For the Education Committee

For the Education Committee

Judah the Pious, The Book of the Pious, section 208

Translation	Original
“Train up a child in the way the child should go,” the Book of Proverbs teaches. This means, if you see a child making progress in Bible studies, but not in Talmud, do not try to push the children by teaching Talmud, and if the child understands Talmud, do not push to learn Bible. Train a child in things that they know. [Translation by CAJE. Edited for gender neutrality]	חנוך לנער על פי דרכו (משלי כ"ב ו') אם תראה שיצליח במקרא ולא בתלמוד אל תדחוק לו השעה ללמדו תלמוד ואם יבין תלמוד אל תדחוק אותו ללמדו מקרא במה שיודע תחנכהו

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Why should we teach children in accordance with the topics in which they excel?
2. Is this a positive educational model?
3. Are there any subjects that all students should have to study, regardless of their specific talents?

Abraham Joshua Heschel, I Asked for Wonder: A Spiritual Anthology

Original

Everything depends on the person who stands in front of the classroom. The teacher is not an automatic fountain from which intellectual beverages may be obtained. The teacher is either a witness or a stranger. To guide a pupil into the promised land, the teacher must have been there themselves. When asking themselves: Do I stand for what I teach? Do I believe what I say?, the teacher must be able to answer in the affirmative. What we need more than anything else is not textbooks, but textpeople. It is the personality of the teacher which is the text that the pupils read: the text that they will never forget. [Edited for gender neutrality]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. According to Heschel, what are the most effective means of education?
2. Who is the ideal teacher? Why?
3. What is the goal of education?

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

ד שְׁמַע, יִשְׂרָאֵל: יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, יְהוָה אֶחָד. ה וְאָהַבְתָּ, אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל-נַפְשְׁךָ, וּבְכָל-מְאֹדֶךָ. ו וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם--עַל-לְבָבֶךָ. ז וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ, וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם, בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ, וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ. ח וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת, עַל-יָדֶךָ; וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת, בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ. ט וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל-מְזֻזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ, וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ.

Deuteronomy.6.4-9

Hear, O Israel! Adonai is our God, Adonai alone. You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down, and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand, and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead; inscribe them on the doorposts of your house, and on your gates.

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. What does it mean to be commanded to love?
2. What is the difference between loving with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might?
3. What does this text say about the focus and energy needed for important causes?

Deuteronomy 30:19

...וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה אַתָּה וְזַרְעֶךָ:

Deuteronomy.30.19

Choose a life that you may live, you and your children. [JPS]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. What are some of the many aspects of life that this verse may be referring to? What do you infer from it?
2. In what ways do children learn from their parents' behaviors?
3. What path can we set for the future?

Deuteronomy 4:9

רַק הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ וּשְׁמֹר נַפְשְׁךָ מְאֹד פֶּן תִּשְׁכַּח אֶת הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ וּפֶן יָסוּרוּ מִלְּבָבְךָ כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ וְהוֹדַעְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנֵי בָנֶיךָ:

Deuteronomy.4.9

But take utmost care and watch yourselves scrupulously, so that you do not forget the things that you saw with your own eyes and so that they do not fade from your mind as long as you live. And make them known to your children and to your children's children. [JPS translation]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. God is commanding the Israelites not to forget their encounter with God and receiving the Ten Commandments. Why is this important?
2. What does this text teach us about the value of understanding one's own narrative?
3. How does maintaining a communal identity affect our social justice work?