Kol Hamevaser Contents
Volume 2, Issue 3
December 11, 2008 Staff 14 Kislev 5769 Managing Editors 3 Ben Kandel Gilah Kletenik Editorial: Torah as Tiflut? Gilah Kletenik Yosef Lindell 3-4 Jewish Education and the Value of Truth
Alex Ozar Rena Wiesen 4-5 Ramhal: Shakespearean Kabbalist? Shaul Seidler-Feller 5-6 Max Schichtman Toward the Development of an Effective Model Layout Editor for the Teaching of Gemara be-Iyyun Jason Ast 6 Marlon Danilewitz A Case for a Pluralistic Jewish Education
7-8 Staff Writers Ruthie Just Braffman Coeducation: le-ka-Tehilah or be-di-Avad? Ruthie Just Braffman Ephriam Meth 8-9 Proximity and Distance: A Halakhic and Experi- Marlon Danilewitz ential Analysis of Rebbe-Talmid Interactions Ben Greenfield Alex Ozar 9-10 An Interview with Rabbi Yona Reiss Noah Greenfield Simcha Gross Shlomo Zuckier 12 The Hovot ha-Levavot on the Educational Value of a Torah u-Madda Philosophy Over One of Emmanuel Sanders Torah u-Parnasah Rena Wiesen Sarit Bendavid 13-14 Women of Intellect: A New Reality?
Copy Editor Michael Kurin 14-15 Women’s Talmud Torah: A Man’s Perspective Shlomo Zuckier Meira Levinson 16-17 Hinnukh in the Talmud and Rishonim Interviewer Daniel Elefant 17-18 The Jewish Camping Experience Ari Lamm Ben Greenfield 18-19 Shiur Hadash, or a Case of Shiur Innovation
Ari Lamm 20-22 An Interview with Rabbi Jeremy Wieder Typesetter Yossi Steinberger Nava Billet 23 Continuing the Conversation: From Midbar to Medabber Art Editor Upcoming Issue Avi Feld Get excited for the upcoming edition of Kol Hamevaser on the theme of "Relationships." The topic is full of opportunity, so get ready to write, Distribution read, and explore all about "Relationships." Josh Cohen Think: love, negiah, celibacy, dating, Platonic relation- About Kol Hamevaser ships, shiddukhim, marriage, divorce, agunot, rape, ho- Kol Hamevaser is a magazine of Jewish thought dedicated to spark- mosexuality, zenut, Biblical relationships, and more ... ! ing the discussion of Jewish issues on the Yeshiva University campus. Deadline for submissions: December 21, 2008. It will serve as a forum for the introduction and development of E-mail: [email protected] new ideas. The major contributors to Kol Hamevaser will be the un- dergraduate population, along with regular input from RIETS Rashei Yeshivah, YU Professors, educators from Yeshivot and Semi- naries in Israel, and outside experts. In addition to the regular edi- tions, Kol Hamevaser will be sponsoring in-depth special issues, This magazine contains words of Torah. speakers, discussion groups, shabbatonim, and regular web activ- ity. We hope to facilitate the religious and intellectual growth of Please treat it with proper respect. Yeshiva University and the larger Jewish community.
2 www.kolhamevaser.com Volume 2, Issue 3 Jewish Education Editorial Jewish Education and the Value of Truth Torah as Tiflut? BY: Yosef Lindell negative attitude we could safeguard them from contacts with the scholarly and scientific BY: Gilah Kletenik ing, there’s nowhere for her to really go that One cannot overstate the value of truth. endeavors of the rest of mankind …You will would give her the kind of education she would The Torah tells us that it is an attribute of God.i then see that your simple-minded calculations Was Rabbi Eliezer right? Is teaching receive if her anatomy was different. And this The Mishnah tells us that truth is one of the were just as criminal as they were perverse. women Torah really tiflut; are we indeed unfit leads to the next component that hinders three pillars on which the world is sustained.ii Criminal, because they enlisted the help of un- for the demanding rigors of Torah study?i I am women’s learning – the glass ceiling. Due to The Talmud teaches that it is God’s very seal.iii truth supposedly in order to protect the truth, not trying to pull a Larry Summers here, but the fact that women’s learning is not valued It would then seem clear that intellectual and because you have thus departed from the sometimes I think that Rabbi Eliezer was not and women are not encouraged to continue honesty must be the hallmark of any success- path upon which your own Sages have pre- totally off. studying, there is a dearth of institutions on a ful educational system. Yet this divine imper- ceded you and beckoned you to follow them. The first time I sat down to seriously high level that cater to women’s Talmud study. ative for truth is not always taken seriously. Perverse, because by so doing you have study Gemara was at the beginning of seventh Consequently, women are unable to ever ad- From their earliest years, many yeshiva day achieved precisely the opposite of what you grade, when my mother and I started to study vance, which means that there are few edu- school students are told to suspend disbelief. wanted to accomplish…Your child will conse- Berakhot. I continued to study Gemara in a cated women who can serve as role models for Religion is the inerrant word of God, and if it quently begin to doubt all of Judaism which classroom setting throughout high school and younger women. Consider the fact that there appears to conflict with science or history, then (so, at least, it must seem to him from your be- in the evenings I learned more scrupulously are no women writing teshuvot, sefarim, or it is the scientists and historians who are havior) can exist only in the night and darkness with my father. After graduating high school, I even delivering Talmud shiurim at the most ad- wrong, not our understanding of the text. If the of ignorance and which must close its eyes and studied at Migdal Oz for a year and a half and, vanced levels. Who has ever thought to turn to words of a prominent commentator offend a the minds of its adherents to the light of all since arriving at Stern, have been enrolled in a woman with a halakhic question (outside perceived tenet of Jewish belief or prevailing knowledge if it is not to perish.”iv the Honors Advanced Talmud course. While I of taharat ha-mishpahah) or even to help re- tradition, his words must be reinterpreted. According to R. Hirsch, it is simply crim- have been committed to Gemara study for a solve a difficulty in learning? Many students accept what they are taught, im- inal to use any form of untruth in education. number of years, my skills and breadth of Obviously, we have come a long way. I bibing these monolithic and sometimes But how then do we “protect the truth” of Ju- knowledge are not on par with a male my age strained interpretations without question. But daism and remain fully intellectually honest? who has demonstrated a comparable commit- for some, the conflicts of youth are never fully The task is not as daunting as it might ment to Talmud study. It’s not just me. I’ve resolved. They wonder: is this really truth? seem. We need not water down our religious never once spoken to a woman my age who felt that her Gemara abilities were akin to those of her male peers. Why is this? The nature of women’s study institutions is crucial to understanding the perplexity at hand. There is no such thing as separate but equal. Until women and men study in the same institutions, women will continue to have less have been offered learning opportunities that talented and knowledgeable teachers, in addi- were once closed to my grandmothers and tion to weaker courses of study. And, while mother. Jewish women today are more edu- women’s Talmud teachers are idealistically in- cated and have greater accessibility to our texts vested in women’s learning, men’s rabbeim than ever. And, while change is gradual we tend to have a greater engagement in the culti- need not allow the progress to be kidnapped by vation of their students. This is not to say that inertia. women’s educators do not care; to the contrary, The women’s beit midrash is often dis- they are laudably committed to their students. heartening, even discouraging. I look around Rather, yeshivot have cultures that push men and see women excited and engaged in learn- to maximize their time and their Talmud study ing, but know that few are there to stay. And in a way that women’s midrashot do not. This for those of us who want to stay, not only do This problem is not a new one. In the beliefs nor change the halakhic system. is not unrelated to the fact that women’s cur- we lack the options and the resources to ad- nineteenth century, no less a figure than R. Rather, all we need are educators who hear the ricula tend to include Gemara as one subject vance ourselves, but it’s hard to imagine that Samson Raphael Hirsch lamented the state of polyphonic voices spoken by our tradition. among many (although sometimes it is more this is even an option, as no one has done it be- Jewish education for these very reasons. R. True answers are almost always more com- heavily emphasized), while men’s studies tra- fore us. Until we have a culture that values Hirsch witnessed the Enlightenment and the at- plex; they tend to be less black and white. And ditionally center on Gemara study. women’s Talmud study and identical curricula tendant emancipation of the Jews and saw the the answers to the most perplexing issues are More importantly, though, institutions do and options for both men and women we will polarization and fragmentation of a once uni- almost always found within the Jewish tradi- not exist in a vacuum, and not be able to enjoy the benefits that an edu- fied Jewish community. Some cast off the tion itself, sometimes in the words of Rabbis women’s midrashot and teachers must reckon cated and erudite class of Jewish women lead- shackles of tradition and embraced modernity, who are less well known or have fallen out of with a society that does not value women’s in- ers could offer us. And of course, we will leaving what they saw as the medieval ways of vogue. Often, it is frightening to look at im- tensive Torah study the same way that it val- continue to believe that women are to blame their fathers for a new enlightened truth. Oth- portant religious issues from new perspectives. ues the Torah endeavors of men. Sure, we have for this reality; that they will never be fit for ers reacted by insulating themselves from all But fear cannot hold us back. Truth can no come far. It wasn’t long ago that the phenom- Talmud study – that it will forever be for them outside influence, demanding that the true longer be sacrificed on the altar of simplicity. enon of women studying Gemara was not only tiflut. community of believers must shield the truth Perhaps the area that calls for the most rare, but non-existent. And, while women’s in- of the Torah from the falsehoods of their age. immediate attention is that of Tanakh and stitutions are committed to educating their stu- Gilah Kletenik is a senior at SCW major- R. Hirsch sharply criticized both responses to Midrash. I have always found it striking that dents, too often the students come from homes ing in Political Science and is a Managing Ed- modernity. Yet his words for those who sought while debate, discussion, and dissecting multi- and backgrounds wherein their studies are not itor for Kol Hamevaser. to insulate their children are particularly harsh: ple opinions is the hallmark of any yeshiva’s valued. This creates a culture where women “It would be most perverse and criminal Talmud curriculum, it is the very opposite in come to learn for a year, maybe two, and then of us to seek to instill in our children a con- the study of Tanakh. Many yeshiva day terminate their studies shortly thereafter. As a i See Mishnah Sotah 3:4 tempt, based on ignorance and untruth, for schools and yeshivas of higher education only result, women are never able to advance in everything that is not specifically Jewish, for teach Nakh to women. And when they do their Talmudic and halakhic pursuits. all other human arts and sciences, in the belief teach Humash or Nakh, the only purpose is to Even if a woman wants to continue learn- that by inculcating our children with such a give over the proper hashkafah. They start
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with a predetermined goal in mind, and Hazal Tosafot operated? We must be ever-vigilant in and the mefareshim are co-opted to serve that our analysis to insure that it is intellectually Ramhal: Shakespearean Kabbalist? purpose. A neat anthology is presented. In this honest. We must never forget the text in the way, not only is the text itself forgotten, but the heat of battle. And we must sometimes apply very opinions of Hazal and our mefareshim be- a more critical eye to the text itself. Any in- BY: Rena Wiesen era of “prima donnas” and castrati with shrill come ossified. According to this view, they are terpretation, no matter how ingenuous, cannot voices.i Pastoral themes and sentimentalism only there for moral guidance and occasional be true if it is premised on a faulty text. In his We all have preconceived notions of our took over the arts, as images of nature and the explanatory comments, but they do not debate recent novel The Search Committee, R. Marc great Torah scholars. Often informed only by ideals of Rousseau and Voltaire spread through the text, and they are not allowed to speak for Angel puts this into the mouth of one of his idyllic biographies that portray men who never France and beyond. In Italy, pastoral poetry in themselves. It would seem that Hazal were a characters: do wrong and spend every moment learning particular caught on and took root. All about monolithic body, whose collective hashkafah Let us say that a scholar today becomes Torah, we do not hear much about the other artificiality, the so-called “simple” shepherd corresponds perfectly to the one professed by the world’s foremost expert of Ptolemaic as- part of their education – the secular studies. life was in reality an overdone “ornamented the teacher. tronomy. He knows all the mathematical for- Many of the great rabbinic figures were actu- nature,” with “unavoidable Greek woods and But this is simply not true. Hazal were a mulae, all the rotations and orbits of the ally very well versed in secular literature, lan- fountains, in whose vicinity shepherd are seen diverse group of opinionated individuals, and heavenly bodies as taught by Ptolemy. Some guage, and philosophy – some of it in company of nymphs, gods, and goddesses.”ii they did not often agree. And our mefareshim people would say that he was a great scholar, surprising. Yet, those facts are often swept Venice in particular, located right near are there only because they vigorously debated the best in the world. ... But I would say that under the carpet. I would like to discuss one Padua, Ramhal’s hometown, was one of the the meaning of the text. Viewing them as a this scholar has wasted his time. ... Why? Be- figure whose life, education, and publications centers of this new art form, and Jews and complementary anthology insults their entire cause Ptolemy’s system has been shown to be contain very starkly contrasting Jewish and Christians alike flocked to the theaters. Many purpose. incorrect. Every schoolchild today knows secular elements. Jews tried to justify theater to the public by Instead, we must read the text for itself, more true astronomy than this scholar of the Rabbi Moshe Hayyim Luzzatto (1707- demonstrating the ethical and educational val- studying it with an open mind. We must en- Ptolemaic system who still believes the earth 1747), often called Ramhal, is most famous for ues of the theater: the bad guy is punished, the gage in the debates of our mefareshim, seeing is the center of the universe. ... My goal in his Mesillat Yesharim, a survey of religious good guy is rewarded. These are certainly how their arguments emerge from a careful studying Talmud is to get to the truth using the ethics. A noted Kabbalist in Padua, Italy, he good moral lessons that can be learned.iii De- reading of the text. In our struggle for peshat, best methods. Usually, the least complicated we accept those opinions which seem true and and most direct route is the way to reach the reverently put aside those which do not. And correct result.v when nothing yet said has the ring of truth, we I do not wish to imply that our entire must not be afraid to suggest our own inter- method of learning Gemara is outmoded and pretations, or admit that we do not have a sat- incorrect. I only urge caution in applying the isfactory answer. traditional methodology. One should never We must realize that our biblical heroes forget that his goal is not merely to attain reli- were not always perfect—but that should not gious fulfillment, but also to arrive at the truth. lessen our respect for them. We must talk I readily admit that some of these issues about the complexities and multi-layered truths are not as prevalent in our day schools as in in the words of Hazal, cautioning that their other communities. But they exist nonetheless. words cannot always be taken literally. And I also admit that some people are not dis- we must deal with historical criticism, show- turbed by these issues, and they happily lead ing how the issues raised by modern scholars upright lives of religious fervor with a more can be satisfactorily contained. Part of intel- simplistic understanding of their faith. And it lectual honesty is dealing with painful and dif- is hard to fault that approach. But others are ficult topics, and it is because historical not satisfied. They must be taught that there is questions are so potentially damaging to our another way, a path that traverses the narrow faith that they must be addressed on some bridge on the road to the truth. level. A second realm is that of hashkafah. A authored many Torah books and led a group of spite opposition, theater became more and good teacher can show that our tradition is not Yosef Lindell holds a BA in History from devout mystics. He spent day and night im- more popular among the citizens. monolithic. Almost all issues have multiple YC and received his MA in Medieval Jewish mersed in study, and merited the presence of a It was in this culture that Ramhal was strands and differing opinions, from our rela- History from BRGS in 2008. maggid, a divine voice, that frequently spoke raised and educated. Trained by tutor Isaac tionship with non-Jews to conflicts between to him, revealing heavenly secrets. Cantarini, Ramhal wrote his own poetry and science and Torah. While a Jew must believe This is what is generally taught about dramatic playsiv that integrated both traditional certain things, questions of belief rarely have Ramhal. Yet, a lesser-known fact about this Jewish elements and themes as well as popular i simple yes or no answers. There is depth and Shemot 34:6. holy kabbalist is that he was also well-trained secular ones. As was fashionable in the day, complexity to almost every issue. in, and a prolific writer of, poetry, literature, he composed verses for weddings, funerals, ii The third realm is Gemara. In contrast to Pirkei Avot 1:18. theater, and Hebrew language, even compos- and other such special occasions. A particu- the study of Tanakh, deciphering the meaning ing his own set of psalms as well as three dra- larly noteworthy poem is the one he wrote for iii of a talmudic text is a lively experience in most Yoma 69b. matic plays. In his poetry and dramatic plays, Cantorini’s funeral, twenty-four verses in clas- yeshivot. Debate is the key. Instead of bend- there is an intricate interweaving of Italian sical Hebrew.v He also composed one hundred iv ing over backwards to show how Rashi and Ibn Collected Writings 7: 415-6. style and influence from contemporary Italian and fifty poems in the form of the Book of Ezra really said the same thing, Gemara stu- masters as well as themes from contemporary Psalms. Unusual for him, he avoided all out- v dents are taught to make critical distinctions. Marc Angel, The Search Committee (New philosophy and literature, together with Jew- side influences in this work and stayed strictly Some teachers try to show how every Rishon York: Urim Publications, 2008), 98. ish kabbalistic and biblical elements. It is as- with the original psalm format, using only the had a different opinion, even if it is not evident tounding to see how one man absorbed both biblical form of parallelism. Yet, on the other from their words. But is this approach always the Jewish and secular knowledge of the era hand, he also penned a collection of lyrical intellectually honest? Maybe the words of the and incorporated it into his masterpieces. Let poems, Gelegenheitsgedichte, in which he is Rambam should be taken at face value. Even us further examine some of his works and the “absolutely modern in both content and the Brisker methodology, which attempts to Zeitgeist that influenced them. style.”vi demonstrate that every dispute in a sugya re- Eighteenth century Italy saw the decline His dramatic plays are likewise multi- volves around one fundamental issue, is sub- of the comedy and an emergence of melodra- faceted. The first, “Ma’aseh Shimshon,” “The ject to scrutiny. Is that really what the Sages mas and operas. It was the beginning of the Story of Samson,” exemplifies the principles meant? Is that really the framework in which
