What incredible piece of wisdom have you gained from a student?
(א) משֶׁה קִבֵּל תּוֹרָה מִסִּינַי, וּמְסָרָהּ לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ לִזְקֵנִים, וּזְקֵנִים לִנְבִיאִים, וּנְבִיאִים מְסָרוּהָ לְאַנְשֵׁי כְנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה. הֵם אָמְרוּ שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים, הֱווּ מְתוּנִים בַּדִּין, וְהַעֲמִידוּ תַלְמִידִים הַרְבֵּה, וַעֲשׂוּ סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה:
(1) Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Yehoshua, and Yehoshua to the Elders, and the Elders to the Prophets, and the Prophets transmitted it to the People of the Great Assembly. They said three things: Be deliberate in judgment, raise up many students and create a fence for the Torah.
1. Can you name a moment when Torah felt truly yours?
2. Can you identify what fostered that moment and feeling?
(ז) וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם לְבָנֶ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשָׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃
(7) and you will teach them diligently to your children, and talk about them when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the path, and when you lie down, and when you get up.
1. How do we make Torah "ours" so that we can model our Torah for our students?
2. What do we know (data, anecdotes) about the efficacy of speaking "talk about them" vs. modeling "teach them"?
He said to them: Be vigilant in the honor of your colleagues, and prevent your children from logic when studying verses that tend toward heresy, and place your children, while they are still young, between the knees of Torah scholars, and when you pray, know before Whom you stand. For doing that, you will merit the life of the World-to-Come.
1. How do you model wrestling with difficulties in Jewish tradition and text?
2. How does your institution recommend addressing difficulties in Jewish tradition and text?
3. What are your questions about supporting students as they wrestle?
עץ יוסף על עין יעקב
ומלמדין אותו כל התורה כולה וכו', ולכאורה מה התועלת בלימוד כיוון שמשכחין אותו? אך יבואר על פי מה שכתב האלשיך על מה שאנו אומרים "ותן חלקנו בתורתך" לפי שכל הנשמות עמדו על הר סיני וקבלו כל אחד חלקו בתורה. ולזה אמר בגמרא: יגעת ומצאת תאמין, כאדם שמוצא אבדתו לפי שהוא חלקו. ולכן אילו לא היו מלמדים אותו במעי אמו, לא היה יכול להגיע חלקו בתורתו אף על ידי יגיעותיו כמו שכתב אפלטון שלא יבין האדם כלל בדברים אשר לא קדמה בהם שום ידיעה או מחשבה, אבל מה ששמע או ראה כבר מעניניהם איזה רמז או הרהור ישוב ויזכרם... שמה שראה ושמע שם יעשה רושם בקרב אדם בכוח, אף על פי שאינו בפועל, ולכן אם יאמר לך אדם "יגעתי ולא מצאתי" – אל תאמין שזה מהנמנע
Etz Yosef on the Ein Yaakov
We teach it the entire Torah... What is the benefit of this learning since we make it forget? This is explained based on the writings of the Alshich on what we say "And give our portion in your Torah" because all the souls stood on Mount Sinai and each one accepted their portion in the Torah. That is what the Talmud means when it says, "If one made an effort and found [success in Torah learning] believe him." This is like a person who finds a lost object which is his portion. If the embryo had not been taught in its mother's womb, then it would not be able to [later] achieve its portion in the Torah even through effort. This is based on the writings of Plato that a person cannot understand things for which one does not have prior knowledge or experience. But what one hears or sees which is based on prior experience or thought will be remembered... What one sees and hears in womb [even after forgetting] makes an impression on the potential of a person even though it is not yet actualized. Therefore if someone says, "I made effort in Torah learning and did not achieve success" we do not believe him since this is impossible.
How would your teaching be affected by considering that you're aiming, not for teaching something new, but rather "returning" something to your student?
והיינו דאמר ר' חנינא הרבה למדתי מרבותי ומחבירי יותר מרבותי ומתלמידי יותר מכולן
Rabbi Chanina said: I have learned a great deal from my masters, but I have learned much more from my colleagues, and above all I have learned from my students."
What life learning have you gained from one of your difficult educators?
What life learning have you gained from a difficult colleague?
What life learning have you gained from a difficult student?