By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

As the school years across the country come to an end, the academic successes of our children and our students bring to mind a Torah thought that was expressed by Rav Moshe Weitman z”l who quoted the Slonimer Rebbe zt”l (as heard again from RW’s son).

The Gemorah in Sanhedrin (19b) cites a statement from Rabbi Yochanan: Whoever teaches his friend’s son Torah it is as if he gave birth to him.

The traditional understanding of this idea is that it refers to the reward that one gets for teaching another person Torah.

The Slonimer Rebbe, however, gives a different understanding of the Gemorah. He says that the successful learning that the child experiences can only happen if the teacher displayed the love of a parent toward that student. Only then, can the child fully experience true learning.

Kol HaMelamed Ben Chaveiro Torah – the Torah evaluates it that it was because he had looked at that child as a son or daughter. Maaleh alav hakasuv k’ilu y’lado.
What a powerful message we can learn as parents and as teachers from this remarkable perspective!

The Slonimer Rebbe, Rav Sholom Noach Berezovsky ( 1911 – 2000) served as the Rebbe of Slonim from 1981 until he passed away. He is widely known for his teachings which he published as a series of books entitled Nesivos Sholom.

Rav Elyashiv zt”l referred to the Nesivos Sholom as the “Mesillat Yesharim of our times

The author can be reached at [email protected]