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of rhetoric that he expounded upon in his trea- finding a way to use both to their full capaci- tise Leshon Limmudim, in which he uses his ties, separately, while not compromising on ei- Toward the Development of an Effective knowledge of classic and contemporary Italian ther one. literature.vii Moreover, there is a hint to opera: Model for the Teaching of Gemara be-Iyyun every scene ends with an individual’s song of Rena Weisen is a fifth yeaer student at sorts, and sometimes even a seeming duet – SCW majoring in Nutrition and Communica- BY: Max Shichtman finished preparing, the rebbe brings the stu- very similar to an aria.viii Often reflecting on tions and is a Staff Writer for Kol Hamevaser. dents back for shiur. his own life, Ramhal identifies with the tragic Imagine the following: A basketball coach In shiur, the rebbe has the students do as hero, giving a depth to the verses that is often is in a gym with his team. He tells his team, much work as possible in order to develop their lacking in secular drama.ix i Schirmann, Hayyim. Le-Toledot ha-Shirah “O.K. guys, today, we will practice dribbling skills. Instead of reading and explaining the However, his most significant work is ve-ha-Deramah ha-Ivrit: Mehkarim u-Masot. and shooting. Here are the balls, there are the Gemara, the rebbe has the students explain the “Migdal Oz”: the love story of a man Jerusalem: Mosad Bialik, 1979, vol. 2, p. 46 baskets, and I’ll see you all in three hours.” Gemara on their own. Gemara reading and who succeeds in entering a fortressed castle After three hours, the coach comes back and comprehension skills are developed by prac- and releasing the princess inside. In the play, i Ginzburg, Simon. The Life and Works of for about an hour, dribbles the ball around and ticing them, not by watching someone else the hero’s effort is almost thwarted by an evil Moses Hayyim Luzzatto: Founder of Modern makes several shots, each of which go into the demonstrate his own skills. Just as watching a man who follows him into the castle, but the Hebrew Literature. Philadelphia: The Dropsie basket perfectly. He then turns to his team and professional basketball player play basketball story concludes with a happy ending in which College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning, says, “O.K. guys, now go review.” What is does not actively improve your own skills, list- the rightful pair marries. Readers were shocked 1931, p. 98 wrong with this picture? The answer: the coach ing to a rebbe explain a Gemara does not ac- to realize that this play is almost an exact copy did not coach his team. tively develop Gemara skills. In a typical shiur, of famous playwright Giovanni Battista Guar- iii Schirmann, p. 48 The basketball team and its coach are a the rebbe asks each chavruta to explain its pe- ini’s Pastor Fido. In fact, Professor H.L. Fleis- mashal for the manner in which Gemara is shat in the Gemara. Instead of correcting mis- cher criticizes this play as constituting iv He also wrote books on logic, science, and often taught. While the traditional seder-shiur translations and inaccurate punctuation, the “plagiarism.”x What is more astounding than ethics, among other disciplines, but for the pur- system has worked throughout the ages, almost rebbe waits for all of the chavrutot to explain the fact that Ramhal wrote a love drama, re- pose of this article, I will only focus on the po- always those studying in yeshivot already their peshatim and then asks the class as a plete with secularism and human passions, is etry and drama. knew how to learn before they entered their whole to decide whose peshat is correct. The that he wrote this love story at the very same yeshivah. Thankfully, within the Centrist Or- various chavrutot then attempt to convince time that he was preparing spiritually for di- v “Moses Hayyim Luzzatto.” www.JewishEn- thodox community, recent years have seen the each other that their peshat is correct. The ra- vine revelations from the heavenly maggid as cyclopedia.com. 4 Dec 2008
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could break our teeth and learn the language. Similarly, just because Tosafot made an im- A Case for a Pluralistic Jewish Education portant point did not mean that we would learn it; if it was too hard, he might assign part of it or simply skip it. Or, if Rashba would be a BY: Marlon Danilewitz what has prepared me well for my experience identity, while avoiding the problem of rebel- good source for developing skills, we might at YU, is the academic intensity of these sub- lion that is often encountered in denomina- learn his comments instead. For the most part, When I explain to people that I at- jects. In part this stems from CHAT’s dedica- tional schools.” mekorot were not chosen because they were tended Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Acad- tion to find engaging and challenging Jewish It is my understanding that the strength of “yesodosdik” (though this, too, certainly did emy of Toronto, or, as most people refer to it, educators. The diversity of the teachers at CHAT is the “C”, community. The school’s play a role), but rather primarily because they CHAT, a pluralistic Jewish high school, they CHAT has helped to cultivate a unique envi- emphasis on serving, enhancing, and enriching were important for developing skills. are slightly taken aback. In part, I attribute the ronment which fosters serious dialogue and in- the Jewish existence of the members of its It must be stated that regardless of what surprised reactions of my fellow peers to the quiry. In particular, the energetic Israeli community is the essential ingredient which we learned, we learned it be-iyyun. Iyyun was reality, that by and large, denominational Jew- “shelihim” and CHAT alumni teachers have ensures its success and warrants its praise. not measured by the number of mefareshim ish high-schools are the norm across North helped to engender a passionate Jewish feeling CHAT is a microcosm of the greater Jewish covered but in how well they were analyzed. America. As I go on to further describe my in the corridors of the school and in the hearts community in Toronto, the number of its Or- Learning Tosafot without analysis is not iyyun; high school, an open educational arena that of the students. thodox students accurately represents the ratio it is bekiut in Tosafot. Thus, even though the successfully attracts about 1,500 students from Having covered the essential and general of Orthodox Jews in Toronto to the greater lower shiurim cover few mefareshim, whatever all denominations, the astonished expression elements of CHAT’s educational program it is Jewish community. By creating an educational they did learn, they learned well. In seder, we on the faces of my peers becomes readily ap- possible to now make the case for CHAT and experience in which students are exposed to all were expected to translate with extreme preci- parent. It is my intention to examine the pluralistic Jewish education in general. When of the dimensions, complexities, and chal- sion, question the sevarot behind and novel strengths, challenges and goals of a pluralistic asked about the merits of a pluralistic Jewish lenges of contemporary Jewish life, one helps points within dinim, read Amoraim back into Jewish education in this article by reflecting education, Shaviv responded that “students to rear a future society of leaders who are ade- the Mishnayyot and Beraitot, and pay attention upon my own experience at CHAT and also by learn to defend their own views and learn to quately equipped for the future. to the textual strengths and weaknesses of commenting on an interview that I conducted tolerate others.” Furthermore, Shaviv pointed When asked what distinguishes CHAT opinions in the Rishonim. All these issues with Mr. Paul Shaviv, the headmaster of out that this open educational method in which from other pluralistic schools, Shaviv pointed would also be discussed among the students CHAT. no one perspective is presented or defended is out several unique characteristics of CHAT: within shiur with the rebbe exercising proper Before jumping into a discussion regard- a source for CHAT graduates’ success in re- The large size of the school (1,400+ students), control. ing the merits of a pluralistic Jewish education, maining committed to the Jewish roots. Sha- which allows it to operate more efficiently; the *** it behooves one to first consider the values of viv reported that in a recent survey of CHAT representation of all voices at the school, in This article represents an attempt to pro- a school of this nature. In a speech that Mr. alumni, 96% of alumni married Jewish particular Orthodoxy; and the tremendous sup- vide a modest description of some of the edu- Shaviv delivered in September 2005, titled spouses, 12% of graduates work in the field of port that school receives from its local Jewish cational methodology utilized by Yeshivat “CHAT – Vision and Values Towards our first Jewish education, 50% attend synagogue reg- Federation. All of these three reasons, in my Yesodei HaTorah in its morning seder. It is my Half-century,” he quotes the words of Rabbi ularly, and 72% of CHAT students continued mind, emphasize the notion of community. hope that this article will raise awareness of a Kushner: their Jewish education in some capacity after Personally, what I find to be the distinguishing highly effective system for teaching students “There are only two kinds of Jews—seri- high school. On this note, I think it is mean- aspect of the school is the legacy that it has how to learn and stimulate discussion amongst ous Jews and non-serious Jews. Serious Jews ingful and appropriate to mention that last year manifested within its students, inspiring them students planning to enter hinnukh about alter- try to do what Jews have always done…to pat- I was part of habburah of ex-CHATniks, with to remain seriously committed to the Jewish native teaching methods. God willing, Yesodei tern their lives on the insights of representatives from JTS, Ohalei Torah (a community. What most impresses me each HaTorah and other institutions utilizing simi- Judaism…while to the non-serious Jew, it Chabad yeshivah in Crown Heights), and, of year are the conversations I have with ex- lar methodologies will lead to a growth and doesn’t matter what style of synagogue serv- course, YU. CHATniks who eagerly speak of one day re- glorification of the Torah. ice he stays home from or which definition of This educational philosophy, which relies turning, in one capacity or another, to teach at mitzvah he ignores.”i on open environment were students can freely CHAT, or hearing from younger siblings about Shaviv cites this quotation to address two question, answer, and explore, requires a spe- their teachers, some of whom are my fellow Max Shichtman is a sophomore at YC ma- significant pillars of CHAT’s educational phi- cial breed of pedagogues. CHAT teachers are classmates. joring in Psychology and is a member of the losophy. Firstly, he addresses the fact that for expected to contribute to the atmosphere of Many are familiar with Hillel’s saying, “If Yeshiva Masmidim Honors Program. many, denominations cease to be the be all and openness and respect in the school. Shaviv I am not for myself, then who will be for me? end all, stating emphasized, “Despite the fact that CHAT does- And if I am only for myself, then what am I? “I do believe that for a large majority of n’t receive so many applications from non-or- And if not now, when?”iii This quote is famous i Rabbi Kahn reviewed an earlier draft of this our community – certainly of our school com- thodox teachers, to teach at CHAT requires a in part because of the way it gives voice to a article for accuracy. munity- the denominational labels now hold streak of non-conformity.” Along these same fundamental principle of Jewish living: It is little significance. That does not mean that the- lines Shaviv reported that there are guidelines required of one to look into himself for the an- ology is unimportant – quite the reverse. But for teachers. “Teachers can give their own swers of how one will lead one’s life, what it once in school, it does not seem to me that ei- point of view if they make it known it is their means to be a Jew and a person. Moreover, I ther students or staff identify themselves or own and make it known that there are other believe to look into oneself requires a great others by their denominational affiliations.”ii perspectives and be respectful towards these deal of reflection and interaction with the com- In the wake of a Jewish educational sys- differences.” munity and the world in which we find and de- tem free from the polemics of denominational Much of these ideas run contrary to the fine the “self.” theology, CHAT, as Shaviv posits, “is in the way that Jewish education is practiced in most business of producing serious Jews. That is the conventional Jewish schools. Why should the Marlon Danilewitz is a junior at YC ma- real measure of our success. Are we graduat- Jewish community be interested in being open joring in Biology and Psychology and is a Staff ing ‘serious’ Jews?” to an open and pluralistic education? Shaviv Writer for Kol Hamevaser. The rigor and quality of the academic pro- answered that a school of this nature “reflects gram at CHAT attest to just how serious CHAT the increasing reality of Jewish life, where i Rabbi Harold Kushner, To Life! (Boston: Lit- expects its students to be. All students at CHAT fewer and fewer families buy into denomina- tle Brown and Company, 1993), p. 83. must take four courses of Jewish Studies each tional definitions. Moreover, students respect year (total 12 hours). From Grade 9 - Grade the fact that this school is not dogmatic, not ii Paul, Shaviv, “CHAT – Vision and Values To- 11 students take Jewish History, Hebrew, pushing one type at the cost of others. It bene- wards our first Half-century,” Delivered at a Bible, and Rabbinics/Talmud; in Grade 12 ad- fits a student to be exposed to all of these CHAT Staff Retreat, September 2005. ditional electives are available to students. views. Students appreciate multiple perspec- What distinguishes CHAT, and consequently tives. CHAT intensifies the student’s Jewish iii Pirkei Avot 1:9
6 www.kolhamevaser.com Volume 2, Issue 3 Jewish Education Coeducation: le-Khathilah or be-di-Avad?
BY: Ruthie Braffman these “wild boys.” There is also data suggest- Chaim was founded in 1886 and modeled after 48 percent of the girls in coed classrooms ing that because the administration and teach- European yeshivot; because of its innate struc- passed the same test. During the same years, Coeducation has been a hot topic in recent ers of same gender schools have higher ture “girls were simply not a consideration.”ix Myrtile Avenue Middle School in Irving, New years, particularly in regards to Modern Or- educational expectations from the students, the Shulamith’s only-female student body did not Jersey also divided their classrooms by gender. thodox high schools. Parties from both sides of girls take on greater loads of homework and hinder the education as the feminists of 1970s As predicted, test scores increased, and the en- the debate bring supporting evidence for their have higher achievement outcomes on math, claimed, but in fact pioneered in providing an vironment was filled with a new enthusiasm claim, sometimes even, bringing forth the same reading, science, and civics standardized tests.v equal education for young Jewish women. for learning. proof, namely, Rav Soleveitchik’s silence on This elevated expectation prepares the young Education is more than about learning The newly established high school, Young the matter. women for a high-powered professional world. content; schooling involves emotional devel- Women’s Leadership Academy of East Rav Hershel Schachter passionately feels Ironically, single-sex education has been opment as well. Some researchers believe that Harlem, was initially instituted as a single-sex that Rav Solevetchik was not in favor of coed- misunderstood as a barrier to feminism, when the single-sex environment produces unhealthy school. The school provided excellent educa- ucational schooling but allowed it for Mai- in actuality we see from research that it is the results claiming it is too overprotective, nur- tion and healthy environment for African- monides School in Boston as a lesser of two solution to enhance academics and promote turing girls who are ill prepared for coed situ- American and Hispanic females in the evils: “In Boston, [Rav Soloveitchik] was emotionally strong and healthy adolescent ations. Angie Young, x an avid feminist, reports community. New York’s National Organiza- forced to behave this way for he only had two girls. Conceivably then, the promotion of sin- that her experience in a single-sex school was tion for Women, and the American Civil Lib- options; to be guilty of limiting education for gle-sex education by Rav Schachter and like- detrimental, with little guidance from the erties Union, filed complaint to the federal girls or to be guilty of opening a coeducational minded posekim does not only adhere to school on how to experience adolescence with government that Young Women’s Leadership school…he reasoned that given the contempo- halakhah, but it may also be scientifically “any sense of self-esteem or empowerment.”xi Academy of East Harlem violated Title IX. rary circumstances, this decision was less proven as a healthier academic atmosphere for She also found her single-sex school to be “ex- The director of the National Organization for problematic…in other places, where there are young women. tremely oppressive and patriarchal experience Women (NOW) declared that the school must already schools that separate boys and girls and be closed because “separate but equal is not there is no need to act as such, it is certainly ok.”xvii The women of Harlem responded that completely incorrect to do so.”i Rav Moshe Fe- this was “middleclass women interfering with instein also took the position in a pesak that co- a situation that they don’t understand.” Despite education is permitted, only in necessary the protests, the first graduating class of Young situations and specifically limited to lower Women’s Leadership Academy of East Harlem grades.ii graduated in June 2001. All of the girls were Ironically, on the other side of the debate, accepted to 4-year colleges except one who Benny Brama, a former teacher at Mai- joined the Air Force. monides, interprets the Rav’s silence on coed- In the past twenty years, Title IX has pro- ucation as a favorable and le-ka-tehilah gressed because of the favorable research decision: “Coeducation causes less sexual ten- about single-sex education for girls. In 1998, sion and brings, both within and without the Texas republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchin- yeshiva or school, a richer and healthier social son, offered an amendment legalizing single- life. Particularly in light of the sexual loose- sex education in public schools.xviii In response, ness that may be found all over Ted Kennedy denounced this idea as sinister America…Only a great thinker and halakhist and unconstitutional. However, New York’s like [Rabbi Soloveitchik], who understands Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton joined that one should confront rather than flee from After Congresswoman Edith Green held that does little to encourage independent think- Texas’s Senator Kay Hutchinson in a second contemporary realities, could have established a hearing on sex discrimination in education in ing.”xii Weighing against these criticisms, re- attempt to legalize single-sex education in June a yeshiva with this educational approach.”iii 1970, five bills were introduced to ban sex dis- searchers also note that single-sex schooling 2001. Upon seeing the success of the Young The coeducation debate is not restricted crimination in all educational facilities that re- broadens students’ horizons,xiii provides more Women’s Leadership Academy of East to the domain of Orthodox high schools, but ceive federal funds.vi Many feminists successful role models for the females and Harlem, Senator Clinton commented: “Public indeed has been a hot topic in the United States celebrated when Title IX of the Educational greater numbers of leadership opportunities for school choice should be broad as in general. This was true, specifically, in the Amendments of 1972 became law. Title IX, the students.xiv Students feel free to explore possible…certainly there should not be any ob- 1960s and 1970s, a time of activism and social which prohibits sex discrimination in educa- their strengths and interests without gender stacle to providing single-sex choice within the revolution. The leading feminists believed that tional institutions receiving federal funds, was stereotypes.xv public school system. School districts should the only way to stop sexism was to abandon all signed by President Nixon on June 8th of that There are many successful examples of have the opportunity to spend federal educa- past conventions, including single-sex educa- same year. If single-sex education was re- coeducation public schools that experimented tional funds on promoting single-sex opportu- tion. stricted, why do a small percentage of same- with their student body by segregating the nities so long as they are consistent with Recent analysis seems to prove the op- gender schools remain? Since the 1970s, there males and females within the classroom in a applicable law.”xix Additionally, on May 8, posite: research cites the academic as well as has been a tremendous amount of new research similar fashion to many modern Orthodox high 2002, the Bush Administration encouraged sin- emotional benefits of single-sex education. iv about education, specifically the recently schools that segregate for all (or only Judaic gle-sex schooling and created more flexibility A pro-academic environment is fostered in fe- proven benefits of single-sex education. There- studies) classes. In 1994, when the principal with Title IX.xx As a result, millions of dollars male single-sex high schools because there are fore, many loopholes have been implemented noticed a decline in academic performance, in federal grants were designated to help dis- fewer social distractions; students are ex- to Title IX to allow single-sex schooling. Sin- Shenfield High School in England reinvented tricts establish single-sex public schools. tremely focused on their work and more in- gle-sex schooling must have an extremely con- itself as two single-sex academies under one Whether one interprets the Rav as an ad- volved in classroom activities. Research also vincing justification to meet the constitutional roof.xvi The principal was convinced that he vocate for coeducation or not, research demon- shows that teachers, whether male or female, requirements.vii made the right move when statistics indicated strates that all-female academic environments tend to pay more attention to the males in the The purpose of a public single-sex school that the girls’ performance improved by twenty encourage intellectual pursuits, and foster aca- classroom. With the absence of boys, female serves to remedy discrimination and to allow two percent. Manchester University was in- demic achievement, and healthy self-esteem students suffer fewer prejudices in the intimate girls and women to overcome historical barri- trigued by this theory, and arranged the stu- among young women. Halakhic opinions on environment of the classroom. The Australian ers to equal education. This would rule out pro- dents in five public schools into single-sex and the matter only enhance and support single-sex Council for Educational Research reports that grams that “perpetuate the legal, social, and coed classes. As in Shenfield high, the results education. teenage boys and girls are “out of sync with economic inferiority of women.” Interestingly, proved better for the children in the single-sex each other because of differences in physiol- Jewish education was ahead of its time with the classrooms. Manchester University research Ruthie Just Braffman is a junior at SCW ogy and cognitive development” and the teach- establishment of Shulamith School for Girls in showed also that 89 percent of the girls passed majoring in Jewish Studies and is a Staff ers lose class time as they attempt to control Boro Park, Brooklyn in 1929.viii Yeshiva Etz the standardized language skills, whereas only Writer for Kol Hamevaser.
