Dear YWN,
While walking at Verrazano Bay on a Tuesday afternoon, I chanced upon a few yeshiva boys biking and thought for sure that they were playing hooky.
But then a whole group of them were coming towards me, and these kids were in the company of their Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Meyer Chaifetz of The Mirrer Yeshiva.
My curiosity was obvious, so Rav Chaifetz stopped his chevra and explained that because the class had excelled in a chazora that encompassed four weeks of difficult gemora, he decided that they were entitled to an outing that I’m sure none of them, nor I, will ever forget.
It should be noted that the Rebbe took his helmet off for the photo.
Ashreinu for a Rebbe like this!
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27 Responses
My eighth grade Rebbi would do things like this, I’ll never forget him! He gave us the most exciting year ברוחניות and בגשמיות
Ashreichem Talmidei Chachamim!
I couldn’t agree more.
this is an absolutely beautiful story. when my son was their age years ago, he also had a Rebbi that would do such things and my son and all the other guys in the shiur would be so greatful. many of today’s youth find it difficult to sit through the same schedule as their counterparts of the previous generation. Rabbi Chaifetz, you are handling your bochurim with seichel. other Rebbis should follow your example. yasher koach!
Hmmmm!
ממילא Sunday afternoon but during Torah learning time????
I don’t get it! It’s a nice thing to do, but who takes the אחריות? Aren’t we told אין מבטלין תינוקות של בית רבן אפילו לבנין בית .
I wonder what Reb Shmuel Berenbaum would have said but then again it’s not his era!!
@Yaapchik, either you are completely out of touch with reality or simply have no clue about chinuch…..why is this any different then taking a nap to have the strength to continue or a recess etc….
This is a truly beutiful story…..I was listening recently ro someone speak and he was encouraging to just pick up ur kids early from school one day and go do something fun and memorable as they will never remember the Tuesday afternoon in Dec 2016 but they will never forget the time that u picked them up early just to give them a good time!
Alot for these boys to benefit from such a random outing with their rebbe first and foremost they will likely feel like this is someone they can relate to and iyh the Rebbe will be able to reach out to them and make them want to learn instead of being made to learn!!!
ASHRECHA ASHRECHA!
Yapchick. Time to get a life!
Hmmmm!
The one above me apparently never heard about the phrase
“ביטולה היא קיומה”
It makes me really happy to see “normal” Rebbes, who understand that today’s children have many alternative outlets that are not that kosher (to say the least). By showing the children how to function in the world, and balance life and Torah PROPERLY, they are setting these children up for success as Torah Jews.
This is a breath of fresh air, especially after seeing many adults & children who are very confused about the Torah’s position on a broad range of topics. We have witnessed and heard of numerous situations that unfolded where a Chillul Hashem was unfortunately made, due to the lack of mentschlichkeit. Being a mentsch is rule #1 – Derech Eretz Kadma LaTorah. Just as we ensure our food is placed on clean dishes, all the more so we must ensure our Torah is placed into mentschen!
Yasher Koach!
#5 Yaapchik – there is an expression, אַל תְּהִי צַדִּיק הַרְבֵּה
I know Rebbeim that are noted Talmidei Chochomim, not just Rabbis, who took their students out during seder as a reward.
Before making such comments as your’s don’t you think you should ask a chochom if it’s appropriate and/or if you are correct in your analysis? Also, if you are as concerned for Bitul Torah as you imply wouldn’t it be better for you to be reading a sefer rught now instead of browsing YWN website?
Why isn’t the rebbe wearing a helmet!!
Where is the Rebbe’s helmet?
Yaapchik missing the point. Bituko zu hi kiyumo, smart rebbe thinking long term good of his talmidim.
@yaapchik please tell me you are kidding or even trying to rabble rouse. Rabbeim like this are unfortunately not common enough. With the amount of disenchanted youth we have these days, and the terrible heart breaking stories we hear daily we should he thanking Hashem that there is a Rebbi who has enough foresight to inculcate in his talmidim at a young age a true appreciation of limud torah and reward them for hard work and a job well done! Kudos to Rabbi Chaifetz and may you see much continued success from your students and your family!
The Rebbie has a good head but he should protect it by wearing a helmet like all the other kids in his class.
This isn’t bitul Torah. It is kiyum HaTorah.
לפעמים שביטולה זו היא קיומה we have to look at the long range benefits. Reb Shmuel would have been all for it. He loved children and derived much nachas from them. Giving them a positive approach to learning is the greatest gift.
Several Roshei Yeshiva have stated that physical activities, such as periodic exercise, that enhance a talmid’s ability to learn fall within the geder of Talmud Torah and would not be classified as Bitul Torah. A hearty Y’yasher Kochacha to this model rebbi for his understanding of what can enhance boys’ learning!
Yaapchik why is Sunday afternoon different than Thursday afternoon?
Perhaps since the Rebbe gave these kids the right outlet they will be motivated to learn every Sunday afternoon of their entire life. Or maybe they will be motivated to be kosher yidden no matter what path they choose. Kol hakavod Rebbe!
Amazing! reminds me about my Rebbi over 20 years ago Rabbi Mayer Simcha Shereshevsky Shlita he was best Rebbi I ever had and he did the same thing he took us biking down the whole Ocean Parkway as well as making leagues by recess. He taught us how to learn with such a geshmak and bren. Till today I Fondly remember that year and the impact it had on me.
ביטולה זו היא קיומה Mr’ Yaapchik did you ever hear of t
Wow Great job rabbi!!!
The past shaboos a spoke to my neighbor who was telling me how his son who learns in satmar yeshiva, that a few boys of his yeshiva who finished 25 pages of Bavli got rewarded by going hiking upstate.
Sunday, there is a lot of pritzus there. All the dregs of society hang out there on weekends. Adarabah, one can only go there during the week.
I remember to this day, my 6th grade Rebbe in the Lakewood Cheder School, back in the 70’s, Rabbi Mandelbaum ZT”L, took our class in his own car [YES, believe it or not, we only had 7 kids in our class in 1977 in the Lakewood Cheder, which used to be housed in the Legion Building on the corner of 6th Street & Private Way] all the way to Philadelphia for a class trip because we were trying hard and putting in genuine effort (even if our grades weren’t so great). We went to the US Mint (it was open to the public back then), the old Congress house, and had lunch in the park. Rabbi Mandelbaum ZT”L footed the entire bill by himself. The man was a Tzaddik. He knew how to encourage us, how to motivate us. How to get us to love learning. How I miss his smiling face and encouraging words.
Trips, prizes & Kosher fun are very important to the growth of a child. Kudos to Rabbi Cheifetz and all the wonderful Rebbiem who are preparing the next dor of Bnei Torah.
Gevaldig! I know the Rebby personally and I’m not the least bit surprised. A great person and a great Rebby! His talmidim are lucky.
The article states that this is a reward for a difficult chazara program. Evidently the boys put in many extra hours of learning to earn the trip. Well worth the 3 hours during a regular learning day. Kol Hakovod Rabbi Chaifetz, I am sure you give the boys a geshmak for learning that will last them longer than pushing them to learn for those few hours.
Beatiful wow
re: the few comments about the Rebbie’s wearing (or lack thereof) a helmet. if you look closely, i believe there’s a helmet on his bike’s handlebars. he just took it off for the picture. why don’t you all dan him “le-caf zchus”?