Laws Pertaining to Teachers of Torah (part 2)
- Those who teach righteousness to the multitudes will shine
like the stars (Daniel 12:3). According to the Gemora (Baba Basra 8b) the
verse applies to rebbes in chadarim and Talmudei Torah. Rashi explains
that those who teach righteousness are those who educate their students to the
right path in life. The Maharsha explains why a rebbe is compared to the
stars. We only see the stars at night, but even during the day they see and
serve the world. Similarly, even when the rebbe is not in the presence of his
talmidim he should be concerned about them. - Besides teaching his talmidim musar, the rebbe
should also, from time to time, tell them stories of great Rabbonim and
Tzaddikim that will inspire them to deepen their Yiras Shamayim,
improve their midos, and intensify their dedication to learning. A
Rebbe wants these stories to make a deep impression on them, so he himself
should model the qualities they teach in the way that he speaks and davens. - When the talmidim don’t understand a point that the rebbe
makes, he should not get angry. Rather, he should repeat it as often as
necessary until they grasp what he is saying. The rebbe who is not overly
strict with his talmidim and patiently explains his lessons until they
understand brings merit upon himself and his generation for which they are
rewarded in the world-to-come, while he, himself, is rewarded with a long
life. - Talmidim are obligated to respect the rebbes who have
taught them Torah (Chumash, Mishneh, Gemara, etc.), even those from which they
have not acquired the majority of their learning. A talmid should feel
gratitude to each one of his rebbes for guiding him to the world-to-come. A
talmid who rebels against his rebbes will not have a long life (Chagiga 5a. ayain
sham), and from that we can infer that a talmid who respects his rebbes
will live a long life. - Because the rebbe invests all his time and energy educating
his talmidim, his principal and the parents of his talmidim should show their
appreciation with occasional words of praise and encouragement. They shouldn’t
hold back for fear that he will become overly self-assured. And if it is
necessary to bring a shortcoming to the rebbe’s attention, it should be done
in a discrete and pleasant way. - Parents should, of course, show interest and concern for
their children’s education and make a point of speaking to the rebbe about
their children every once in a while. This can be very helpful for the child.
The father should make an appointment with the rebbe—not just catch him for
a casual conversation on Shabbos or at shul. - Parents should realize that they have entrusted their most
cherished possession—their child—with the rebbe. And the rebbe should
teach with the awareness that the parents of his talimidim have shown him
great confidence entrusting their children with him. He should make every
effort to take good care of them and return them to their parents enriched by
the education he has given them.