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i Farber, Seth. An American Orthodox Dreamer: Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik and Proximity and Distance: A Halakhic and Experiential Analysis of Boston’s Maimonides School. Hanover, N.H. University Presses Marketing, 2004. p. 76. Rebbe-Talmid Interactions BY: Ephraim Meth Semak, the rebbe-talmid relationship created tual superiority and authority over his students ii Iggerot Moshe, Yoreh De’ah 1:137; 4:28. by giving and receiving knowledge is critical grant him special stature, a gedol ha-Dor’s su- Editor’s note: This article was adapted to the definition of “student” and “teacher” in periority and authority over ordinary people iii Farber, p. 77. from the author’s Kuntres Sha’ashuei Ephraim this halakhah. certainly grant him that stature. Textually, R. on the laws of kevod rabbo ve-talmidei In contrast, Tosafotiii define “student” as Isserlein is projecting the definitions of iv Datnow, Amanda and Lea Hubbard. Gender hakhamim. anyone who is not a Gedol ha-Dor, and “rebbe” and “talmid” from the laws of paskn- in Policy and Practice: Perspectives on Single “teacher” as Gedol ha-Dor. Alternately, ing in front of one’s rebbe to all laws govern- Sex and Coeducational Schooling. New York: Rabbeim and their talmidim are universes Tosafot define “student” as one who has ar- ing rebbe-talmid interactions. Routledge Falmer, 2002, p. 17. apart. The rebbe is distant, an authority figure, rived to learn (but who needs not yet have an intellectual giant. He is literally a “rav,” a learned), and “teacher” as one who is ready to Rebbe Muvhak v Ibid, p. 13. master, a great one. In contrast, the talmid is a teach (but who needs not yet have taught). Ac- v vi Sax, Leonard. “Single Sex Education: Ready servant, an intellectual dwarf. Halakhah often cording to Tosafot, the relationship created by Rambam defines “rebbe muvhak” as the for Prime Time?” The World & I, August 2002, emphasizes this abyss between rebbe and giving and receiving knowledge is peripheral rebbe responsible for over half of his talmid’s pp. 257-269, at p. 2. talmid: “All tasks that a servant performs for to the definition of “student” and “teacher” in knowledge. A rebbe remains “muvhak” even if his master, a talmid performs for his rebbe.”i this halakhah. Rather, Tosafot hold that the the student later gains more knowledge than vi vii “Single Sex Education”, American Associa- Yet rabbeim and talmidim are bonded by rebbe’s intellectual superiority, or his relative his rebbe. According to Rambam, the rela- tion of University Women (AAUW), March their joint participation in preserving and trans- authority over the student, is critical to the def- tionship created by transmitting knowledge is 2004, p. 1. View the website at: mitting the masorah of Torah knowledge. The inition of “student” and “teacher.” sufficient for the definition of “muvhak.” http://www.AAUW.org/print. rebbe is proximate; he is a father to his talmidim, and the talmidim carry their rebbe’s Ordinary Interactions with One’s Rebbe In contrast, R. Yosef Kolon (Maharik)vii viii Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in legacy. This rebbe-talmid relationship bridges adds that a “rebbe muvhak” must also be intel- North America, ed. Rosemary Skinner Keller the gap in intellectual stature between rebbe Rambam never equates the laws govern- lectually superior to his talmid. A rebbe does and Rosemary Radford Ruether. Bloomington: and talmid. ing rebbe-talmid interaction with those gov- not remain “muvhak” if his knowledge level Indiana University Press, 2006, p. 566. There emerges a dialectic of distance and erning ordinary person-Gedol ha-Dor dips below his talmid’s knowledge level. Ac- proximity that governs the interaction of rebbe interaction. Presumably, Rambam (like cording to Maharik, a relationship is not suffi- ix Ibid. and talmid. The laws of kevod rabbo, one’s Semak) believes that the statuses of “rebbe” cient to give a rebbe “muvhak” status; rebbe’s dignity, do not only emerge from and and “talmid” are a function of the relationship intellectual superiority is equally necessary. x Young, Angie. “Insidious Oppression: All- contribute to the chasm between rebbe’s and engendered by direct transmission of knowl- Berakhah Girls Education without Feminist Vision”, Off talmid’s stature; these laws are also a function edge. Hence, these statuses do not result from Making a on a Place Where Our Backs. September/October 2003: 9/10, pp. of, and are designed to enhance and strengthen, the more diffuse relationship between ordinary One’s Rebbe Was Saved 27-29. the bond between the two parties. Timeless people and the Gedol ha-Dor. Textually, Ram- proximity thrives in transient distance; the xi Young, p. 28 talmid internalizes his rebbe’s values forever by momentarily humbling himself before his xii Ibid. rebbe. (Physicists are familiar with the concept of proximity within distance from the phe- xiii AAUW, p. 4. nomenon of wormholes.) Mutual love devel- ops from delivery and receipt of respect and xiv Datnow and Hubbard, p. 19. awe. Most halakhot governing rebbe-talmid in- xv AAUW, p. 4. teractions equally emphasize each element of the distance-proximity dialectic. Some ha- xvi Sax, p. 5. lakhot, however, place disproportionate em- phasis on one element over the other. This xvii See: http://www.now.org/issues/constitu- article will analyze four areas where the choice tion/index.html. of whether to emphasize the gap in stature (the distance) or the rebbe-talmid relationship (the xviii Sax, p. 5. proximity) impacts directly on halakhah. It will conclude by applying this analysis to thriving xix Ibid. on the experience of talmid-hood. bam probably feels that the aggada about She- The Yerushalmiviii asks whether or not a muel and Eli did not mean to offer formal student must make a berakhah upon observing xx Starr, Linda. “Girls and Boys Together?” Ed- Moreh Halakhah bi-Penei Rabbo definitions of “rebbe” and “talmid.” Rather, it the location where his rebbe was miraculously ucation World, April 14, 2002, p. 2. See: meant only to emphasize that paskning ha- saved. www.Education-world.com/A_issues/is- The Talmud in Berakhot 31b states that lakhah in front of one’s rebbe is an extremely Rabbeinu Asherix resolves this question by sues315.shtml. any “student” who issues a halakhic ruling in serious offense. a kal va-homer: if one must make a berakhah front of his “teacher” deserves death. This In contrast, Tosafot R. Yisrael Isserleiniv upon observing the place where an adam statement is derived from an account wherein equates the laws governing a rebbe-talmid re- mesuyyam, a celebrity (with whom one does Shemuel ha-Navi, the “student”, issued a ha- lationship with those governing an ordinary not necessarily share a close relationship) was lakhic ruling in front of Eli ha-Kohen, the person-Gedol ha-Dor relationship. For miraculously saved, surely a student must “teacher,” and was indicted for doing so. Tosafot, the statuses of “rebbe” and “talmid” make a berakhah upon observing the place The Sefer Mitsvot Katan (Semak)ii defines are not a function of a relationship forged via where his rebbe (with whom he shares a close “student” as one who has learned something transmission of knowledge. Hence, a rebbe is relationship) was miraculously saved. Accord- from his “teacher,” and defines “teacher” as no better than the Gedol ha-Dor. Rather, ing to Rosh, the requirement to recite a be- one who has taught the student something. Had Tosafot hold that the statuses of “rebbe” and rakhah increases proportionally to strength of Shemuel not learned something from Eli, he “talmid” are functions of intellectual superior- relationship. This indicates that such a re- would not have deserved death. According to ity and authority; hence, if a rebbe’s intellec- quirement is a function of relationship.
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In contrast, Rambanx resolves this ques- rabbeim by humbling our opinions before tion with a different kal va-homer: if a son theirs. Rambam restricts the statuses of “rebbe” An Interview with Rabbi Yona Reiss must make a berakhah upon observing the and “talmid” to interconnected links in the place where his father (who is not necessarily chain of masorah, to the exclusion of more dis- his intellectual superior) was miraculously tant links. He also believes that “muvhak” sta- BY: Alex Ozar looking at a magnificent landscape. If you saved, surely a student must make a berakhah tus is solely a function of rebbe-talmid want to understand and appreciate any part of upon observing the place where his rebbe (who relationships. Similarly, we may view our awe What are the educational goals of this the landscape, you have to understand its place is his intellectual superior) was miraculously of rabbeim as seeds and flowers of love and yeshivah? How would you describe a suc- in the broader picture. At the same time, if one saved. According to Ramban, the requirement linkage. Finally, just as Rosh roots in relation- cessful RIETS graduate? only learns superficially – though this is, ac- to recite a berakhah increases proportionally ships the berakhah on our rebbe’s miraculous cording to the Gemara in Shabbos, certainly to intellectual superiority. This indicates that salvation, we can and should share our rebbe’s A successful RIETS graduate achieves his appropriate for one’s first foray through Shas – the intellectual superiority of the rebbe, not his triumphs and joys. By reflecting on these ha- fullest potential in learning and mastering one would be left with a nonfunctional under- relationship to the talmid, determines when the lakhot and their relevance to our personal ex- Torah: in learning the skills necessary to be standing of what one has learned. There is a talmid must make a berakhah. perience, we can discover and thrive on the able to study Gemara and Halakhah properly, need for rabbeim to instruct his shiur with re- proximity hidden within the distance. live a full life of an educated, observant Jew, spect to how to use his derekh ha-limmud, how * * * understand how to decipher Torah texts – both to analyze Gemara texts and sugyos in Shas to Torah she-bi-Kesav and she-be-Al Peh – have gain a higher level of understanding, and also The experience of talmid-hood is reward- a conceptual grounding in what is being stud- ing, yet intense and often difficult to bear. Who Ephraim Meth is a talmid at RIETS and is how to receive the masorah regarding how cer- ied, and make sense of not only the individual tain texts fit in the general scheme, which has can describe the thrill of grasping a hiddush or a member of the Bella and Harry Wexner Semi- units but the totality of what is being learned. participating in the give-and-take of shiur? Yet khah Honors Program. to be passed down from rebbe to talmid in each He should understand how to properly develop we are intimidated by our rabbeim’s intellec- generation. a healthy rebbe-talmid relationship as well as tual superiority, by the scarcity of their time, and sometimes by their dignified demeanor. be able to learn independently, and be able to In 1955, Rav Soloveitchik wrote the fol- We wrestle with ourselves to approach them fully utilize havrusah-style learning as well. lowing to Dr. Belkin: “It is imperative to es- and to wait patiently in line; we sometimes i Shulhan Arukh, Yoreh De’ah 242:19 He should know how to be a talmid, how to be tablish the proper balance between quality and wrestle with others for the privilege of taking a rebbe, how to be a talmid hakham, and how quantity and to eliminate extravagance and ir- their time. On occasion, we wish ourselves ii Semak, cited by Beit Yosef, Yoreh De’ah 243) to be a balabos. responsibility. To spend a full school year on bolder, or them more outgoing and accessible. We may feel, erroneously, lonely or aban- iii Berakhot ibid. s.v. “moreh” doned. These feelings of timidity and recrimina- iv Ibid. tion need not be and often are not negative and sterile; they can be positive and productive. v Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Talmud Torah 5:9 They can motivate us to more boldly seek Torah from our rabbeim, and to attach our- vi For example: if a rebbe has 60 knowledge selves to community rabbanim and kollel units and teaches 50 to his talmid and the members who are more readily available than talmid goes on to learn 20 knowledge units our rabbeim. They encourage us to explore from someone else, the rebbe is still defined as areas of Torah that capture our rabbeim’s in- “muvhak” due to the 5:7 ratio, even though the terest, and to delve into their written works. rebbe knows 60 and the talmid knows 70. Hence, the superficially negative dimensions of talmid-hood motivate us to channel our en- vii Maharik, shoresh 169 ergy outwards, in pursuit of Torah. viii Moreover, all of us benefit inwardly from Berakhot 9:1 Do you think the yeshivah is successful in the study of fifteen pages of text, sacrificing these feelings. Our timidity, reinforced by our achieving these goals? thus an entire masekhta for the sake of ingen- rabbeim’s conduct, keeps wanton creativity ix Rosh, cited by the Beit Yosef, Orah Hayyim ious scholastic debates, borders, mildly speak- and individualism in check. Our struggle to ap- 218 I hope we are successful, but I think that ing, on the ridiculous. In a word, we should proach our rabbeim is no less than the struggle no institution can be complacent and just as- try to unlock for the average student the ha- to approach the Torah and Hashem, the strug- x Torat ha-Adam, Inyan ha-Meihush sume that it is successful. It’s important to lakhic world – a world teeming with life, gle to approach a conflagration. This struggle make our system and structures as good as they beauty, and grandeur – instead of burying his reinforces our sense of the power and value of can potentially be, and that requires constant soul in the sands of sterile argumentative ca- our rabbeim, of what they teach and what they evaluation and analysis. stand for. The confrontation with our rabbeim’s suistry. The training must not depend upon relative inaccessibility incubates independence What role should bekius learning play in mere chance or arbitrariness but should follow and acceptance of responsibility for our ac- a yeshivah education? a well-integrated program which should serve tions. Our desires to receive more of their at- the purpose of providing the student with the tention make us treasure exponentially the The Gemara at the end of Berakhos pres- quintessence of certain halakhic disciplines attention we do receive. Hence, the experience ents a mahalokes about whether Sinai (one has which are indispensable for his intellectual ad- of talmid-hood motivates us to channel our en- great breadth of learning) or oker harim (one vancement.” Is this yeshivah living up to the ergy inwards as well, to refine and augment our Rav’s directives? bonds with our rabbeim. who has great analytical skills) is adif (prefer- able), and concludes that Sinai adif. So it Both the halakhot and the experience of The yeshivah does provide a broad range rebbe-talmid interactions are characterized by sounds like the emphasis should be on bekius. of different types of learning. As far as the a dialectic of proximity and distance. Both But those who are more geared to iyyun will points of bekius, there are a number of pro- poles of this dialectic are often embodied in a explain that that’s not what the Gemara really single halakhah, or in a single experiential feel- means. Essentially, there is a place for both ap- grams, incentives, and bekius competitions of- ing. Just as the Semak claims that the relation- proaches in learning. There is a necessity to be fered in the yeshivah. I am somebody who has ship between rebbe and talmid prohibits the acquainted with the entire picture in order to always been a strong, vocal supporter of learn- talmid from paskning halakhah in front of his really appreciate the component parts. It’s like ing bi-bekius, but I also recognize the value of rebbe, we can try to grow closer to our own in-depth analytical learning, provided it is at a
