The function of educators is חנוך לנער על פי דרכו, to lead each student along a path that will reveal his unique soul. With an intimate knowledge of his own identity the student will be able to joyfully go in the path of Hashem, be G-d fearing and trust in the Sages. He will subordinate himself to those more knowledgeable, especially his teachers, but not to the point where he will be mindless, thoughtless and give up his own will. This is the idea of חכם ומבין מדעתו, someone who receives wisdom from his teachers, but then applies his own understanding to develop it further.
This is similar to the distinction between the relationship of a king with a servant and a father with his son. A servant will never be the king, there is no need for him to learn discernment and the ability to choose; he only needs to listen. But when someone teaches his own son, or his students, he wants to empower them to be no less than he is. The teacher must pay attention to the heart of the student to see if he is understanding and developing, not just to see if he is listening.
In no way does this contradict the need for the student to be subordinate to the teacher. It is impossible to receive Torah without true subordination. But subordination is not the opposite of self- esteem and introspection. It is Hashem's will that a person understand, think, discern and not erase the precious God given abilities that he was has. He needs to come to his teacher and ask. Needless to say he must do so with humility, and without any hubris whatsoever. If he doesn't understand he should assume there is something he is missing and not that his teacher is mistaken, but he should press on asking until he understands. Anyone who has studied is aware that the Babylonian Talmud is replete with students questioning their teachers. The idea that it is necessary to throw away ones intellect and free-will and not think at all, is not the path of Hashem. Hashem gave each person valuable abilities to develop them into beacons of light with which to serve Him no less than with a person's physical gifts.
דברים תשנ"ה
This is similar to the distinction between the relationship of a king with a servant and a father with his son. A servant will never be the king, there is no need for him to learn discernment and the ability to choose; he only needs to listen. But when someone teaches his own son, or his students, he wants to empower them to be no less than he is. The teacher must pay attention to the heart of the student to see if he is understanding and developing, not just to see if he is listening.
In no way does this contradict the need for the student to be subordinate to the teacher. It is impossible to receive Torah without true subordination. But subordination is not the opposite of self- esteem and introspection. It is Hashem's will that a person understand, think, discern and not erase the precious God given abilities that he was has. He needs to come to his teacher and ask. Needless to say he must do so with humility, and without any hubris whatsoever. If he doesn't understand he should assume there is something he is missing and not that his teacher is mistaken, but he should press on asking until he understands. Anyone who has studied is aware that the Babylonian Talmud is replete with students questioning their teachers. The idea that it is necessary to throw away ones intellect and free-will and not think at all, is not the path of Hashem. Hashem gave each person valuable abilities to develop them into beacons of light with which to serve Him no less than with a person's physical gifts.
דברים תשנ"ה
No comments:
Post a Comment