Opinion & Comment
"And He Armed His Disciples"

Rashi explains that the term "chinuch" came to mean "education" because it denotes the entrance of a person or a vessel into their future occupation or use, and in the pesukim which speak of "chanoch lana'ar," "chanukas hamizbe'ach" and "chanukas habayis," the word chinuch is always used in this sense.

Avrohom Ovinu was the first -- he was the father of all the future educators in Klal Yisroel. This characteristic typified him to such an extent that the Torah records Hashem's words about him, "For I know him because he commands his sons and his household after him." (Bereishis 18:19) The first place in Tanach that we find the term "chinuch" is here in our parsha, in connection with Avrohom Ovinu who becomes then, our guide, showing us which type of education is best and revealing to us the responsibilities and the goals of the educator.

What is written about Avrohom Ovinu is not only meant to tell us about him but to serve as the example for all educators. "Because he will command his sons and his household after him."

At first glance, the word "acharov," after him, appears to be superfluous. Upon reflection though, it transpires that a deep and precious thought is contained in this word, namely, that it is not enough if the teacher's influence over a pupil is only temporary, and lasts only as long as the pupil is actually learning from him and has a constant connection with him but comes to an end once they part. The relationship must be such that the teacher infuses his influence, his spirit and his traits into his pupil's future as well, after the pupil has left him and the contact between them has ended.

This is what the posuk comes to teach us with the word "acharov"; that Avrohom Ovinu did not instill his children and his household with a spirit of understanding and of fear of Hashem only during his own lifetime. It was also acharov, when his time came and his descendants took his place, they continued on after him, along the path of Torah and mitzvos.

Dovid Hamelech makes the same point in Tehillim 34: "Go boys, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of Hashem . . . " It is hard to understand what the word "lechu"- - go is doing here -- it should be bo'u, come. According to our previous explanation however, we can understand.

It isn't enough if our youths listen to us only when they are with us and in our immediate company. We must make efforts to see that the kedushoh which they absorb in the beis hamedrash sanctifies them for now and for the future, even after they have left the confines of the school. This is what the posuk means then: "Go boys," but "listen to me." If you listen to me and hear what I say even after you have left me, it is a sure sign that I have taught you yiras Hashem. This is real chinuch. If a holiness such as this has been imparted, it will never disappear.

Rashi, the father of the commentators, found it fitting to define the term chinuch for us, where it is first mentioned in Tanach. Chinuch, he says, is a person's or a vessel's entrance into the task it is to perform in the future. It could not be clearer; the only authentic Jewish education is one which continues from the present into the future.

To illustrate his point, Rashi provides us with three solid proofs. The first proof is from the dedication of the mizbeiach. The halacha is that the first sanctification remains eternally, for the future as well. Similarly, the second proof is from the dedication of the Beis Hamikdash. The holiness of the azoroh also remains for the future (see the Rambam in the sixth perek of Hilchos Beis Habechirah).

Last and most precious, is the posuk from Mishlei (22:6), "Train the youth according to his nature, even when he is old he will not turn from it." The aim of chinuch is that even when he is mature, the pupil will not cast off the teacher's instruction and not sever his connection with his teacher, mentor and friend.

We find in the Yerushalmi (at the end of the eighth perek of Kesuvos) the two enactments which were instituted by Shimon Ben Shetach. One was that there should be schools for young children and the other was that there be a return of the "old" tumah to metal vessels, as we will explain.

What connects these two takonos? A moment's reflection provides us with the answer. The explanation of the term "old tumah" is as follows. If a metal vessel became tomei and then broke, the tumah departs. If it was then mended, the decree of Shimon Ben Shetach says that the original tumah returns. This shows us the power of the old tumah; it does not disappear even when the vessel is old and broken, but reawakens and returns.

If this is the power of tumah then how much more so does kedusha have the power to remain, lasting forever, without interruption. Shimon Ben Shetach therefore rose up and opened schools for the children so that they would learn Torah without interruption. Such kedusha would then remain with them forever. This was to become the tradition.

In Shabbos (104) we find the following. "Today, the children come to the beis hamedrash and say things the likes of which were not even said in the times of Yehoshua Bin Nun: alef, beis -- learn understanding; gimmel, dalet -- help the needy, etc." Tosafos there explain that the children who are referred to are Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua.

This is to be understood according to the gemora in Avodoh Zora (17) where it says that someone who involves himself exclusively with Torah, is comparable to someone who has no G-d, chas vesholom. Now, Rabbi Eliezer was the pillar of Torah. The medrash (Shir Hashirim Rabba, par. 1, on the posuk, "lerei'ach shemonecho tovim") related that his beis hamedrash was built like a stadium and there was one particular stone upon which Rabbi Eliezer used to sit. On one occasion, Rabbi Yehoshua came into the beis hamedrash and began to kiss that stone, saying that it was comparable to Har Sinai and the man who used to sit on it could be compared to the Aron Habris.

Also in Sanhedrin (68), Rabbi Eliezer is quoted as saying, "My two arms which are like two sifrei Torah." In Sotah too (49), we find, "When Rabbi Eliezer died, the sefer Torah was interred." From all these examples we see that Rabbi Eliezer was the bastion of Torah.

The pillar of kindness, on the other hand, was Rabbi Yehoshua, as is clear from the gemora in Gittin (55) where Rabbi Yehoshua redeemed a captive child for a large sum of money. In Bava Basra (10) we find, "Rabbi Yehoshua spoke and said, "Tzedokoh raises up a nation - - this refers to Yisroel." In Ovos (perek 2), "Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Chanania -- happy is the one who gave birth to him!" The Medrash Shmuel there, quoting the Maharam Alasker, explains that this joy was because he was beneficial to both Heaven and to mankind. And in Ovos DeRebbi Nosson, perek 4 we find that Rabbi Yochonon Ben Zakkai said to Rabbi Yehoshua, "My son, we have one such atonement . . . this is the performance of kindnesses." Without a doubt, Rabbi Yehoshua spread his teacher's lessons to others.

Now, Rabbi Eliezer was a pupil of Shammai who taught, "Make your Torah fixed" (Ovos 1:15) and Rabbi Yehoshua was a pupil of Hillel who said, "Love your fellow men [creations] (Ovos 1:12). That is why, when they came to the beis hamedrash they said, "Learn understanding, help the needy," for Torah and kindness are the foundation of the existence of Klal Yisroel in every generation.

Both Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua are of the opinion that the first sanctification of the Beis Hamikdash was for its own time and for the future as well (Megilla 10). This is learnt from the posuk "which has a wall" (see Megilla 3 and Tosafos in Zevochim 73) -- even if it has no wall now, if it had one previously it still has the law of a walled city because the original status and holiness continues on and does not disappear.

This was the point which Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua revealed, that had not been heard since the times of Yehoshua Bin Nun. Yehoshua sanctified only those towns which had a wall in his time, whereas they stated further that the sanctification would never become void. This is what Chazal hinted to us by saying, "The children come to the beis hamedrash." Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua demonstrated that what they learned as young children was still with them in their old age. Alluding to this they hinted, "This is the authentic Jewish education, with kedusha hovering over it at the beginning and for the future too."

The seventieth yahrtzeit of HaRav Meir Shapira was on 7 Cheshvan.

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