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genuine level and not one which is itself su- pages. So why not read through Tanakh? an independent study because he learns very and commitment and a variety of different fac- perficial. well in that fashion, there has to be a rebbe in tors, but taken as an objective matter, knowl- This yeshivah is primarily shiur-oriented. the picture. edge is certainly a good thing. As for the Rav, speeding through Shas su- What place is there for students who wish to perficially certainly was not what he had in learn independently? What would you say makes this yeshivah How would you describe the state of com- mind, and was not the way that he in fact special? munication between the yeshivah and the Col- taught. He covered ground and also tried to The rebbe-talmid relationship is a core lege? understand the bigger picture. Whenever the part of our masorah, as is set forth in the first I have a passionate love for this yeshivah Rav learned a sugya, he tried to fit everything Mishnah of Pirkei Avos which states that because I believe that this is a yeshivah that has I think it is very good at this point in time. into a broader conceptual analysis, to under- “Moshe kibbel Torah mi-Sinai u-mesarah li- great faith and conviction that Torah learning I cannot speak to the historical relationship, but stand what every kashya, teiruts, and shitah Yehoshua” (“Moshe accepted the Torah at has to be predicated on yeras shamayim (“fear right now there is very good communication was getting at, what were the underlying as- Sinai and transmitted it to Yehoshua”). This of Heaven”) and tremendous emunah in ha- between the leadership of the Yeshivah and the sumptions, and what were the underlying mandates that the Torah has to be transmitted Kadosh Barukh Hu, and that emunah is mani- leadership of the College, in order to work to- fested in a trust that everything ha-Kadosh gether towards common goals and our com- Barukh Hu has provided in this world and cre- mon vision. We have spoken to college ated in this universe is meant to enhance our officials about having regular programming understanding of Him, our closeness to Him, between the Yeshivah and the College in which and our understanding of Torah. What this in- we can have discussion forums on different is- stitution stands for is a confidence that all sues of intersection so that everyone can be ex- worldly wisdom and all worldly knowledge is posed to the issues and dilemmas in different meant to contribute to our greater understand- types of study and professional training. We ing and appreciation of ha-Kadosh Barukh Hu can bring all the issues to the fore because it is and enhance our study of Torah. a healthy exercise; it is part of the reason for the existence of this institution to discuss all of What challenges are unique to this the tensions and explore different ways – and yeshivah? there may be a multitude of ways – of grap- pling with these tensions. To bring together Whenever you embark on an ambitious academicians, talmidei hakhamim, deans, and mission, the potential fruit of that mission are professionals to discuss these issues, whether it going to be counterbalanced by additional is the parameters of studying art or philosophy challenges that will present themselves. There or doing experiments on animals in a biology are the opportunities for everybody to prepare laboratory, is a worthy project. I think this for life in terms of gaining wisdom in all sorts would be a true realization of the Torah u- of areas and preparing for professional life, Madda philosophy of the Yeshivah that stu- while at the same time learning Torah in a dents come here to experience. yeshivah environment and thereby creating a themes. Once one understood the underlying tremendous holistic Torah personality with all assumptions, one was able to build a much big- from rebbe to talmid in every generation. This of the desirable trimmings that go along with ger picture of the entire sugya and how that is an important part of our learning. The con- that. Obviously, that still does pose a challenge R. Yona Reiss is the Max and Marion Grill sugya related to other sugyos and thus achieve cept of ve-yehu einekha ro’os es morekha because it is a struggle to achieve the right bal- Dean of RIETS. a greater understanding of the totality of Torah. (“your eyes should see your teachers”) is fun- damental to us, in terms of understanding ance. But it is a struggle that is part of a nor- Alex Ozar is a senior at YC majoring in What role does Tanakh have in the Torah not only as a text but as an oral tradition mal life experience. Part of the philosophy of Philosophy and is a Managing Editor for Kol yeshivah program? which passes through people and personalities. this yeshivah is that each person is able to nav- Hamevaser. In fact, the Torah she-be-Al Peh was not to be igate that struggle in the halls of the yeshivah A talmid hakham is compared to a kalah committed to writing, and part of the reason for and the battei midrashos and in communica- mekushetes (adorned bride) with khaf-daled that is that it has to be not only learned but also tion with their Rashei Yeshivah and with ap- takhshitin (twenty-four pieces of jewelry), experienced; it is not only the Torah learning propriate role models. which are the twenty-four Sifrei Tanakh. This but the Torah personality, so that the Torah per- Is there room for academic methodology has not always been emphasized to the greatest sonality is an integral part of Torah learning. in the yeshivah? degree. We rely to some degree on the shitah We seek to create Torah personalities through of Rabbeinu Tam that one can cover his Tanakh our imbibing the Torah from other Torah per- There are certain words that are perceived learning obligation through in-depth learning sonalities and picking up the Torah content so as catchwords for dangerous agendas, and the of Gemara. If done rigorously and carefully, it will be infused within us, as part of us. We important thing to remember is that any kind there is certainly a tremendous amount of become walking Sifrei Torah. The way in of intellectual endeavor which is characterized Tanakh learning that one can gain just from which a rebbe passes down the Torah to a by yeras shamayim and unyielding faith and going through Gemara texts. On the other talmid may depend upon the rebbe’s style, the belief in ha-Kadosh Barukh Hu and Torah mi- hand, there is much to be gained by carefully talmid’s style, and upon different types of com- Sinai is legitimate if embarked upon to en- going through the texts of Tanakh themselves. munication and transmission that are appropri- hance one’s Torah understanding, and that There are styles of thought and teaching that ate for different talmidim and different types of includes utilizing any available texts, literature, have been set forth by Radak and others over relationships. But regardless of the amount of and knowledge. “The more knowledge, the the centuries which can and should be learned time a student will sit across the table from a better” is our general attitude. Ha-Kadosh by the talmidim. It certainly should be incon- rebbe, or in a large shiur room with a rebbe, or Barukh Hu put knowledge in the world for us ceivable for any talmid of the yeshivah not to learning a text by himself, it all needs to be to take advantage of it, to have a greater aware- have at least read through the Sifrei Tanakh by predicated upon a transmission from one gen- ness and greater bonding with Hashem. What the time he leaves. People read in high school eration to the next. So even when it is appro- types of study are embarked upon by different the entire text of Tom Jones, which is over 900 priate for an individual talmid to spend time in talmidim depends on their level of readiness
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The Hovot ha-Levavot on the Educational Value of a Torah u-Madda Philosophy Over One of Torah u-Parnasah
BY: Shlomo Zuckier powerful in his time in Spain and other parts problems with the areas of study focused on by maximal form of avodat Hashem. of the Muslim world, as we will expand upon the adab philosophy. Poetry is a good example A high school rebbe of mine once made below. of something that fails in this regard: it may be the following claim (or something similar to it) R. Bahyavi denigrates the following form aesthetic, but it has little-to-no religious value, Shlomo Zuckier is a junior at YC major- against Torah u-Madda: “True, the Rambam of madda study (which he presents as being which makes it hard for R. Bahya to justify ing in Jewish Studies and Philosophy and is the believes in Torah u-Madda, but he’s just a shi- promoted by the yetser ha-ra): studying it. Also in this category is the field of Copy Editor for Kol Hamevaser. tas yahid [minority opinion]. And don’t say Do not preoccupy your mind with any astrology. Apparently, at that time astrology that you want to be mahmir for all the shitos, studies except those through which you can in- was an important area of knowledge for those because if you are mahmir for the Rambam by gratiate yourself into the favor of your con- serving in the royal courts to be familiar with. learning madda, that is taking away from temporaries and through which you can However, R. Bahya had two problems with it – i These names are selections taken from a list learning Torah, which other shitos would op- become acceptable to the great ones of your the Torah’s multiple injunctions against telling compiled by R. Dr. J. J. Schacter in his “Torah pose.” Now, leaving aside most of the as- generation... [Study] the unusual features of the future and the loss of faith that claiming u-Madda Revisited: The Editors Introduction”, sumptions he makes (1. There is a concept of language... the principles of grammar and po- knowledge of the future can cause. Thus, in the first issue of The Torah u-Madda Jour- pesak in the realm of mahshavah; 2. The pesak claims R. Bahya, those pursuing the educa- nal (1989). in such cases follows the majority opinion; 3. tional method of adab find themselves in error Studying madda cannot be seen as beneficial on two main issues – the issue of intent and ii This is discussed in p. 80 of R. Yosef Kafih’s to learning Torah), I would like to take issue goal in learning the secular material, as well as edition of Sefer Torah Hovot ha-Levavot, with his assertion that Rambam is a shitat the question of what to study. Jerusalem, 1973. All references to Hovot ha- yahid. In general, R. Sa’adyah Gaon, R. Yehu- Levavot are to this edition. dah ha-Levi, Ibn Ezra, Rambam, and Rama all In our time, we have somewhat different have indicated in one place or other their ex- classifications of opinions regarding learning iii Ibid, pp. 104, 124 tensive study of non-Torah disciplines in the secular knowledge. The question of Torah u- medieval period,i and this essay will attempt to Madda versus Torah u-Parnasah has accompa- iv Ibid, p. 366 add another name to the list as well as some in- nied Yeshiva University for a long time,viii and teresting, relevant points. even though there has been nary a debate about v His article, “Bahya ibn Paquda’s Attitude To- I would like to focus on the opinion of R. the personal educational policies of govern- ward the Courtier Class”, appears in Studies in Bahya ibn Pakuda (eleventh century), author ment courtiers in this respect, I still think that Medieval Jewish History and Literature Vol. I, of the Hovot ha-Levavot, on this issue. The R. Bahya would have something to say about ed. Isadore Twersky, (New York: Harvard UP, book is considered to be among the most basic the current situation. It is possible to identify 1980). It expounds on several areas in which sifrei musar in the yeshivah world, and its and distinguish two groups that would fall R. Bahya attacks the courtier class. In addition opinions are normally accepted, thus estab- under the banner of Torah u-Parnasah, learn- to presenting the theory that I have put forth, he lishing its authoritative status. (Of course, etry, choice anecdotes, exotic parables and ing studies outside of Torah only in order to also provides the reader with a concentrated most students learn only the non-philosophical strange tales. succeed materially. One is the group that look at the places where R. Bahya analyzes parts of the sefer, but I do not believe that this This approach, which is preferred by the openly denies the existence of any value in sec- several issues, including this issue of the study is due to any perceived deficiency in R. “yetser ha-ra” and which one must therefore ular studies, opting to go through the motions of secular disciplines. Bahya’s authority on these matters, just a mat- avoid, apparently was the basic philosophy of of non-Torah education just to qualify for a vo- ter of prioritization.) His support of Torah u- many Jews of the courtier class in Muslim cation. R. Bahya rejects this approach openly, vi Hovot ha-Levavot, p. 254 Madda and disdain for Torah u-Parnasah are Spain at that time. Prevalent then was a Mus- as stated above, because it ignores the study of clear, and his opinion is ironically a woefully lim theory of education called adab, which many fields which would reinforce one’s be- vii Ironically, the system itself claimed to foster neglected one among those who generally re- called for a minimal level of knowledge in a lief in God. However, there is another group of spiritual growth (Safran, p. 157), but in prac- vere him as a religious thinker. broad range of areas, specifically focusing on people who can be identified with Torah u-Par- tice it was just used as a stepping-stone. R. Bahya affirms his support for the study aesthetic values. Particularly, it demanded the nasah. These people pay lip service to the no- of knowledge outside of Torah and character- cultivation of poetic, writing and speaking tal- tion that secular studies are important for one’s viii For a good survey of a fairly recent debate izes it as comprising a central part of one’s ents, as well as the acquisition of a knowledge avodat Hashem and pursue them actively, but, about this issue in Yeshiva University circles, avodat Hashem in several places in Hovot ha- of history. (Consider the types of things that at the end of the day, their main allegiance is to see many of the articles in The Torah u-Madda Levavot. He avers that philosophical study is take place at pseudo-intellectual cocktail par- the job market and not the Ribbono Shel Olam. Journal, volumes 1 and 2. useful, even necessary, in forming an intelli- ties.) These were the fields of knowledge that And this is where the really powerful and carp- gent and accurate opinion regarding such is- were seen favorably by the ruling powers, and ing criticism of R. Bahya comes in. A person ix As R. Bahya mentions regarding the courtier sues as the proof of God’s existence and people possessing the skills of adab would be who subscribes to such a philosophy, he would class, there is also, most probably, a lack in nature.ii He also promotes the study of the nat- likely to succeed in political positions. claim, as he does regarding adab, lacks emu- these people’s Torah studies, which is under- ural sciences and psychology, as they provide R. Bahya opposes this method of adab for nah in God, may be studying the wrong things taken solely for the purposes of making one- a prism through which one can see God and the several reasons. His main opposition seems to (including dangerous things), and is acting in self a viable part of his or her Jewish beauty of His creation.iii He even goes so far as be that people do not take this whole approach the way that the yetser ha-ra would propose.ix community and not for reasons of avodat to say that remembering the wonder of God’s li-shemah, for the right reasons. The study of Hashem. handiwork helps Man avoid straying from the knowledge under adab is not undertaken for In conclusion, R. Bahya believes not only religious path and that it enforces a strong be- the sake of strengthening one’s religious com- that it is important to learn secular studies, but lief in, and commitment to, God.iv mitment (as R. Bahya’s system calls for) but also that, when they are studied, it should be That R. Bahya supports the study of for the pragmatic benefits of advancement in done for purposes of avodat Hashem and not madda for the purpose of better appreciating the court.vii This results in both an uncalled- for goals of career advancement. It is unfortu- God and His world is clear, then. However, he for focus on the material (a problem sharpened nate to note that while R. Bahya is a widely ac- goes even further than mere support. At sev- by the fact that R. Bahya in general puts great cepted musar writer and theologian, his eral points in Hovot ha-Levavot, R. Bahya ac- store in bitahon and not in hishtaddelut) and a thoughts on the issue of secular education are tually attacks those who have some other distraction from the positive things that secular generally ignored. It might be a good idea for approach to the study of secular disciplines. knowledge can bring to a thinking, religious those who study the musar of R. Bahya to This hostility has been fleshed out and ex- person. study his views on Torah u-Madda as well, in plained by Dr. Bezalel Safranv as an attack by This is R. Bahya’s overall problem with order to gain a full appreciation for the man R. Bahya against the courtier class that was the approach, but he also has more specific himself and understand his precise view of the
12 www.kolhamevaser.com Volume 2, Issue 3 Jewish Education Women of Intellect: A New Reality BY: Sarit Bendavid first-rate levels of education in the secular them. But what must be recognized is that Many women responded with passionate world, and that the Jewish community must re- Stern College did not just develop out of thin Today, many young women in the Jew- and fiery protest. Higher education for women spond accordingly with their own system. air; it owes its existence to the efforts laid ish community opt out of attending Stern Col- had minutely taken form already in the 1700’s, While this step taken supported the revolu- down previously by staunch supporters of lege for Women and instead choose the easy but it was an area predominantly dominated by tionary concept of schooling for women, it was women’s education that started in the secular way out of college, such as two-year commu- men. In the 1830s, numerous institutions meant as a reactionary measure to counter the world and extended to the Jewish community. nity colleges or online universities. It appears called “Ladies’ Academies” opened as prepara- effects of the new feminist movement by pro- The Jewish schooling system for women in that receiving a well-rounded liberal arts edu- tory schools for women entering the teaching viding a religious shelter for young Jewish our communities today undoubtedly reflects cation is not a priority for these women, who field. In 1833, Oberlin College was founded girls.v and is largely representative of the secular rev- often come from more religiously right-wing as the first college to accept women (and The growth of Jewish education for olution that occurred in the 19th and 20th cen- communities. For those of us who have chosen African-Americans). But the progress was not women gained momentum, following in the turies concerning equal opportunities for the more rigorous and worldly path offered at quick enough for the most spirited feminists, footsteps of Sara Schenirer and the Bais women in education. Stern, shall we understand this phenomenon and the negative response to their reformist Yaakov movement. In 1954, Stern College for Dean Bacon sums up the scholastic phi- simply as a critique of our more liberal reli- movement incited them to action. In 1848, the Women opened up its doors. Dean Karen losophy of Stern College in her “Message from gious views? Is this only a question of ultra- leading activists for women’s rights held a mo- Bacon, in her official message on the Stern the Dean” found on the Stern website: “The Orthodoxy versus its more modern mentous conference in Seneca Falls, N.Y. and website, describes the momentous event as fol- students of today have access to splendid aca- counterpart? Let us delve into the historical drafted a list of grievances that they called lows: “When Stern College opened in 1954, it demic programs that respond to their broad in- background of women’s education in order to The Declaration of Sentiments. One of their began a quiet revolution, the creation of an ac- terests. They seek to study art and history, answer these questions, thereby enabling us to grievances concerning females was that “as a ademic model that challenged women to pur- literature and psychology, biology and physics, better understand what our own institution for teacher of theology, medicine, or law, she is not sue higher Jewish education. Over the years, political science and mathematics, and they women fundamentally represents. known. He [man] has denied her the facilities this model developed, the program grew, the want to know how these intellectual interests Before the 19th century, women were not for obtaining a thorough education - all col- students came, and the idea caught on.” The can prepare them to enter the exposed to the world of academia in the way leges being closed against her.” The fire and newly emerging institution encouraged women workplace…Now, as we begin our sixth that they are today. Frances Power Cobbe, vigor of these stalwart feminists spread, and to explore the world of academia and cultivate decade, we celebrate the fact that Stern Col- who reflects upon her experiences as a student the remainder of the 19th century continued to their intellect as an ideal, emphasizing secular lege is the college