ספרי, פרשת פנחס
"ושננתם לבניך" – אלו תלמידיך, וכן אתה מוצא שבכמה מקומות תלמידים קרויים בנים, שנאמר, "בנים אתם לה'", וכשם שתלמידים קרויים בנים כך הרב קרוי אב.
“And you shall teach it unto your children” (Deuteronomy 6:7). This refers to your students; and similarly you find in a number of places that students are called children, as it is written, “You are children unto the Lord;” and just as students are called children, so is the teacher called parent. [CAJE translation. Edited for gender neutrality]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. Why are students and teachers portrayed as a child-parent relationship?
2. What responsibilities come along with this relationship?
3. What educational values does this portrayal convey?
Time Period: Rabbinic (Maccabees through the Talmud)