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Can you turn your head from side to side without bumping your chin on your shoulder? Imagine being built like a snowman, with your head directly over your chest. You couldn’t look to the side without turning your whole body around! Jewish people are called a stubborn, “stiff-necked nation” — am k’shei oref. This means that although there are many people who want Bnei Yisrael to behave like non-Jews, we stubbornly say that we will keep the Torah!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
There is a tower of bones in your neck. Take your hand and run it up and down the back of your neck. Can you feel some bones? How many can you count? Seven bones connect your head to your back. The top bone, which holds up your skull, is called the atlas, which also means a book of world maps. The second bone is called the axis, which also means a line around which something can turn. This bone allows you to turn your head so you can look over your shoulder.
Weight Lifting
When you were a baby, your skull and brain were too heavy to lift. Whenever you lay on your stomach, you’d struggle and strain to lift that heavy weight for a few seconds, and then flop back down. Eventually, your neck grew stronger and you could lift your head long enough to look around. Then, you learned a new trick! By lifting your head and leaning to one side, you can flip onto your back! A new view of the world! All that exercise paid off.
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