of choice for women who in a fashionable and expensive boarding school wish to speak forcefully and effectively to the in England in the early 19th century, recalls her shared responsibility we all have for the future education as follows: “Nobody dreamed that of the Jewish people, women who will make a any of us could in later life be more or less than difference in the world.” This institution pro- an “ornament of society.”i Women during this motes the cultivation of women’s minds and period were taught how to raise children and the development of their intellect for the bet- run a household, but any form of further train- terment of society. ing of the mind, many feared, would interfere Many women, especially ones from a with their female responsibilities. They were more right-wing religious camp, do not put a expected to be docile and obedient; too much high value on the academic ideal that Stern intellect in a woman was considered vulgar. fundamentally represents. Jewish communi- The well-known 18th century ties that are religiously to the right of Stern still philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau posits in support the notion that women should be no Emile, his work on education, the concept of more than good wives and mothers; there is no “relative education:” “The whole of women’s merit for them in the world of academia. Fur- education ought to relate to men. To please thermore, they assert that the expansion men, to be useful to them, to make herself of women’s intellectual faculties may even loved and honored by them, to raise them when have detrimental effects on their domestic fe- young, to care for them when grown, to coun- male duties. It is for this reason that many sel them, to console them, to make their lives women choose to secure a professionally lu- agreeable and sweet— these are the duties of crative degree in the quickest way possible women at all times and they ought to be taught without a liberal arts component. Their objec- from childhood.”ii In this system, there is no claim the founding of many women’s colleges. studies in addition to Judaic studies. It differed tion to Stern is not simply based on Stern’s inherent value in the intellectual instruction of The Jewish community could not com- from the Bais Yaakov movement in which the more modern form of orthodoxy; it is based on women. Numerous 19th century doctors such pletely fortify itself against the raging reforms schooling for women was established strictly an ideological question created in the last few as Marc Colombat attacked the education of happening around it, and the effects of the fem- as a protective measure to shelter and safe- centuries that ultimately asks how far the Jew- women from a medical standpoint, claiming inist movement soon permeated it as well. The guard the Yiddishkayt of Jewish girls. ish community should acquiesce to the femi- that cultivating their intellect has deleterious world was changing, and the Jewish commu- In its online self-description, Stern Col- nist revolution. effects on them and especially endangers their nity could not remain blind to it for long. Jew- lege asserts that “The rigorous Stern College However, what must be realized is that, reproductive functions.iii ish girls were already attending the public curricula prepare women for careers, graduate just like Stern students, these women are also Education for women began to take force school system and quickly assimilating into the study, and leadership in their communities.” deviating from the Jewish tradition, for before in the 19th century, but with many limitations. gentile culture. In 1917, Sarah Schenirer No longer are women only trained to be “or- the 19th century, no women received formal ed- Respectable fields of study for a woman were founded the Bais Yaakov network of schools namental.” The “unwomanly” studies of math ucation. If women’s education is already so es- teaching, nursing, social work, and secretarial for women in Krakow. This break with the tra- and science are now requirements in Stern Col- tablished that its revolutionary aspect is work. Women were to be mere dilettantes ditional exemption of women from formal lege, both of them popular majors today. Stern disregarded even by right-wing Judaism, then in subjects such as science and mathematics, Torah learning was backed by the Hafets College offers a wide array of theology classes, why are these communities still clinging to the with the study of Greek and Latin being espe- Hayyim, Rabbi Yisrael Meir ha-Kohen. The proudly exposing its female students to this traditional feminine ideal and not accepting the cially taboo. Furthermore, the 19th century Hafets Hayyim overruled the traditional prohi- realm of study which was previously thought new “intellectual woman” to be ordinary as sage writer John Ruskin asserted that women bitions against advanced Jewish education for to be “dangerous.” Women in Stern College well? It is a double standard to offer women should be educated in every area, except in the women and supported a serious women’s may choose from a plethora of majors and pro- formal schooling, but restrict them to mere sphere of theology, deeming it too perilous for learning institution; he realized that Judaism fessions without realizing that only 100 years mediocrity. In contrast, Stern believes in edu- a woman’s mind.iv must face the reality that women are receiving ago, many of these subjects were off-limits to cating women in a challenging and demanding
Volume 2, Issue 3 www.kolhamevaser.com 13 Kol Hamevaser
manner, wholeheartedly aligning itself with the female educational revolution. Women’s Talmud Torah: A Man’s Perspective As members of the Stern community, we should be aware of the ideals that our institu- tion represents and the opportunities that it pro- BY: Michael Kurin many women have an honest leaning towards decides that the benefits are worth the sacri- vides for women. In addition, we must Talmud. Women taking time to study Talmud fice, this may not have happened had he not appreciate the efforts taken in the past few cen- In the “Derekh Ha-Limmud” issue of last during their time in Israel or choosing many had a hiyyuv to learn and become a talmid turies that enable us to claim an institution like year’s Kol Hamevaser, Shoshana Samuels Talmud courses in their Jewish Studies at Stern hakham, or had the practical option of becom- Stern College our own – efforts within and out- wrote in her article “Why I learn: A Woman’s should not upset anybody, and, for the most ing a rabbi been closed off. side of the Jewish community alike. And never Perspective” that “being met with general part, it does not. However, the skepticism In contrast, these crucial benefits of in- complain about burdensome requirements – skepticism about women’s learning, is very arises when the study becomes full-time and tensive Talmud study do not exist for women. just be grateful that the world of academia is painful.” I would like to explain what I feel is post-graduate. With the tremendous increase in In an ideal situation – where a woman is al- at our fingertips, craving and yearning to be ex- the basis for that skepticism. To clarify in ad- the number of people learning in kollel that has ready married, is being supported by wealthy plored. vance, the contents of this article do not nec- occurred over the last century, we sometimes parents, and hopes to make practical use of her essarily reflect my personal opinion on this forget that spending several years in full-time knowledge by teaching Talmud in high schools issue. It is certainly not my place to tell others learning is a tremendous sacrifice. At least in or seminaries – the benefits of years of learn- Sarit Bendavid is a sophomore at SCW how to live their lives, especially when they YU circles, the majority of those men who ing to the woman’s avodat Hashem are well and is as yet Undeclared. are supported my some of our most revered learn full-time after college will be making worth the significant sacrifices of time and rabbeim. I was merely bothered by the fact that practical use of their knowledge by acquiring money. However, such situations are rare.i critics of women’s learning programs were, in rabbinic ordination, entering the Rabbinate, Therefore, since women do not have the hiyyuv the article, being dismissed without anyone teaching, or becoming a community leader. in talmud Torah that men have, one could le- first understanding what their criticism really And the minority who make the sacrifice with- gitimately argue that their years could be bet- i Cobbe, Frances Power. Life of Frances Cobbe is. I hope to show that those who criticize or out one of these long-term goals in mind have ter spent instead doing hesed, making a as Told by Herself (London, 1904), pp. 63-64. are skeptical do have legitimate reasons and placed a great significance on their hiyyuv to parnasah, spending extra time raising children, demonstrate how they might respond to some learn and become a talmid hakham. Kollel undertaking projects of tikkun olam, etc. What ii Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. Emile: or On Ed- of Samuels’ arguments. study is undoubtedly beneficial to anyone’s is best for one’s own spiritual growth is not ucation tr. Allan Bloom (New York, 1979), p. There are several organizations for avodat Hashem, and to some it may seem rea- necessarily the same as what is best for him or 365. women’s learning whose motives are, in my sonable to suggest that everybody interested her to pursue at any stage of life.ii opinion, questionable. I do not believe that the should pursue such an idealistic endeavor. The One of the main issues that Samuels dis- iii Dr. Marc Colombat writes the following: Graduate Program in Advanced Talmudic decision to take years for learning, however, cusses in her article is summed up by her state- “It is likewise very important that they Studies at YU (GPATS) is one of them. should abstain, during the presence of the Samuels wrote, “All I can say is that it’s not an discharge, from all intellectual labour, and agenda, not a political statement; it’s just a will from severe study, which, by establishing to know and serve my Creator.” I trust that this high cerebral excitement, determine an un- is true with most, if not all, of those studying in equal distribution of the vital forces, and GPATS. However, the motive for the learning cause an afflux towards the brain of the is only a prerequisite. Once a proper motive for blood which ought to flow towards the gen- learning has been assumed, the critical ques- ital apparatus.” See Colombat, Marc. A Trea- tion is not whether or not the learning is bene- tise on the Diseases and Special Hygiene of ficial to one’s avodat Hashem, but whether or Females, tr. Charles Meigs. (Philadelphia, not it is the ideal avodat Hashem. Similarly, 1850), p. 547. there are people who oppose secular studies on the basis that such studies carry with them neg- iv Ruskin asserts that “There is one danger- ative values. However, holding aside potential ous science for women—one which let them issues of heresy within those studies, one who indeed beware how they profanely touch— makes such a claim about another’s attempt to that of theology.” He then claims in accor- understand God’s world lacks much support in dance with female stereotypes that women the sources. Those who acknowledge the pos- will turn the concept of God into “ugly dolls itive value of worldly knowledge but argue that of their own—spiritual dolls, for them to time should not be spent on its pursuit since the dress according to their caprice; and from time could be better spent on Torah study, how- does not take place in a vacuum. I will illus- ment: “I cannot understand how [women] which their husbands must turn away in ever, do have a legitimate claim and their crit- trate this with a theoretical example. Consider could be so well-accomplished in one area of grieved contempt, lest they should be icism should be taken seriously. The same a YU student who wishes to go to medical G-d’s world and so ignorant about her Ju- shrieked at for breaking them.” See Ruskin, applies here: several years spent exclusively on school. Before applying, however, he wishes daism.” She argues that the knowledge gained John. Sesame and Lilies (London, 1896), amassing in-depth knowledge of the Talmud is to take several years to complete YU Semi- in women’s learning programs helps women p.117. certainly beneficial, no matter the gender of the khah, since he feels this will strengthen his live an “authentic” Jewish life. This, I believe, v Glaberson, B.C. Educating our Daughters, one who is studying. The criticism that should avodat Hashem and his learning skills, make is simply not true in the contemporary Modern Why? (New York, 2000), p. xxii. be taken seriously, however, is from those who him a better person, contribute to the fulfill- Orthodox world. Women are encouraged to ob- wonder if such a pursuit is the best option for ment of his goal to become a talmid hakham, tain the same 16 years of pre-graduate Jewish young women. Those who are apprehensive and help him contribute better to the Jewish education that men receive, and are exposed about intensive women’s learning do not deny community. This pursuit will add several years during those years to all areas of Torah. This the benefits that Talmud study can have for onto an already lengthy amount of time until learning is usually not the subject of criticism. women, but rather believe that their focus on he will complete his education, and, as his par- Moreover, the fact that women’s exposure to other mitsvot or other important endeavors ents would be sure to frequently remind him, in-depth Talmud study is significantly less than would probably be more useful, more practi- will result in a loss of two years’ worth of in- that of men may not affect at all their develop- cal, and more beneficial to the Jewish people as come for himself, as well as for the wife and ment as ovedei Hashem. Tanakh, Jewish phi- a whole. kids that he eventually hopes to have. The sig- losophy, Jewish history, musar, mahshavah, Each person has different tastes, and dif- nificance of this student’s sacrifice must be halakhah, and Talmud all provide their own ferent individuals have tendencies towards dif- weighed against the benefits that he hopes to particular benefits to a student’s avodat ferent types of learning. I do not doubt that gain from his semikhah education. Even if he Hashem. Might it not be, then, that knowing
14 www.kolhamevaser.com Volume 2, Issue 3 Jewish Education
how to teach one’s children Humash and hav- in a time when women are flocking to so-called ing GPATS as a part of their own agenda. In an ing studied the laws of Shabbat and kashrut are “Orthodox-egalitarian” services (such as those article in The Jewish Tribune (a Canadian Jew- more important learning goals for women than of Kehillat Shira Hadasha in Israel), women’s ish newspaper), several feminist groups, in- Michael Kurin is a senior at YC majoring knowing Rav Hayyim’s explanation of Ram- tefillah groups, and other such innovations, cluding the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance in Biology and Physics. bam’s view of shetarot? which, although technically Orthodox, are le- (JOFA), endorsed GPATS as a step in the right Perhaps most important in this discussion gitimately opposed by most of the Orthodox direction towards greater involvement of is the issue of feminism. Without sexism or world. While there are many women who leave women as Jewish leaders. Although it was not i Indeed, most Modern Orthodox day schools discrimination, precautions are often taken to Orthodoxy or refrain from joining it due to explicit, a hope for the future ordination of do not employ female Talmud teachers at all. avoid disasters to Yiddishkayt. For example, their view that Orthodoxy is restrictive for “Orthodox” female rabbis could be sensed And, more to the point, if the goals of the ma- the academic study of Bible, including biblical women, it is not clear whether providing them therein. The critics of women’s learning pro- jority of students enrolled in these graduate criticism, has the potential to strengthen one’s with opportunities for higher learning in a style grams may legitimately argue that sometimes programs were mainly to teach Jewish studies, emunah and yir’at shamayim in the long run, similar to that of men will resolve this prob- idealistic and beneficial pursuits should be sac- the programs would be better described as provide a deeper understanding of Tanakh and lem. It may, in fact, add to it by giving them a rificed to prevent the possibility of a commu- teacher’s colleges, and their curricula should Jewish history, and result in hiddushei Torah. It feeling of entitlement to new roles in the Jew- nity-wide crisis like this one. Similar legitimate not, as they often do, focus exclusively on Tal- even has the practical benefits of “knowing ish community that they may not halakhically arguments have been made regarding the re- mud. what to answer [a heretic].” Nonetheless, many be able to have. Moreover, the complaints of striction of secular studies and academic Jew- Jews abandon religiosity after being “enlight- these women usually center around synagogue ish studies, despite their many benefits, as to ii I know this is a loaded statement, but I do not ened” by the teachings of biblical criticism. practice rather than the lack of Talmud study. It avoid the possibility of heresy within our com- have the space to elaborate on it here. I hope to Given these circumstances, one must weigh the is unclear, therefore, whether creating more op- munity. one day write an article on why I feel this way, benefits of such study against its dangers. portunities for women’s Talmud study will The purpose of this response was to ex- how this clarifies a big misconception that These precautions are clearly applicable convince more of them to stay Orthodox, and, plain why many, even in YU circles, are skep- many people have, and what this concept’s im- to feminism as well. Even though talmud it may, in fact, contribute to a feminist push tical about women’s learning programs. It is plications are. Torah is definitely positive in general, under that opposes halakhic Judaism. not meant to isolate or condemn anybody. The some circumstances it may need to be limited. issue remains debatable, with compelling ar- We no longer live in a time or a community Even GPATS has not totally evaded this guments on each side. I hope, however, that where hordes of religious women are aban- problem. Although, as I said at the outset, I after reading this article nobody should feel doning their Judaism due to a lack of opportu- trust the motives of those studying in the pro- shocked at anyone’s skepticism concerning this nities to gain knowledge. Instead, we are living gram, that has not stopped others from claim- controversial and significant issue.
