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9 Nissan 5764 - March 31, 2004 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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Home and Family


The Door
Sadly enough, based on a true story
by Yehudis Gershon

"There's the door, young man."

"But, but Rebbe Katz, I didn't mean to..." replied Shimon.

"Enough's enough. You've interrupted this lesson one time too many. You've had sufficient warning. Now leave. Wait in the hallway till further notice."

Shimon exits, head hung low, cheeks aflame.

Out in the hallway, Shimon sits down on the floor, bemoaning his fate. With a desperate spark of energy, he finds some paper lying nearby, and begins to crumple it tightly in his fist. In a playful but defiant gesture, he throws it at the classroom door, just as Rebbe Katz opens it. The paper ball hits him squarely in the face.

"That's it! Off to the menahel you go!" rages R' Katz.

Shimon very slowly heads towards the menahel's office, shrugging and muttering under his breath, "Oh, now I'm really in for it." He approaches the menahel's door and knocks softly.

"Come in," the menahel calls out. "Oh, hello, Shimon. And what brings you here today?"

Shimon quietly replies, "Rebbe Katz sent me."

"Again, Shimon? This is the fourth time this week Rebbe Katz has sent you here. And it's only Tuesday! You must learn how to behave in the classroom, or else you can no longer be part of this framework. In the meantime, I'm sending you home now. Tomorrow, I want you to return with a paper stating the things you did wrong this week. I want you to write that you won't do them again, and I want you and both your parents to sign that paper. Don't bother coming back here without it."

"Yes, sir, but..." Shimon replies.

"No buts, just go, already, and don't forget that paper!" snaps the menahel, thinking to himself, Such insurgent kids they have today!

Shimon, defeated, meanders home. He knocks on the door. Naturally, no one answers. No one is usually home at 11 a.m. His mother teaches in the mornings, and generally arrives home around 1:15. His father had left several days earlier on a short business trip abroad to collect money for the kollel. He is not expected back till tomorrow night. Unbeknown to Shimon, his mother has actually also flown abroad that very morning, on last-minute notice that her mother fell deathly ill. She had tried to reach his school, but the line had been busy. So, in her haste, she had left a note by a neighbor.

Shimon knocks and knocks till his knuckles turn white and sore. He slumps down on the top step, head in his hands. After a few minutes, he tries to knock by the next door neighbor. No answer. He goes downstairs and tries a few more doors. Finally, one neighbor opens her door. Luckily, it is the one by whom his mother left the note.

"Shimon, what are you doing here at this hour?" Mrs. Cohen blurts out. Without giving him a chance to reply, she continues, "Come on inside and have a drink. I have a note for you from your mother. I also have the key to your house."

Shimon enters, sits down at the kitchen table, makes a hasty brocho and quickly gulps down the cup of water. He reads the note carefully.

Dear Shimon,

I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to tell you in person, but I had to leave suddenly since Bubby in America became very sick. I left this morning to be with her. I'm not sure when I'll be coming back, so in the meantime, a babysitter is scheduled to come every day at 1 p.m. to give everyone lunch, and will stay till 8, until Abba comes home. Since he won't be back till tomorrow night, tonight you will be sleeping by your Aunt Chaya. Pack up a nice pair of pajamas and set of clothes for tomorrow and walk over to her house at 8. Make sure you have everything you need for school with you. The babysitter will take your brothers and sisters to the places where I have arranged for them to stay. I hope to return as soon as possible.

Love, Ima

Shimon is floored. With a sorrowful expression, he takes the key and heads home, up the stairs. He turns the key in the lock and opens the door to find the house in disarray. Spiritlessly, he begins to pack his things to take to his aunt's. He thinks to himself, There's no way the menahel will let me back in school tomorrow. No note, no parental signature, no entry. No chance to explain. Door shut in my face. Who cares? I really don't want to be there, anyway.

Evening finally comes and Shimon trudges over to his aunt's house.

Aunt Chaya opens the door with a big smile for her favorite nephew. "Come on in, Shimon. I made chocolate chip cookies just for you. Come, put your stuff down over here. You'll have time to unpack a little later."

"Thanks, Aunt Chaya," says Shimon, cracking a weak smile.

"Boy, do you look down!" says Aunt Chaya, trying to lighten Shimon's mood. "I know how tough it must be for you, with both Ima and Abba away, and with your Bubby so ill."

"Yes," Shimon quietly replies, looking down.

"Hmmm, don't worry. In the morning things will be better im yirtze Hashem. Try to get some sleep now so you'll be rested for school," advises Aunt Chaya.

Shimon looks down at the floor, a tear rolling down his cheek. In a small voice, he says, "Nah, what do I need to be rested for? There's no school for me." And he begins to sob.

"Would you like to tell me what happened? Perhaps I can help. My sons attended your cheder, too, you know," says Aunt Chaya.

"Not really," mumbles Shimon, but then, in a broken voice, he describes his hapless day. "And the worst part is that without a note from my parents, the menahel won't let me back in tomorrow. And they can't even give me one, being so far away now." Shimon begins to sob uncontrollably. "How can I face the menahel tomorrow?"

"I'll take care of this, Shimon. I'll try to reach the menahel at his home tonight. I know him very well. We have had lots of um... chats through the years. After all, five of my boys already graduated from there and Yossi is in the third grade there now. I'll explain the situation to him. From my experiences, he really does try to treat the boys fairly, while not losing his cool. Sometimes, though, he has no choice. You don't have to worry about anything. Now go to bed and try to sleep off your troubles. You'll see, tomorrow will be brighter," she reassures him.

Aunt Chaya calls the menahel and explains Shimon's predicament. He listens and makes a mental note to remember in the future to first make sure that parents are home before sending a student home early. Poor kid! he thinks to himself, apprising the harm caused to Shimon by his own hasty reaction and early dismissal. "Thank you for letting me know, Mrs. Stein. Please send Shimon tomorrow and everything will be O.K."

The menahel proceeds to phone Shimon's rebbe and explains how to best handle the boy in the morning. "When Shimon comes to class tomorrow, please change his seat to one up front, right near you. I'm sure you will see a marked improvement in his attention and behavior. Perhaps the boy seated next to him was bothering him, or perhaps he just needed some extra attention, being that his father is abroad. In general, try to keep in mind that while some offenses are inexcusable and do warrant punishment at his age, many acts of misbehavior can and sometimes should be ignored. As for what he threw at you -- I'm sure he didn't expect you to come out the door right at that moment!"

Rebbe Katz conceded this, with a smile, and agreed to reconsider the whole picture of Shimon and his situation.

Shimon returns to school the next day and instead of dread, for once, he really enjoys Rebbe Katz's shiur and actively participates in the class discussion. And this becomes a turning point in his attitude and performance.

Who knows how many doors should not have been shut, or should have been reopened with proper insight and understanding...

 

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