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Youth Futures Video

Tikun Olam - Daily Corner - Chovat Hatalmidim

"Chovat Hatalmidim" (The Students' Responsibility) - "Message to Teachers and Parents"

The book "Chovat Hatalmidim" was written by Rabbi Klonymus Kalmish Shapira - the Piaseczno (Poland) Rebbe - who was murdered during the Holocaust. Rabbi Shapira connects with the pupil's sense of self-esteem and encourages him to learn diligently.

The book opens with a message to teachers and parents, where Rabbi Shapira outlines the objectives of "education". He stresses the value of positive feedback rather than force in educating the child. "Education is not a series of edicts which the teacher or parent issues... The word 'hinuch' connotes cultivation of the child's potential - which may be somewhat hidden - to the point of fruition..."

Rabbi Shapira likewise notes that each child should be addressed in accord with his/her individual needs. "The educational process is different for each child. The educator must take into account factors such as the child's personality, cognitive skills, behavior, etc. He needs to tune himself into each pupil's strengths and abilities, and personalize his message to each pupil in accord with the relevant differences between them."

Rabbi Shapira's only son, his daughter-in-law and his sister-in-law were killed during the Nazi aerial bombing of Warsaw in September, 1939. After the invasion of Poland, Rabbi Shapira was interned with a few of his hasidim in the Warsaw Ghetto, where he ran a secret synagogue. After the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was crushed in 1943, Rabbi Shapira was taken to the Trawniki work camp near Lublin. Although offered the opportunity to escape from the concentration camp, he refused, choosing to remain with his hasidim until the end.

We are posting a loose translation of the introductory chapter of "Chovat Hatalmidim" - "Message to Teachers and Parents" - on the Jewish Agency Israel Department website. The Israel Department operates the Youth Futures program, which assists at-risk youth in Israel. A short excerpt will be posted each day until the chapter's completion.

Wikipedia Article on Rabbi Shapira

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	Message to Teachers and Parents (35) - 12/4/2008 When a Jew performs a Mitzvah with his full heart's desire this Mitzvah is a clear-cut "Mishpat" as far as he is concerned; when a Jew performs a Mitzvah without any excitement, the Mitzvah is a


	Message to Teachers and Parents (34) - 11/4/2008 We really should be waiting with the emotional connection until the child matures, as it is difficult for a child to feel true Hassidic excitement.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (33) - 10/4/2008 We know that likewise, most criminals understand that their deeds are evil when they perform their initial crimes; they simply don't manage to overcome their desires.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (32) - 9/4/2008 Still, this is not enough.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (31) - 8/4/2008 We stand much to gain by embracing this approach to education.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (30) - 7/4/2008 Thus, it is imperative upon the father and educator to impress upon the child that it is the child's responsibility to mature into a loyal member of the Jewish people; and that the father and


	Message to Teachers and Parents (29) - 6/4/2008 The Torah delineates quite a few directives to listen to parents and educators, including, "ask your father and he will tell you, your elders and they will instruct you", "do not stray from the law


	Message to Teachers and Parents (28) - 5/4/2008 It is futile to tell the child that he must listen to the educator and leave it at that, for that is not enough; as we demonstrated, such an approach will lead the child to view his educator as a


	Message to Teachers and Parents (27) - 4/4/2008 Thus, we must lower ourselves and relate to the child at his level and as appropriate for his personality - before the child turns into an enemy.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (26) - 3/4/2008 As we previously wrote, the soul of every Jewish child is a veritable treasure of holiness - the challenge is in finding the correct manner in which to relate to this treasure.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (25) - 2/4/2008 That is not, however, the case today, as the child's independent personality bursts out before the time is ripe - his aspirations clashing with those of his parents - leading to intergenerational


	Message to Teachers and Parents (24) - 1/4/2008 In previous generations even if the parent or counselor did not fully follow King Solomon's instruction to teach each child in accord with his individual personality and inclinations - and only


	Message to Teachers and Parents (23) - 31/3/2008 Indeed, the turn for the worse in the child's soul generally stems from his sense of independence and opposition to what he is told to do.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (22) - 30/3/2008 But we can also observe that the crisis actually begins well before the first misdeed is committed.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (21) - 29/3/2008 If we delve into the child's soul and make a bona fide effort to trace the process we shall discover that as a rule the child does not part from the path of the Almighty all at once.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (20) - 28/3/2008 The second negative result is perhaps even worse than the first.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (19) - 27/3/2008 This development leads to two highly negative results.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (18) - 26/3/2008 But the plain fact is that children today fool themselves into thinking they have the cognitive and motive skills of adults, whereas their cognition is "upside down" and their motives for acting


	Message to Teachers and Parents (17) - 25/3/2008 We need to look at the evidence and explain the differences between current and past generations.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (16) - 24/3/2008 While the youth certainly share much of the blame for their misbehavior, we cannot set all of the blame upon them, excusing ourselves with a lament about their situation.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (15) - 23/3/2008 If we truly desire to repent and correct the product of our misdeeds, we must first confess to our guilt.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (14) - 22/3/2008 Can we, then, rightfully say that "our hands did not spill the blood" of these Jewish souls down the drain to oblivion.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (13) - 21/3/2008 Why, then, do we cleanse ourselves with hollow pretexts shifting full responsibility to the younger generation for their supposed refusal to accept our teachings.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (12) - 20/3/2008 Moreover, we tend to absolve ourselves and put the full blame on the younger generation for their leaving the path of tradition.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (11) - 19/3/2008 And are we so sure about our own yeshiva students? Have we done all that we can? While we can reasonably assume that students in the higher classes, who have learned Torah extensively and are Torah


	Message to Teachers and Parents (10) - 18/3/2008 We are deeply shaken by the younger generation's tendency to depart from the Torah lifestyle in hair-raisingly frightening proportions.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (09) - 17/3/2008 If a teacher faces a pupil who constantly displays the highly negative behavior of anger - is this just cause to conclude that the child himself is negative? Think how absurd we would consider a


	Message to Teachers and Parents (08) - 16/3/2008 The Baal Shem Tov and his disciples stressed that there is no such thing as a Jewish child with absolutely negative traits; it is we who need to know how to cultivate children who may appear as such.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (07) - 15/3/2008 While every parent and teacher understands that the children presently before them will eventually grow up and perhaps even turn into Torah scholars, some parents and teachers still lack the


	Message to Teachers and Parents (06) - 14/3/2008 That being the case, the educational process is different for each child. The educator must take into account factors such as the child's personality, cognitive skills, behavior, etc.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (05) - 13/3/2008 King Solomon's instruction thus not only defines the ultimate goal, "even as he grows old it will not leave him", but also defines the means for attaining that goal, "educate the child in accord with


	Message to Teachers and Parents (04) - 12/3/2008 In reference to educating children, the word "hinuch" connotes cultivation of the child's potential - which may be somewhat hidden - to the point of fruition.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (03) - 11/3/2008 However, the term "hinuch" cannot be used in reference to an artisan who starts a job, if he is already well versed in the trade.


	Message to Teachers and Parents (02) - 10/3/2008 Rashi explains that the word "Hinuch" (Education) in the passage, "built a house and did not dedicate (Hanacho) it" (Deuteronomy 20:5) derives from the word, "beginning".


	Message to Teachers and Parents (01) - 9/3/2008 King Solomon said in the Book of Parables (22:6), "Educate the child in accord with his inclinations, such that even as he grows old it will not leave him.

Friday 29 August, 2008

יום שישי כ"ח אב תשס"ח