Volume 2, Issue 3 www.kolhamevaser.com 15 Kol Hamevaser Hinnukh in the Talmud and Rishonim
BY: Meira Levinson gated) is stated explicitly in Tosafot Yeshanim.iii b. Hurkanus’ words at face value. For exam- Regarding the appropriate content of edu- Rabbi Israel ben Petahyah Isserlein, however, ple, Rambam held that one should not teach his cational curricula for minors, it seems that el- It is natural to look to the Mishnah, Tal- interprets Tosafot’s view differently, and says daughter any Oral Law, for doing so would be ementary curricula consisted of basic Hebrew mud, and Rishonim for guidance in daily life, that, according to Tosafot, the mother is also considered “tiflut.”x reading and writing skills, some knowledge of and the topic of education – specifically, obligated to educate her children.iv R. Isserlein Other opinions, however, differed with Scripture, a little bit of Mishnah and Talmud, parental education regarding mitsvot and Torah bases this opinion on the Tosafot in Tractate Rambam. For example, the German Pietists as well as practical halakhah. However, we do learning – is no exception. Hinnukh is a core, Eiruvin, which states that a child at the age of were strong advocates of women’s education, have a few rabbinic sources that actually de- underlying facet of our community continuity; six is included in the eiruv of his mother. He ruling “that a man is obligated to teach his lineate the ideal curriculum. One of these is one would expect to glean pearls of wisdom says that Tosafot’s general opinion as to daughter halakhic rulings in codified form.”xi Sefer Hasidim. Here, the German Pietists give from our foundational texts. whether or not a mother is obligated to educate This is a marked difference from the way many a detailed critique of contemporary education, When it comes to pedagogic philosophies, her child goes according to the view expressed rabbis viewed women’s education. The Ger- ranging from warnings against abuse of the di- however, the texts are somewhat sparse. At in Eiruvin, rather than the view promoted by man Pietists interpreted R. Eliezer’s statement alectic methodology to encouraging more first, this may not seem to be the case. The Tal- the Tosafot Yeshanim.v differently; they read him as prohibiting teach- study of Tanakh. While, as mentioned above, mud is rife with discussions of hinnukh, both in Aside from the question of whether “par- ing women either deep study of the Talmud Bible was studied in one’s elementary educa- terms of Torah learning and regarding chil- ent” means only the father or also the mother, (pilpul) or mystical secrets of the Torah.xii tion, it was neglected in the institutions of dren’s obligations to perform mitsvot. The one can ask whether the obligation to teach They encouraged fathers to teach their daugh- higher learning, the focus there being on Tal- Rishonim, in their commentaries on the Tal- one’s children can be fulfilled via the parent ters practical halakhah that the girls would mud and Halakhah. Sefer Hasidim deplores mud as well as in their responsa, discuss tech- only, or can also be fulfilled through a teacher. need, a sentiment echoed by R. Yitshak of Cor- this neglect and encourages scholars to engage nical issues of daily educational challenges at Regarding this issue, it was common practice beil.xiii Maharil (R. Jacob Moellin) allowed in serious biblical study alongside study of the length. Questions of educational philosophy, in both medieval Spain and Ashkenaz for par- “women to recite the blessings over the Torah Talmud. More specific to our topic, Sefer Ha- however, are not the norm – or, at least, are not sidim also comments on the proper mode of usually discussed explicitly in the text. It is teaching Bible in elementary education: possible, however, to derive fundamental ped- “When he teaches Scripture, the teacher must agogic principles from certain Rishonim’s be able to make the student grasp religious is- comments. sues such as respect for the Torah and aware- Various talmudic texts and Rishonim ness that God is the source of all sustenance. bring up questions of hinnukh in some detail. When the student grows older, he should be “Hinnukh,” as used in the rest of this article, taught about divine reward and punishment.”xvii will refer to one of two educational topics: the From the fact that Sefer Hasidim specifically study of Torah, or the performance of mitsvot advocates teaching Bible as a basis for moral by minors. Regarding the former, the Talmud and religious thought, one can infer that com- and Rishonim discuss questions such as who mon practice in elementary education was not is obligated to study Torah, who is obligated to to do so; rather, Bible was taught in a technical teach, and what is the ideal curriculum. fashion, in order to give students basic reading The Talmud raises the question of who skills and a rudimentary knowledge base that has the obligation to educate children in Trac- they could later apply to Talmud. The German tate Nazir.i The Mishnah states that a father Pietists, therefore, were promoting a very dif- can make a vow that causes his child to be- ferent pedagogic theory – instruction in Scrip- come a nazir, while a mother cannot. The Tal- ture for its own sake, both in elementary and mud asks why this is the case. One opinion, ents to hire melammedim.vi Exceptional stu- recited prior to study, and thought that the pro- advanced education.xviii that of R. Yohanan, is that this is simply a spe- dents, or those whose families could hibition against teaching Torah to women ap- All of the above sources imply a rich dia- cific law relating to the laws of nezirut. R. financially afford it, were often sent away to plies to the father, but that the woman is logue regarding the proper mode of Jewish ed- Yehoshua b. Lakish’s opinion, however, is that study at the feet of Talmudic giants. Some ex- permitted to study Torah by herself, and that ucation. And, while many of the texts, this law stems from the general laws of hin- amples of this are Ra’avyah, who started she receives a reward for this, like a person particularly responsa, seem specific to their nukh. When asked why, therefore, this law ex- studying under his great-grandfather R. ‘who is not commanded but does it’.”xiv times, we in modern times definitely can and cludes women (under the initial assumption Elyakim when he was less than ten years old, The medieval rabbis debate not only do extrapolate educational approaches from that if the reason this works in the case of a fa- and Maharam, who began studying with the Or whether the mitsvah of talmud Torah is bibli- them, whether regarding the ideal yeshivah ther is because of hinnukh, then this should Zarua when he (the Maharam) was around ten cal or rabbinic and who is obligated to teach curricula, women’s education, or other issues. definitely apply in the case of the mother as years of age, as well.vii Additionally, responsa and to learn, but ideal curricula and structure However, the question of pedagogic well), the Talmud answers that men are obli- show that medieval rabbis, particularly ones thereof. Regarding the proper age at which to hashkafah, i.e. how one should teach said ma- gated in the commandment to educate their who were community leaders, often dealt with start education, the main rabbinic source is terial, or, more to the point, progressive edu- sons while women are not. (The Talmud then problems parents had with melammedim (i.e. from the Mishnah in Avot, which reads: “A cational models that parents can utilize for, say, comes to the conclusion that daughters are not payments for melammedim who gambled, etc). five-year-old begins Scripture; a ten-year-old uninterested children, is glaringly missing. obligated to receive education – as opposed to Examples of this can be found in the responsa begins Mishnah; a thirteen-year-old becomes Partly, the reason for this is simply sons – by the same logic.) Tosafotii quotes Ri of Rashba, Maharam, and R. Isaac b. Moses, obliged to observe the commandments; a fif- anachronism – the mishnaic, talmudic, and as saying that the obligation to educate one’s the author of the Or Zarua.viii teen-year-old begins the study of Gemara….”xv early medieval authors did not live in a modern children only falls on the father, and does not Another basic question regarding obliga- Although this was not followed as a strict code society, and therefore did not have the prevail- fall on anyone else. It is unclear whether Ri tions of hinnukh for talmud Torah is whom is by any means, existing texts testify that chil- ing notion of progressive, child-centered edu- meant that the mitsvah of educating a child one obligated to teach – only sons, or daugh- dren did, apparently, start learning Scripture cation that exists today. Furthermore, falls solely on the parent, as opposed to an out- ters as well? The primary source in the Tal- when they were around five or six. One text, defection from Judaic tradition was not as sider, or whether he was differentiating be- mud cited as an argument against teaching from the beit midrash of Rashi, says that at four prevalent as it is in today’s society – and, there- tween a father and a mother. Considering the women Torah is the statement of R. Eliezer b. years of age, a child should be “put to the fore, coming up with methods as to how to in- context of the Talmud immediately preceding Hurkanus that one should not teach a woman book” (“ya’amiduhu al ha-sefer”) or should be still a love for and observance of Torah and his statement, it is entirely possible that Ri was Torah, for if he does, it is considered “tiflut” taught by heart some of the verse “Torah tsiv- mitsvot within one’s children was simply not excluding the mother from this obligation as (lightheadedness).ix Medieval rabbis respond vah lanu Moshe”, and that by his fifth year, he a forethought in many cases. One exception to well. This view (that the mother is not obli- to this in various ways. Some take R. Eliezer should be taught Scripture.xvi this may be the concept of Maggid at the
16 www.kolhamevaser.com Volume 2, Issue 3 Jewish Education
Passover Seder, a process that is extremely refraining from punishing specific transgres- child-oriented, and, depending on one’s views sions. The Jewish Camping Experience of the meaning behind the four sons, can even While Rashi does not state this ramifica- be interpreted as advocating a differential tion in his texts, and while it is probable that BY: Daniel Elefant powerful tool of Jewish education? Why do teaching method. he himself would not even have intended this they succeed where schools that take up ten However, I would like to point to two approach (which is an attitude that stems It is estimated that 70,000 campers attend months a year fail? texts within the context of our earlier discus- largely from a modern societal perspective), 150 non-profit Jewish camps every summer es- The sad reality is that in many Jewish day sion regarding rabbinic views of hinnukh itself, the very fact that his halakhic stance regarding pecially in the United States (Slutsky). After a schools, students learn about our heritage the specifically “hinnukh” as it applies to the con- the hinnukh obligation leaves room for this in- strenuous year of memorizing and internaliz- same way they learn about math and science. cept of preparing a child for mitsvot obser- terpretation is significant. In essence, Rashi’s ing academic subjects, students need to have This could be a reason why most modern or- vance. stance opens the possibility for an educational an outlet where they can have fun and make thodox students care more about getting an A Regarding the question of parental and fil- philosophy that advocates creating a loving, lasting friendships with new people from all in the class than thinking intellectually about ial obligations for hinnukh in mitsvah per- positive association for children with Judaism, over the country. Of course, sending kids to the Jewish principles being taught. Normally, formance, the Talmud and Rishonim discuss even in light of resistance – a pedagogic phi- camp is also a relief for overworked parents students that don’t attend Orthodox schools do many of the same questions that arose regard- losophy that can be extremely helpful to con- who spend the other ten months of the year not have a significantly deeper attachment to ing hinnukh of Torah learning. Questions of temporary Jews. working both outside and inside the home. It their Jewish roots and traditions. Whether they who is obligated to learn how to perform the is possible that the reason that there are so went to the Jewish day schools or just regular mitsvot, at what age different obligations exist, Meira Levinson is a fellow in the Gradu- many Jewish summer camps and that they’re public school, in many areas these campers and who is obligated to teach mitsvah per- ate Program for Advanced Talmudic Study for so successful is very simple – everyone just have the same feelings towards religious, tra- formance appear throughout numerous texts. Women (GPATS) at YU. needs a good, relaxing break. However, such ditional practices. One specific question is whether the rabbinic obligation of hinnukh for a child “she-higi’a le-gil hinnukh” – one who has reached the age of hinnukh (precisely what this means is also i Nazir 28b discussed) – falls upon the child himself or upon the parent. Rashi writes that the obliga- ii Tosafot to Nazir 28b, s. v. “beno in, bitto lo” tion falls solely on the father, while Tosafot iii Tosafot Yeshanim to Yoma 82a, s.v. “ben she- hold that it falls upon the child (although this monah, ben tesha” does not nullify the father’s obligation to edu- cate his child).xix iv Kehillot Ya’akov to Berakhot, siman 24 It is possible to view this debate as sim- ply a practical one, with purely technical ram- v Ibid. ifications. However, it is also possible to view this debate as stemming from a more funda- vi Morris, Nathan. A History of Jewish Educa- mental philosophical difference when it comes tion. Rubin Mass: Jerusalem, 1977, p. 24; Ka- to educational pedagogy. One can view narfogel, Ephraim. Jewish Education and Tosafot’s position, that the child him or herself Society in the High Middle Ages. Wayne State actually has a rabbinic obligation to perform University Press: Detroit, 1992, p. 19. certain mitsvot, as saying, in essence, that the child himself is truly responsible – i.e. all the vii Kanarfogel, p. 18. normal consequences of failing to perform pos- itive commandments, or transgressing negative viii Morris, p. 25. commandments, apply. It is not difficult to read into this a more severe, disciplinarian ix Sotah 21b mentality when it comes to child education: by x Grossman, Avraham. Pious and Rebellious; Photo Courtesy of Jordan Katz the time the child reaches the age of hinnukh, Jewish Women in Medieval Europe. Brandeis an attitude completely misunderstands the pur- The key to a continued Jewish existence that child will soon be a bar/bat mitsvah – and University Press: Waltham, Massachusetts, pose of Jewish camps. may lie in continuity itself. One of the biggest really will be responsible for these obligations, 2004, p. 161. My personal experience has been as a foundations of Judaism is the transfer of the on a biblical level. Therefore, what the child camper and counselor at Camp Stone, a Jewish tradition. This tradition has been passed down does now – even though he or she is, in point xi Ibid. camp located in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania. I from father to son, generation-to-generation of fact, still a child – has consequences, and have seen and heard about many campers in dating all the way back to Moses at Mt. Sinai. transgressions and failures to fulfill mitsvot are xii Ibid. years past who grew religiously because of ex- As long as the tradition is strong, the Jewish to be taken seriously and disciplined accord- periences they have had in camp. For example, people are strong. No matter how bad the per- ingly. xiii Ibid. after looking back at her experience over six secution is, be it crusade or holocaust, with our One can read Rashi, however, as having a years at Camp Stone, Elizabeth Kirshner re- tradition we prevail. fundamentally different approach. Rashi holds xiv Grossman, p. 165. flects that “camp gave me a true pride and un- The problem arises when our spiritual that while the child is rabbinically obligated to derstanding of who I am and made me treat my backbone starts to deteriorate as well. The perform these mitsvot, the obligation, at the xv Pirkei Avot 5:25 roots as more than a secondary priority.” Fur- Westernization of the world brought many end of the day, falls on the parent. In other thermore, it has been noted by the Foundation wonderful things, but the Jews weren’t entirely words, a child’s performance or non-perfor- xvi Morris, p. 119. for Jewish Camp that recently, Jewish philan- prepared to incorporate it into their lives while mance of mitsvot is certainly important, espe- thropists have been investing significant still remaining dedicated and committed Jews. cially in the years immediately prior to his or xvii Kanarfogel, p. 90. amounts of money into Jewish summer camps. The assimilation rate for Jews in America rises her coming of age. However, if that child does For example, the Harold Grinspoon Founda- every year. As Jews become more and more ig- not succeed with a given commandment, the xviii Ibid. tion has developed a program helping some 50 norant of their tradition, they see no difference responsibility itself falls upon the parent, not camps throughout the northeast strengthen in living their lives like all the rest of the world. upon the child. This understanding of the na- xix Kehillot Ya’akov to Berakhot, siman 24 their fundraising capabilities. As Grinspoon What grandma and grandpa did was their ture of the obligation leaves room for a much explains, “The more you can gather Jewish choice and we chose differently. Slowly but more progressive educational mentality. Such kids around a campfire for a Jewish experi- surely the tradition falls through the cracks and a mentality would focus more on creating for ence, the more you can keep the tribe together” is forgotten. I’ve been in towns in Pennsylva- the child a positive environment and associa- (Slutsky). What makes camps such a uniquely nia such as Titusville and Oil City that used to tion with Torah and mitsvot, even if that means
Volume 2, Issue 3 www.kolhamevaser.com 17 Kol Hamevaser
be huge thriving Jewish communities and now we can only visit the local carpentry shop to see the remnants of what was the town syna- gogue. The modern world poses a tremendous Shiur Hadash, or a Case of Shiur Innovation obstacle to the formal passing of the tradition in a classroom setting. BY: Ben Greenfield principal contact with primary sources, goes by sess Rambam’s responsa and Yad ha-Hazakah, This brings us to the informal environ- the name hakhanah, and to a significant degree yet no “Shiurim Maimoniyyim” a la “Reshimot ment that is provided by Jewish summer Editor’s note: The following is the first of it is just that: mere preparation for the truly es- Shiurei ha-Gerid Soloveitchik” survives. Even camps. Every day, campers from ages 9 to 15 two parts of the author’s article on the topic of sential. While these phenomena relate to though a medieval shiur presumably existed run around playing, swimming, eating, sculpt- shiur. It will continue with the second part in mindset, they produce (or perhaps derive from) (albeit not in the exact form described above), ing, etc. Their counselors, of course, run along the coming edition of Kol Hamevaser. practical implications. If forced, under exten- neither the Rishonim nor their students saw in with them in all these fun activities, but many uating circumstances, to attend either seder or it as the pillar of their learning. One can even of them really view this as a four to eight week The next stage in the development of Tal- shiur, most students will opt for the latter.v look to Volozhin, that prototype of contempo- window of opportunity to instill Jewish values mud Torah has emerged before our eyes. This When confronted in seder by a complex ques- rary yeshivot, for a surprisingly subdued ap- and principles into these campers. The biggest revolution lies not in method, like the modern tion, many learners will simply “move on,” at- proach to formal lectures.vi Out of advantage to the educational methods of sum- emergence of the Brisker Derekh, but in mode: tempting not to understand the material at approximately three hundred students, perhaps mer camp is the lack of teacher or disciplinar- welcome to the Golden Age of the shiur.i Be- hand, but to scan enough texts to prepare one- one hundred visited the daily “shiur.”vii Yeshi- ian roles. The relaxed atmosphere allows for fore elaborating on the significance of this self for shiur. To the great frustration of initi- vat Etz Hayyim contained no secondary rooms skits and games to act as teaching tools that transformation, an attempt at definition is in ates, many shiurim actually discourage to host the class– it took place in a noisy and leave a lasting impression. In this way, the tra- order. Shiur bears several definitive traits:ii it questions: a firmer understanding of the mate- cavernous beit midrash obviously built for dition that is passed on to the campers enters follows a preparatory period where key texts rial prepared fails to justify an interruption in more individualized study. Attendance was their minds as enjoyable memories as opposed are reviewed; it takes place in a classroom- the more valuable shiur experience. Seated completely voluntary, and students would drift to more textbook information required for a style setting, outside the beit midrash,iii com- and attentive, many students produce copious in and out depending on the topic or lecturer. test. plete with desks or other writing surfaces notes on shiur, yet few prepare reviewable Despite the high level of instruction, atten- In the maintenance of our tradition, the facing a central speaker; that speaker is not a notes on information covered in hakhanah. dance actually implied a relatively low rank in bond created between staff and campers is just peer, but an esteemed expert, with both sides However, perhaps the strongest signal emerges the yeshivah’s social-intellectual community. as important as the activities throughout the recognizing the intellectual and social divide at the end of zeman, during the performance of At various points in Volozhin’s history, two day. The first relationship a counselor makes between master and student; the teacher dom- hazarah (review). This is an especially telling Ramim delivered the lecture, partitioning the with a camper is a lasting friendship. It is al- inates conversation, addressing his audience moment, as hazarah unveils how a student or- week into three day units and rotating in where ways easier to transfer and receive information with only minor interruption; he is expected to ganizes and perceives the Torah he acquired. the previous master left off. Presumably, these from a friend rather than from an authoritative abstract the studied texts into a topic-based Only the most determined of talmidim review “shiurim” lacked the cumulative and consistent figure. Campers feel a closeness allowing them presentation, at the same time critically ana- the actual sources, using their notes (and shiur quality today’s students take for granted. Re- to express themselves in ways they never have lyzing the sources, introducing new docu- in general) as a window from which to better gardless of the teacher, shiur participants ex- before. The influence of such a friendship may ments, and offering innovative explanations;iv organize and understand the original texts. In- perienced something “very much a contact not truly be seen until years down the road. the shiur occurs on a consistent basis, between stead, many students simply re-visit the shiur sport:”viii biting questions interrupted the lec- This gives the campers the chance to look back two and six times a week, continuing for con- notes, seeing in them the substance of a turer, students initiated extended monologues, at their summer experiences and realize for secutive weeks and months; individual ses- zeman’s talmud Torah. Therefore, it is of little shiur’s contents were critiqued and debated themselves that one can live in the modern sions are, to some degree, part of a larger and surprise that RIETS Semikhah does not offi- while class was still in session. For a particu- world, have fun and still uphold the Orthodox cumulative whole where one session’s main cially require proficiency in a list of iyyun top- larly colorful - if perhaps exaggerated – illus- Jewish tradition. An experience with this large topic might persist into the next day’s lecture an impact couldn’t even be dreamt of in a for- and where students are expected to recall and mal school setting. incorporate previously covered information. At the end of the day, parents found a Anything else might be called talmud Torah, great place to drop off their kids for the sum- but it bears not the name “shiur.” A lecture mer, kids found a great place to hang out for without a mandated preparatory period, or de- one or two months, and the staff members take livered by a classmate, or consisting of guided advantage of that place to try and change as group discussion or responsive questions and many Jewish lives as they can. Of course the answers, leans towards an entirely separate so- basketball and boating are a lot of fun, but it cial-educational category, the “habburah.” seems there is a much deeper purpose behind it Likewise, if it occurs only once, or never refers all. In the words of Yehuda Rothner, director back to previous information, or takes place in of Camp Stone, “We push them physically, a theater-style auditorium, or limits itself to ex- mentally, and spiritually to the max. That is plicating a specific text without abstracting to what we do.” a broader topic or introducing innovative ex- planations, one might call it a “speech,” a Daniel Elefant is a sophomore at YC ma- “shiur on X,” or a “bekiut shiur”, but it should joring in Biology. not be confused with the subject of this essay. The revolution in Torah to which I refer ics, but instead demands four semesters of tration,ix a Ram from the rival Kovno Yeshivah Bibliography lies not in the substance or structure of shiur, shiur attendance. Shiur is today’s learning of once delivered a guest shiur in Etz Hayyim. but in students’ relationship to it: Today, in the record. Word filtered down from R. Hayyim 1. Slutsky, Carolyn. Summer Camp: The New minds of contemporary yeshivah students, at- This modern emphasis on shiur as the Volozhiner that the visitor should leave the It Cause. 22 Sept. 2008.
