A Teacher’s Humility and a Student’s Clarity "כתית למאור" – כתית refers to cutting and dividing which represents humility, while מאור refers to light and growth. The more humble a teacher is and the more he emphasizes not his understanding of the Torah, but that of his students, the greater his students will grow and…
The Value of Good Middos: A teacher of Torah has one goal in mind: that the Torah’s message should have an overriding influence in the class. However, this is only possible if the teacher has succeeded in developing a class atmosphere which emphasizes good Middos and fulfillment of Mitzvos. This we learn from Chazal’s explanation…
Last year, in Parshas Titzaveh, we expounded on Chazal’s statement that the lighting of the Menorah alludes to the teaching of Torah to Bnei Yisroel. This year, we will try and offer some new insights into a teacher’s approach to his job, his relationship to his students and what he should expect from them. All…
The success of a teacher is dependent on the way he looks at his job. Either he sees himself as a supplier of information and as a class warden, or as a spiritual stage director, who composes and directs the creation and expansion of the neshamos (souls) of his students. Yes, he “creates” them, as…
The Mishkan was a symbol of honor, of wealth and of royalty. Many of its vessels were made of gold and silver, while the curtains were woven with fine wool. The grandeur of the Mishkan gave Bnei Yisroel themselves a feeling of grandeur; a feeling of self-respect and self-worth; a feeling that their Torah and…
"אלה הדברים אשר דבר"-The posuk could have said אשר אמר or אשר הגיד, with אמר representing a softer language and הגיד a harsher one. We learn that Moshe gave reproof according to the objective severity of each transgression. Not too soft and not too hard. An over-exaggerated reaction to a transgression or the opposite, will…
The level of success a teacher has with each student is dependent to a great degree on the quality of his relationship with the child’s parents. The closer they work together, with mutually agreed upon goals in mind, the greater are the teacher’s chances of success. (Rav Chaim Friedlander z"l in Mesilos Chaim B’Chinuch p….
“It's a sight I’ll never forget! A tremendous earthquake exploded in front of our eyes. Wild fire, thick, black smoke and flying boulders replaced the blue skies and soft breezes this tropical island is renowned for,” remarked the tour guide, as he recalled for us the eventful day of exactly one year ago. “The news…
Parshas Vaeira begins with Hashem revealing Himself to Moshe in a way which was hidden from the Avos. Rashi explains, that at this time Hashem was ready to fulfill His promises to redeem Am Yisroel from Egypt, while they remained only promises at the time of the Avos. Yet, we see that after Moshe finished…
Parents’ number one love is their children. Their concern for them is so overwhelming that it overrides all other interests or needs. At the slightest sign of intended harm, parents will do everything to protect their children. The Midrash Shemos Rabbah 1:1, as it introduces parshas Shemos, brings the posuk, "חושך שבטו שונא בנו ואוהבו…