New York – Chinuch Take-Away Lessons from Shabbos Chazon

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    New York – I have found that the most effective chinuch questions are those that do not have a “correct” answers – but rather promote independent, critical thinking that allows the learner to self-explore and derive a meaningful message on his/her own.

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    With that in mind, several weeks ago, I entered one of the middle-grade classes in Yeshiva Darchei Noam, where I serve as Dean, and asked the boys an open-ended question. (For some context – it was Parshas Pinchas, and I was discussing the pros and cons of zealotry.)

    “Which of the 613 mitzvos (commandments) is the most important one – and how would you prove that your answer is correct?” I asked them.

    As I had hoped, a lively discussion ensued with several excellent answers presented. One talmid responded that loving and/or believing in Hashem is most important since it encompasses all our mitzvos.

    Another young man suggested that we ought to look at reward and punishment. Therefore, the aveiros (sins) that have the harshest punishment and the mitzvos that have the greatest reward are clearly the most important.

    A third child asked me to share with him which one of the mitzvos is repeated the most times in the Torah. He stated that this would conclusively prove which of them Hashem treasured most. I responded that treating geirim (converts) with love is listed 36 times in the Torah (see Bava Metzia 59b). I also took the opportunity to share with my talmidim that our commentaries point out that this mitzvah extends as well to “strangers” of any sort – people who have been dislocated.

    I was thrilled by their responses and shared with them how much I appreciated the dialogue.

    Then, I proposed a fourth approach, one that readers of these lines may wish to share with their children over the next few days.

    I opened a Navi and read from the text of this week’s Hhaftorah (Yeshayahu/Isaiah 1:1-27), where Yeshayahu admonishes his fellow Jews for concentrating on spiritual trappings like bringing korbanos (animal sacrifices), and relegating the core values of of Hashem’s Torah – honesty, integrity, and kindness – to the back burner.

    “Why do I need your numerous sacrifices? (1:11),” asks Hashem. The Navi exclaims that Hashem is “weary of your korbanos (1:14)”, and that He “will not listen to your prayers (1:15).”

    It was certainly a great mitzvah to purchase and bring koarbonos to the Bais Hamikdash. But, as the Navi relates, those mitzvos were mere adornments to the core values of our Torah. And the Navi clearly describes what the Jews needed to do in order to redeem themselves. “Purify yourselves, seek justice, strengthen the victim, and take up the cause of the widow/orphan (1:16-17).

    May we merit to fulfill the timeless charge of Yirmiyahu in the closing words of the Hhaftorah of Tisha B’Av, “For only with this may one glorify himself; become wise and [get to] know Me [contemplate how to better emulate the ways of Hashem], for I am Hashem who does kindness, justice and righteousness …” (Yirmiyahu 9:23).

    May Hashem dry our tears and comfort us with the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdash – b’meheirab’yameinu (speedily in our times).

    Best wishes for a gutten Shabbos and for an easy and meaningful fast on Tisha B’av

    Rabbi Yakov Horowitz is the founder and dean of Yeshiva Darchei Noam of Monsey, and founder and Director of Project Y.E.S. (Youth Enrichment Services).


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    18 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Git gezugt! Git shabbos

    ZV teacher
    ZV teacher
    13 years ago

    we encourage our young students to experiment with fences around fences. if there is no nigativity they can avoid the mitza

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    בין אדם לחבירו is more important than בין אדם למקום Hashem is a baal harachmim so he’ll be mekabel your tshuva but hurting another yid is …………………..

    esther
    esther
    13 years ago

    and ,I would add, the best mechanchim are the ones that don’t have the “correct” answers, but allow their students to develop and grow. Yasher Koach.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    can anybody please explain what message rabbi horowitz is giving us here

    michali
    michali
    13 years ago

    Thank you Rabbi Horowitz for an excellent article. I wish I was living in Monsey so that my boys could attend your school, but as usual Hashem had other plans for us. Have a gut Shabbos!

    Chani
    Chani
    13 years ago

    Wow! You are 100% correct. Thanks, for helping me realize that I need to improve in so many ways in order to have my prayers answered by Hakadosh Boruch Hu. Shabbat Shalom!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Parshat Pinchos is during the summer – his kids should have been off from school and they should be be in camp. However Monsey has decided they know better so instaed of Monsey kids having a camp to attend they go to yeshivah in the morning and do what in the afternoon? if Rabbi Horowitz had guts he would not have yeshivah in July. Rabbi Horowitz went to Yeshivah Torah Vodaath which does not have school in the summer and became a great man why can’t his talmidim also have the benefit of camp the whole summer like he did?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    I appreciate the ecouragement of open minded opinions to be expressed and respected.
    Rabbi Horowitz, please refer to the article written in the (excuse me) NY Times this past Tuesday, Science section, in regard to parenting and children’s behavior. It would helpful if you were to address it in your next article on your website. Thanks for all your efforts on behalf of the Klall.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Darchei Noam gives a full summer vacation and he actually encourages bachurim to take summer jobs as rebbeim and counselors in public and private.

    Zigi
    Zigi
    13 years ago

    If I didn’t know better, I’d say he borrowed this sermon from a Reform rabbi.

    baal teshuvah
    baal teshuvah
    13 years ago

    plz rabbi explain to kids in school not all jews must have long peyos, beards and black coats. there are other kinds of jews who are “less fortunate” and were not brought up in orthodox matter but they represent the jewish community in the non jewish world. i think being humble is the biggest mitzva in the torah and jews who recieved the torah on moshe rabeinu’s behalf.