of the incident betrays yet again how the lec- plane, one could inquire if any printed text con- pending on the attitude, that might mean of Volozhin (not to be confused with R. tures of old – both in practice and mindset – stitutes a primary unit of Torah, or if only their dappei Gemara learned, simanim of Shulhan Hayyim Volozhiner, the founding Rosh differ from today’s. The modern day emer- abstracted ideas are worth organizing and re- Arukh covered, or in our case, semester units of Yeshivah.) gence and centrality of shiur represents a sig- viewing. The form and content of Mishneh shiur. Thus is the standard in the Golden Age nificant schism from previous generations’ Torah, in its utter rejection of the typical Shas of the shiur. vii As will be shown, these classes were quite talmud Torah. structure, omission of source citations, and as- dissimilar from the modern phenomenon of I suggest that this phenomenon transcends piration to obviate all other records of Torah shiur and therefore, lacking a better term, I put basic questions of stress or focus, that some- she-be-Al Peh, likely reflects a notion that the Ben Greenfield is a junior at YC majoring the word “shiur” between quotation marks. thing of greater philosophical significance ex- canon we call Shas consists of metaphysical in Jewish Studies and Mathematics and is a cites this pattern: Shiur has achieved the status ideas, not printed text. Finally, and returning to Staff Writer for Kol Hamevaser. viii R. Shalom Carmy, conversation with the of a primary source. Shiur represents the ac- our original subject, the question may be posed author. tual “text” under study. To clarify the thrust of of shiur: a mere aid to understanding the these locutions, consider two methods of elu- Gemara and Rishonim or a primary “text” in ix Zalman Epstein, “Yeshivat Volozhin: A For- i cidating a recently studied Gemara with and of itself? Literally, a lecture. A brief note on the collo- gotten Jubilee” in Etkes and Tikotsinki, eds. Tosafot. Speaking with a friend, one could The prominence of shiur should be inter- quial use of shiur: Yeshivot Lita: Pirkei Zikhronot. Jerusalem, present the information as follows: “Tosafot preted in this light. Students treat shiur as the Unfortunately, this one word refers to two 2004. pp. 75-76. discusses a case where X is the din. They ask primary source, the actual “text” under study; very distinct institutions. When I use the how this could be in light of a different case more often than attending shiur so as to better term, I denote what is occasionally known by x Under this model, knowledge of the shakla where Y is the din. The first answer they give comprehend the Gemara, we learn the Gemara the misnomer “shiur yomi” - these formal lec- ve-tarya is useful, but only to the extent it is as follows . . . but this leads to another prob- in order to better understand shiur. As such, of tures that continue over the course of several shines light on the primary text. It should not lem, which could be answered if you . . .” The course a talmid might rush through a daf or months are the subject of my article. How- be memorized simply for its own sake. Ram- speaker does not introduce the Gemara in its even skip hakhanah entirely, for the real act of ever, “shiur” also denotes what is otherwise bam rather explicitly takes this view in Mish- own right, but in the context of the Tosafot Talmud Torah occurs when “learning” shiur. called a habburah, an educational experience neh Torah, Introduction 24, 41. The Ram under discussion. In effect, he quotes the When conducting hazarah, he treats his shiur less institutionalized and often more relaxed. under discussion was Rabbi Alexander Moshe Gemara so as to understand the contents of the notes not as an aid to organizing and under- See below for an attempt to accurately con- Lapidot. Tosafot. At the same time, he feels it neces- standing various Rishonim, but as a stand- trast the two phenomena. That said, speakers sary to follow the original structure of the alone text: he looks up mekorot to better employ the term “shiur” slightly differently xi One can find several in the Gottesman Li- Tosafot, proceeding in the order of questions, understand the notes, instead of looking up the when alluding to shiur yomi or to a habburah. brary. Personally, I was once shocked to see answers, difficulties, and solutions embedded notes to better understand the mekorot. Many In reference to the latter, the indefinite article in the text. This delivery considers the Tosafot, shiurim frown upon students who ask ques- a twentieth century edition in the famed used is applied: “On Shabbat, my friend gave a sefarim store of Meah Shearim. and not the Gemara, to be the primary source, tions, for – apart from simply depleting valu- shiur.” Alluding to the former, the indefinite the “text” of Torah under discussion. How- able minutes - these interruptions break and article disappears: “after a few hours of prepa- xii Etkes, Immanuel. The Gaon of Vilna. ever, one could convey the information from distort the authoritative “shiur text.” It is the ration, we entered the classroom for shiur.” the reverse perspective: “The Gemara here oral equivalent of a scribal error or inauthentic Berkely and Los Angeles: University of Cali- Once again, in this essay, shiur always refers rules that in a certain case, X is the din. We insertion: the text itself is now corrupt, the in- fornia Press, 2007, pp. 24-27. to “shiur yomi.” know from a Gemara in another place that a tended shiur experience slightly marred. How- xiii similar case produces a din of Y. Since we do ever, paralleling my Tosafot example, the most Which has literally achieved fruition in the ii Admittedly, shiurim come in a range of fla- not want to confront such-and-such a difficulty, blatant expression of shiur as primary source wave of “Shiurei ha-______” lining the sefer vors and styles; some will conform to this de- the best way to explain our Gemara is to say finds voice in how individuals record and con- market. scription better than others. Nonetheless, I that . . . In fact, this is the explanation put forth vey the contents of shiur. I have attended in- will borrow that Lincolnian adage in stating by Tosafot.” This time around, he presents formal review sessions where the style of from the Gemara’s point of view; the speaker presentation is nothing less than remarkable: that some of these descriptions correspond to cites Tosafot so as to understand the contents “Rebbe opened by reading the Ramban. He basically all shiurim and that all of these de- the Gemara. Thus, he feels no need to attrib- then asked why it is that . . . After rejecting the scriptions correspond to at least some shiurim. ute the question to Tosafot, or to note each step first answer, Rebbe offered three different ex- Furthermore, those that do not perfectly in the development of their solution. If they planations.” Shiur, not Ramban, is the primary match my description are often recognized by are mentioned at all, it is often merely to attach source. Thus, we quote Ramban only in the their patrons as atypical or innovative. a title to the explanation (“Tosafot’s opinion”) context of Rebbe’s words and we follow iii when contrasting it to the suggestions of other Rebbe’s original presentation. If Rebbe went Or at least during the beit midrash’s off Rishonim, or to chivalrously grant credit where on a tangent, presenting information that might hours, when the room is a beit midrash only in it is due. Now, Tosafot functions as a second- be better discussed towards the end of shiur, name. ary source, significant only to the extent that it we would leave it in the original place, penned clarifies our real interest, the lines of the in as part of the shiur text. Rarely do students iv Shiurim display this trait using a variety of Gemara. This distinction in delivery – this re-arrange the new information to suit an al- methodologies, including Brisk, Telz, pilpul, question of primary or secondary source - can ternative criterion, for instance, the order of the and academic, with varying degrees of re- be asked about every stratum of Torah: Is the daf or a logical progression of ideas. Instead, maining “on the daf” or perching “off the Gemara a primary source or a means of prop- it is almost as if shiur had been transcribed into daf”. (“On the daf” denotes a tendency to re- erly understanding the Mishnah? If the latter, a gold-embossed sefer, which we now read sist topics and sources not directly effecting one struggles to find inherent value in remem- paragraph by paragraph.xii Aside from oral pre- the daf Gemara under study.) Little about my bering the snake-like details of a Gemara’s sentations, I have witnessed note-takers typing definition limits shiur to a particular method shakla ve-tarya.x Is the Rif a stand alone text or in the same eerie, science log style: “Rebbe of analysis. a commentary on the Talmud? The “Rif seder” wants to know whether . . .” Similarly, I have popular in yeshivot of old and the existence of glanced at desktops struggling to capture the v Or only choose seder after being instructed “Rif Shasin,” containing mesekhta after words of shiur verbatim(!), trying to somehow to by their rebbe. mesekhta of nothing but Rif with commen- record a complete shiur text, implicitly claim- tary,xi testify to the first point of view. Is the ing in each clickety-clack of typing that each of vi See Shaul Stampfer, Ha-Yeshivah ha-Litait Ari’s kabbalah of inherent value or a second- Rebbe’s paragraphs constitutes a primary be-Hithavatah, Zalman Shazar Center, ary source to the primary Zohar? Immanuel source worth transcribing. The RIETS Semi- Jerusalem: 1995, pp. 44, 90-98. Admittedly, Etkes has shown that much tension between khah policy, requiring four semesters of shiur, these sources predate R. Hayyim hasidim and the Vilna Gaon revolved around shares this approach. We quantify Torah ac- Soloveitchik’s tenure as final Rosh Yeshivah this very question.xii On a more ambitious complishment in units of primary source; de-
Volume 2, Issue 3 www.kolhamevaser.com 19 Kol Hamevaser An Interview with Rabbi Jeremy Wieder
BY: Ari Lamm great value in secular studies. And they are stressed, however, is the notion that gadol ha- cation can be an option, even if not the only valuable not just for parnasah purposes but for metsuveh ve-oseh mi-mi she-eino metsuveh ve- one. Conversely, there are communities in How would Rav Wieder summarize the enriching one’s mind and one’s life. oseh (“greater is one who is commanded and which, given the greater separation that exists current goals of higher Jewish education? If A secondary issue revolves around prop- performs than one who is not commanded and between the sexes, coeducational institutions Rav Wieder could change, or add anything to erly focusing one’s energies. In this regard, performs”); in other words, given that morn- would be inappropriate. Of course, educa- this broader vision, what would it be? benei Torah need to be aware of the potential ing seder, in a curricular sense, is an absolute tional considerations should also be taken into for hillul Hashem. In other words, every ben hiyyuv, and night seder is not, morning seder account – do the sexes learn better together or I am not sure that anyone has clearly ar- Torah has to understand that once one agrees to should be given precedence. If a student keeps when separated, and this may vary depending ticulated the goals of higher Jewish education. participate in a dual curriculum, he must do a a night seder that extends too long into the upon age, and will separating boys and girls The same holds true within the context of proper and respectable job. Even if one sub- night and then first begins to do his college lead to the education of one or the other being Yeshiva. Almost half a century ago, the Rav scribes to the view that the study of secular ma- work, there is a risk that his morning seder will given short shrift. However, these are deci- claimed that the curriculum of Volozhin does terial should be strictly utilitarian, one must suffer as a result. This is unacceptable given sions best left to educators and communal lead- not necessarily suit the context of the Semikhah still perform in class according to expectations. that morning seder is a requirement, whereas ers. Program at Yeshiva. Indeed, it is difficult to de- This does not require one to perform every night seder is not. But putting aside all of the issues that I termine a comprehensive curriculum that is ap- hiddur, or go lifnim mi-shuras ha-din, but one have mentioned, one of the pressing issues that propriate for a society in which higher Jewish must do an adequate job – both in attending What is Rav Wieder’s position on co-edu- needs to be addressed is the way in which education is no longer limited to an intellectual and preparing for class - which can demand a cation? During grade school? High school? young men and women interact around the age elite. This is an issue that has not yet been fully good deal of time. Post-high school? How should the sexes in- of marriage. This may not be directly relevant addressed. But it is clear to me that a proper The problem is that once this is taken care teract or relate to each other during these to the issue of coeducation, but the two are cer- curriculum should be built around providing of, especially in the context of Yeshiva Col- years? tainly related; indeed, we should consider the tools for independent learning. In other words, possibility that the rigid separation that is en- students should be taught how to fish, not be forced during the prior educational stages does given fish. not allow young men and women to relate to Other factors that do not seem to have each other as human beings when they are ac- been given due consideration are the different tively searching for a spouse. They will not curricula required for prospective rabbanim know how to relate to each other or interact and future ba’alei battim. Most of those pro- properly. Coeducation is not necessarily the ceeding through our educational system will answer to this problem – maybe part of the an- not go on to get semikhah, but to a great extent swer is to promote mixed activities within the our curriculum educates all students as if they context of communities committed to single- will pursue rabbinic ordination. Even for most sex education. For some communities, in who are currently enrolled in MYP, the next which husbands and wives are perhaps not ex- three or four years will be the last during which pected to relate to each other in more than in a they can devote half or more of their day to utilitarian way, this may not be as pressing an learning in the beis midrash. These are ex- issue. But in the Modern Orthodox commu- tremely formative years, and in order to enable nity – for better or for worse – that degree of our students to develop as spiritual beings separateness is not the norm, and therefore our throughout their lives we at Yeshiva need to young men and women will eventually have to impart the skills that enable our students to deal with these sorts of issues. continue learning after they leave yeshivah. I lege, the whole day is nearly over. This is do not know if we are as successful as we where the issue of night seder comes into play. The starting point for this discussion is Even if there is no issur of coeducation might be at doing that under the current cur- There is a hiyyuv of talmid Torah at night, and whether we are discussing strict halakhic is- per se, on a practical level it may be difficult to riculum. relying on keri’as Shema is not ideal. In this sues or hashkafic values. Hazal were careful to maintain the proper harhakot. Does that enter sense, night seder is a very positive thing. But stress the need for harhakos between the sexes, the equation? Students at Yeshiva are engaged in a dual one does have to balance night seder against and even if they hadn’t, we should be able to curriculum, and the majority of these students the obligations of morning seder, one’s other figure this out on our own. As far as halakhah I think it should. Obviously in coeduca- have spent most of their academic careers in studies and a social life. Unfortunately, given is concerned, there are specific technical is- tion there has to be a great amount of diligence institutions featuring a dual curriculum. What the demands put upon each and every student surim that could be involved such as yihud and with regards to these concerns. And I think that is the ideal way in which students should ap- in our yeshiva, I do not think that there is a sin- “lo sikrevu.” But these are not inherent in co- this is one of the meta-halakhic issues that are proach a dual curriculum? How should keep- gle that applies to all students in terms of how education itself, and thus do not, in my opin- very difficult to figure out. As a rule, we do ing a night seder affect this issue? to maximize learning. Students should avoid ion, create a halakhic prohibition on not support policies which by definition entail viewing night seder as an “all or nothing” coeducation. Beyond these, however, there are violation of halakhah. But, communally Ideally, we would figure out how to proposition. Some students might do well with any number of considerations that come into speaking, we do sometimes accept policies, squeeze thirty hours into a day. But since that a nightly seder of half an hour, others might play. One consideration is economic: some with the knowledge that as a result, some peo- is not an option, we have to face the very real achieve optimal benefit from slightly longer communities may not have the resources to ple may come to violate a halakhah. Clearly, if challenges that come along with a dual cur- night sedarim two or three nights a week, provide for separate education. Another is the you make a communal policy and, because of riculum. The critical question is: do you value while others still might be best served by fo- communal context; there are many communi- the opportunities that the policy affords, you both halves of the curriculum? As far as I am cusing on learning effectively and productively ties in which the normal degree of interaction know that x people are probably going to do concerned – and other may disagree – there is during morning seder. What should be between men and women dictates that coedu- an aveirah, you have to weigh the reasons for
20 www.kolhamevaser.com Volume 2, Issue 3 Jewish Education
the communal decision against that fact and the (which touch on core theological matters), I kivshan ha-esh (the “fiery furnace”) is not ac- worth repeating the stipulation that I used ear- decision is not always a simple one. Consider think that it is very much a question of age-ap- tually found in Bereishis. We do not want to lier: if the person approaches the text with the coeducation: when we have a good reason for propriateness and maybe even needs to be de- send the message to children that a Midrash is appropriate reverence and yeras shamayim, it, but we know that x number of issurim may termined on a student-by-student basis. I do somehow false. Instead, we have the difficult then the methodology is not a problem; absent result, it becomes a very difficult calculation, not think that children in elementary school or task of trying to convey that it is “true” but that this qualification, even teaching with a “tradi- and it’s something to be careful about. even high school should be taught about bibli- it is something very different from peshat. If tional” methodology is problematic. In addi- cal criticism, though perhaps there is a need in you read it literally you completely miss the tion, almost every single academic Should there be different religious curric- their final year of high school to make them peshat of the biblical text and you miss what methodology is not new, whether it be investi- ula for men and woman? Why or why not? aware of what is out there, in terms of critical Hazal are trying to teach us, but dismissing it gating girsa’os or uncovering the layers within Biblical scholarship. We certainly want to pre- as not “true” misses the point of Hazal and runs a text, etc. Almost every single one of those From the perspective of the world in vent young men and women (who attend sec- the risk of demeaning them. But implementing methodologies is used by Rishonim – some- which we live, certainly the Modern Orthodox ular colleges) from being surprised – that is a this attitude within a curricular context should times extensively. The fact that they seem to community where women interact a great deal recipe for disaster and the shattering of faith. be left to the experts in education. have fallen into disuse with the advent of a with the larger world, I do not think that there But as a matter of general curricula I do not fixed printed text and subsequently with the al- should be much of, if any difference between think that it is a good idea to teach this to stu- Is there a place for non-traditional meth- most total emphasis on conceptual learning has the two curricula. Whatever the best curricu- dents at a high school level. I think even in an ods in Gemara in Jewish education? not in my mind rendered them non-traditional. lum for preparing a young man is, for steeping institution like Yeshiva College one must still To cite just one example (although this may him in the values and halakhos of Torah that be careful. But I think that when students First of all, I think that my comments re- be the least controversial of what some regard he will need in life, is necessary whether for a reach a college level they do need to be aware garding Torah she-bi-Kesav are applicable to as “non-traditional” methods): if you open up young man or woman. Therefore, I do not see of the issues that are out there, and I think that Torah she-be-Al Peh. I would emphasize again the Dikdukei Soferim and read the approba- much of a difference. I suspect that the ideal Yeshiva College is a place where these things that at elementary and high school ages the tions, and you will see that it includes Rav Yit- curriculum for most young men would look can be done in a safe environment. teaching of Torah she-be-al Peh should focus shak Elhanan Spektor, zt”l, and many of the more like the current curriculum for young gedolim of that generation. You can’t turn to women. My rebbe [Rav Hershel Schachter] an amud of Gemara without seeing the Ris- has frequently commented that he wished that honim preoccupied with assembling the proper his sons could have received the education that text, or working with layers in the sugya, and his daughters did. I think that this speaks to a so on. So to my mind most of these method- larger problem in the whole of hinnukh: that ologies existed already – they are not “acade- we do not teach enough Torah she-bi-Kesav, mic.” Sometimes there may be a difference in Mishnah, and Halakhah. It is all sacrificed for degree of emphasis, but the truth is that ulti- Gemara. mately the focus in teaching should be on care- At the same time, I think that women ful reading of the Gemara, and reading Rashi should be offered the opportunity to learn and Tosafos, that is what our ancestors in Eu- Torah she-be-Al Peh for a number of reasons, rope did and were doing for hundreds of years. beginning with the fact that the complex and After mastering this, if one can propose sophisticated world that they are going to en- methodologies that enhance the learning of counter requires a Judaism of a certain depth, Gemara, I am all in favor. and so we must expose them to talmud Torah in its fullness, but as with young men, this But at what point should these method- should not be at the expense of the basics. ologies enter the curriculum?
