angel.
Parsha Tie-in: Just like Balaam didn’t see the angel — but the donkey did!
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🎲 3. Parsha Dice Game (No Writing Needed)
Prep Before Shabbos: Make a large 6-sided die from cardboard or use a toy one. Assign a parsha-themed action to each number.
Examples:
1 = Act like a talking donkey
2 = Say something Balak would say
3 = Make a blessing instead of a curse
4 = Pretend you’re riding a donkey
5 = Freeze like an angel
6 = Make up a silly bracha about a food
How to Play:
• Take turns rolling the die and doing the action.
• The sillier the better!
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👑 4. Balak’s Royal Court
How to Play:
• One person is “King Balak.”
• The others must come forward one by one and audition to be his new “Royal Prophet” by trying to say the best funniest or most creative blessing about Klal Yisrael.
• Balak chooses his favorite, but — surprise! — the rule is: You can only bless, not curse!
Twist: If someone accidentally says anything even slightly negative, they’re disqualified — just like Balaam had no choice but to bless.
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🎭 5. Parsha Fashion Show: Costume Guessing Game
Setup:
• Use whatever’s available — tallit, hats, scarves, belts — to create silly or symbolic “costumes” for parsha characters.
How to Play:
• One person leaves the room.
• The group dresses someone up as a character from the parsha (Balaam, donkey, angel, Balak, etc.).
• The guesser returns and has to figure out who it is — based on costume and a single clue line.
Variation: Have the character walk down the “runway” in character.