Is there a place for nontraditional Again, I think that in grade school and in methodologies in teaching Tanakh in high much of high school the emphasis should be school and post high school? on developing the proper skills. When you get All of this aside, however, I submit that on skill-building and accumulating basic to the post-high school level and collegiate Before talking about “nontraditional” using non-traditional methods, to the extent knowledge. A number of years ago I engaged level and you are dealing with the people who methodologies, we have to worry about teach- that they are not hashkafically inappropriate, in a debate on this issue where I strenuously have acquired the skills to do whatever they ing students the basics – how to read and trans- can be employed to enhance Torah she-bi- argued for the “Maharal curriculum” that em- want to do – whether it is the “nontraditional” late properly the biblical text and how to read Kesav. But I think that one of the most im- phasizes reading and skills and basic knowl- methods or the conceptual – I think that stu- Rishonim. Once one has successfully accom- portant factors when discussing how to include edge – a curriculum that, as I said earlier, dents can find their own balance. I think there plished this task, we can then discuss other these methodologies into a curriculum – and teaches students how to fish – as opposed to should be choices for people who want to put methodologies. this holds true regardless of whether the teaching them only “lomdus.” The response the emphasis on conceptual learning and there Regarding those methodologies, often methodology is “traditional” or “nontradi- that I received was “you are right, but students should be choices for people who want to put there is no reason why those methods cannot tional” – is the attitude of the person teaching. are not terribly interested in learning, and the emphasis on textual learning. be used in educating children of all levels, so If the person utilizing these approaches to therefore we have to make them excited.” long as they are age-appropriate. Take for ex- Tanakh approaches the text with the appropri- Granted, I am privileged to teach at a college How would Rav Wieder evaluate the im- ample a literary approach to the text of Tanakh; ate reverence, and yeras shamayim, then I see level where my students and those of my pact of the now nearly standard year(s) in Is- you may find the roots of this in Midrash, but no problem whatsoever. But if, God forbid, the haverim are here usually because they want to rael on Jewish education? it has not been developed there as fully as it teacher lacks the appropriate reverence, then be here, and so we have a greater luxury in has in the last half century. So, when appro- having him or her teach Torah to our students making choices. Nonetheless, it is the respon- I should begin by noting that I personally priate, I see no reason why this methodology is problematic regardless of the methodology, sibility of those teaching younger students, es- did not learn in Israel. I think that there are should not be utilized to teach children; in fact, I would add a comment with regard to pecially in high school, to try to accomplish both positives and negatives to the year in Is- this is just one more tool used in order le- teaching Midrash: I do not consider myself an these essential goals. rael. One of the unintended negatives is that it hagdil Torah u-le-ha’adirah (“to expand and expert on childhood education, but one of the That said, I think that the regarding the raises questions about what has been accom- beautify Torah”). things I wonder about is what happens when a question of using academic methodologies in plished in the twelve years of education that In terms of the more difficult issues child matures and finds out that the story of the the traditional beis midrash on the whole, it is precede it. The positive result, however, is that
Volume 2, Issue 3 www.kolhamevaser.com 21 Kol Hamevaser
many students go to Israel with very weak about our community that might be contribut- If you refer to those people in hinnukh and hashkafic orientation that they want, is that far skills and frequently with a lukewarm com- ing to the problem. From my perspective, the values they espouse – which are often not too many parents feel that the worst thing that mitment to Judaism, but over the course of when we take young men and women from the in tune with the communal hashkafah, be these could ever happen is that their children will their time there, there is a sea change in their context of our community where sometimes educators products of YU/RIETS or other come home and say that they want to be a rabbi attitudes, if not in their textual skills. I think Torah and halakhah are not taken as seriously yeshivos – that is a long-standing concern. But or a teacher – and while parents may have gen- that has definitely brought a tremendous as they should be, and put them into an envi- I do not believe that it is only those students uine and legitimate concerns, the attitude is amount of good to the community. There is ronment that they perceive – sometimes cor- who are exposed to these attitudes who un- quite injurious. And as long as this attitude is today a small group of people who are com- rectly, sometimes not – as kullo kadosh, as a dergo a radical metamorphosis in Israel. I think common, we will have difficulty finding tal- mitted to Torah u-Madda on the one hand and perfect spiritual environment, they are faced we have many fine mehannekhim, especially ented, young people who are committed to a yet are very serious as lamdanim and as benei with a decision: which environment best suits in high schools, who proudly advocate a broad Torah u-Madda ideology to enter hinnukh. But Torah – I would guess that that group was not their religious needs? When they choose for engagement between the religious and secular it absolutely has to be a priority. as nearly as large before the phenomenon of themselves an environment in which to make worlds and nonetheless there is a similar effect going to Israel took hold. So even those who their lives – whether to remain a part of what when many of their students go off to Israel. Aside from academics, what role should are apprehensive about the phenomena of the they perceive, sometimes unfairly, as the tepid The reason for this is that what the rebbe says Jewish educators at any level play in the spir- “shift to the right” and “flipping out” would do religious ways of their our communities or to for a few hours in school is one thing, while itual development of their students in areas like well to consider the very positive effects that continue what they saw in Israel – should we what one sees and experiences outside of the tefillah and middot tovot? Also, what role the year or years of learning have had on – for not want them to choose the pristine religious classroom has a much greater impact. should educators, as opposed to parents and lack of a better term – the serious, Torah u- path? communities, play in developing a hashkafah Madda community. I think that the only way that this will not On a related note, is it important to en- within their students? There are some downsides that have come happen on the scale that it does is if students courage top students at YU, either in graduate from the year or years in Israel. I would focus are already located in what they perceive to be school or in semikhah, or both to go into the While children are still living at home, on two issues that are my primary concerns. a serious Torah community – both in terms of field of Jewish education? parents are generally more influential than ed- One problem is the outlook, with which many ucators, but fundamentally the only way we students in Israel come back, that regards any- can make a difference in these areas is as role thing that is not Torah with an attitude of bittul. models. I do not think that it is bad idea to The most common example is the issue of sec- study middos tovos and ethics as textual and ular studies. More broadly, students sometimes halakhic subjects – to the extent that they are relate to everything outside of the beis midrash such. At the end of the day, however, I think with a sense of arrogance and that is not that our behavior -teachers and parents - has a healthy – both for their own spiritual welfare far greater impact than anything we actually and for the negative attitudes it engenders to- say. The “Do as I say, not as I do” model does wards benei ha-beis midrash. In some ways I not work very well. Children have a remark- think this attitude is just a natural outcome of able intuitive ability to sense hypocrisy. I think being focused on one thing exclusively for so that is what Hazal meant in the Gemara (Bava long. But there should be ways of addressing Basra 12b) when they say that when the Beis or remedying those concerns. ha-Mikdash was destroyed, nitlah nevu’ah min The second, more specific issue is one ha-nevi’im ve-nittenah la-shotim ve-la- that I believe has caused a lot of suffering in ketanim (“prophecy was taken from the the community, especially in the last decade. I prophets and given to the imbeciles and chil- refer to the attitudes towards members of the dren”). Many think that prophets predict the opposite sex that come, in large part, from the future, but when you look at the Nevi’im Aha- year in Israel. I do not know what implicit mes- ronim, that is not their role. Yirmiyahu’s ser- sages are being sent, but in some cases I know mons primarily give musar and rebuke the that negative attitudes are explicitly encour- people for their wayward behavior. The role of aged. Some young women are taught that the prophet is simply to call it as he or she sees young men see them only as sexual objects and it and to look beyond the superficial piety in the very same messages are being sent to order to identify the underlying spiritual defi- young men – that young woman are dangerous ciencies. That capacity was taken from the sexual objects who are there to tempt them. I nevi’im and given to the shotim and the ke- think that this has had detrimental conse- tanim. One sees this in the story of “The Em- quences and contributes significantly to the general communal observance and in terms of peror’s New Clothes,” where the only one to current shiddukh/dating crisis. It must be ad- their own abilities and skills in Torah learning Absolutely. Students who are suited to be see that the emperor was naked was the child dressed because it has caused tremendous suf- – before they arrive in Erets Yisrael. If our chil- educators should certainly be encouraged to do because a child describes it as he or she sees fering for students across the hashkafic dren come from a place of strength and go to so, as long as they are also given an honest ap- it. And so I think that while educators have a spectrum. I am not sure that this was true fif- the yeshivah setting in Erets Yisrael, I think for praisal of the benefits and downsides of a ca- limited time with their students, the most ef- teen years ago, but it has certainly become a most them this will not be a problem and will reer in hinnukh. As one example, most students fective use they can make of that time is to be problem within that time. So those, I think, are not cause them to look elsewhere for spiritual are probably aware, education is not a field that better role models. the two major downsides to the year in Israel. sustenance. provides the financial rewards and security of One issue that I feel compelled to address a field such as investment banking (though at Rabbi Jeremy Wieder holds the Gwen- relates to the concern that many have ex- As a follow-up, in many cases, religious this particular juncture in time, perhaps not!). dolyn and Joseph Straus Chair in Talmud at pressed regarding “flipping out to the right,” instructors prior to the year in Israel represent But as long as this and some of the other chal- MYP/RIETS and is an Instructor of Bible at something which has caused great apprehen- a Weltanschauung similar to that of the in- lenges, and there are any number, of a life in YC. sion in the community. I do not think – and oth- structors in Israel. How does this affect the hinnukh are made clear to them, we should cer- Ari Lamm is a senior at YC majoring in ers may disagree – that this is a solely a equation in terms of constructing a viable al- tainly encourage them to enter the field of Jew- Jewish Studies and is the Interviewer for Kol product of the yeshivos in Israel. The phe- ternative before the year in Israel? ish education. One reason that schools have Hamevaser. nomenon should cause us to ask what it is trouble finding the educators with the
22 www.kolhamevaser.com Volume 2, Issue 3 Jewish Education ContinuingContinuing thethe ConversationConversation From Midbar to Medabber
BY: Nava Billet does the act of Creation’).”i The desert trans- place of certain death; but I am in fact a rich ports the individual to the beginning of time – The Desert as Refuge and fertile land of wisdom and life. You need Editor’s note: This article expands upon to a period when there was only tohu va-vohu, only to look closer and to listen more carefully themes discussed in the first issue of the aca- vast and unending chaos. The desert undoes all In the Bible, the desert is a place of refuge in order to find my deepest treasures. demic year, “Spirituality: Teshuvah and of the technological and historical progress of for those who have been forced to leave home. Perhaps the Hebrew word for desert best Tefillah.” It is included here as a “Continuing Mankind over the ages. Man is returned to his It is a sanctuary for those who must escape per- attests to this aspect of the desert. The word the Conversation” piece. original state of nature and is exposed to all the ilous situations. The vastness of the desert midbar (“desert”) can be re-vocalized to spell perils of the elements. It is for this reason that cushions those who are in danger from their the word medabber (“speaker”). The midbar is Fondly called the “geologist’s play- Hazal mandated the blessing of “ha-Gomel” enemies; the revelatory nature of the desert of- a place that speaks from within. It speaks the ground,” the desert land of Eilat is a geologi- fers them a desperately needed sense of peace sound of silence. A fellow desert traveler in cally tumultuous place. Generations upon and clarity. My readings of the two biblical sto- Eilat once told me that silence is ironically the generations of geological formations are inter- ries that follow are deeply influenced by my loudest sound there is; because when there is twined in beautifully erratic ways within the personal experience in the desert. I do not offer silence, no other sound can be heard above the desert’s mountainous regions. But, as Wallace these readings as peshat (the plain meaning) silence. Stevens writes in the opening lines of his poem per se, but as plausible understandings that re- “Connoisseur of Chaos” (1938): flect the nature of the desert. Conclusion A. A violent order is a disorder; and After the birth of Isaac, Hagar, the mother B. A great disorder is an order. of Abraham’s first son Ishmael, is sent away When I am in the desert, I feel the fusion These two things are one. with her child. She wanders in the Be’er Sheva of a universal, national, and personal narrative. Out of the turbulent physicality of the desert and after some time her water supply de- Beginning with the universalism of creation, desert emerges an otherworldly order, which pletes. Terrified that her child will die, Hagar moving to the national event of mass revela- penetrates to the core of one’s being and cre- “raises her voice and cries;” the child, in turn, tion at Sinai, and culminating in the personal ates an oasis of peace amid a complex and, at Photo Courtesy of Gilad Peli cries out in fear and abandonment. To Hagar refuge provided by the desert – I feel that the times, frightening world. and her son, the vast and barren desert is a desert embodies all of human experience. It is Three years ago, I spent a year living and hopeless place of certain death. But God opens this holistic totality that I have always tried to breathing this desert and introducing the for people who successfully traversed the Hagar’s eyes to see something that she could impart to the groups I guided in the desert. We desert’s magic to others. As a tour guide for an desert.ii But let us recall what emerged out of not see before: an oasis in the desert. Hagar need to rediscover the power and meaningful- organization called “El Artsi” (“to my land”), the chaos of primordial anarchy: a beautifully suddenly understands that the desert is a life- ness of the desert. I led many individuals and groups – whether ordered world. Out of the state of nature, the affirming place of refuge and peace and clarity. comprised of locals, foreigners, youth groups, desert traveler can recreate herself to be the She and her child remain in the desert, where A poem by a 20th century Israeli poet or adult missions – through a holistic experi- person she wants to be. Ishmael grows to become a leader of his clan.iv brings these musings in full circle: ence of Eilat. We hiked in the desert, learned to The same aspects of the desert that render Many years later, Elijah the Prophet is ex- The desert is “In the beginning” prepare food in the wilderness, studied survival it a chaotic and primordial place also create an iled from his homeland Israel during a time of In the desert God created tactics, and developed group cohesiveness. atmosphere most conducive to meditation, political unrest and idolatrous kings. King The heavens and the earth… Perhaps most significantly, we read Tanakh, contemplation, prayer, and study. In the desert, Ahab and Queen Jezebel seek to murder Elijah Is it absurd that God revealed Himself in Midrash, and the beautiful words of Israel’s complex thoughts attain a level of clarity they because of his religious zeal which was antag- the desert poets. The vast richness of our religious and can have in no other place. This idea is part- onistic to everything the monarchy repre- To those who were destined to believe in cultural traditions provides us with words and and-parcel of the Jewish tradition, which be- sented. As a fugitive, Elijah seeks refuge in the Him? concepts that help mediate the amazing and gins with God’s theophany at Mount Sinai. The desert. Desperate and resigned to a terrible And if they’ve stopped believing in Him complex experience of the desert. barrenness of the desert also means that it is fate, Elijah wishes that he will simply die in That is only because a great number of empty of the worldly distractions that inhibit that spot in the desert. But suddenly, an angel them have forgotten The Desert as Creation and Revelation connecting to one’s spiritual side. In the desert, awakens Elijah, who opens his eyes and sees The pathway to the desert. masks are stripped off; life is pared down to his own oasis: some sustenance and a flask of -Amos Kenan Creation and Revelation are considered the basic necessities. The wilderness promotes water. Having regained his strength, and with by both classical and modern Jewish philoso- both anxieties about survival and a soothing the knowledge that the desert is indeed a life- phers to be the two most seminal events in calmness of the spirit, an acceptance of life as affirming place, Elijah wanders forty days and Nava Billet is a fifth year student at SCW Jewish history. The desert is a place of creation it is bequeathed to us. nights to Horev. Here, Elijah learns the deepest majoring in Biology. and rebirth, as well as a place of revelation and The wilderness reinforces our dependency divine lesson of the desert: God’s revelation epiphany. In the desert, paradoxically, the past on the generosity of the Almighty, emphasizing comes not in the majestic and glorious displays becomes alive while the present becomes end- our vulnerability and helping to maximize our of lightning, wind, and fire, but in the small, i Berakhot 9:2 less. Creation – the primordial moment of the resourcefulness and creativity. In the Midrash, silent voice of the desert – the kol demamah past – becomes accessible to human beings. At the Sages ask why the Torah was given in the dakah..v ii Gemara Berakhot 24 the same time, in the desert, time freezes as desert. In order to receive the Torah, answer For Hagar and Elijah, and many other bib- man is free to hear the voice of the desert – that the Sages, people must render themselves as lical figures – indeed, for the entire nation of iii Pesikta de-Rav Kahana 12 everlasting sound of divine revelation. open, free, and unconstrained as the desert.iii In Israel escaping the Egyptian legions – the The Mishnah states: “About mountains, the desert, liberated from external attachments, desert speaks to them in their deepest moment iv Genesis 21 hills, oceans, rivers, and deserts one says [the Man is both listener and receiver – breathing of need. What the desert says to them is as fol- blessing of] ‘Oseh ma’aseh Bereishit’ (‘who in the letter and spirit of the divine word. lows: I may appear to be a barren wasteland, a v I Kings 19
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