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THE JEWISH OBSERVER (ISSN) 0021-6615 is published monthly except July and August by the Agudath Israel of America, 84 William Street, New York, N.Y. 10038. Second class postage paid in New York, N.Y. Subscription $22.00 per year; two years, $36.00; three years, $48.00. Outside of the United States (US funds drawn on a US bank only) $10.00 surcharge per year. Single copy $3.00; foreign $4.00. Send address changes to The Jewish Observer, 84 William Street, N.Y., N.Y. 10038. Tel: (212) 797-9000. Printed in the U.S.A.

RABBI NISSON WOLPIN, EDITOR

EDITORIAL BOARD

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© Copyright 1990

DECEMBER 1990 VOLUME XXlll / N0.9

6 An Educator's Credo Rabbi Yisrael Blumenfeld

10 "Rebby" Rabbi Hillel Belsky

17 Teaching Moral Sensitivity-And Truth Heshy Grossman

27 When a History Class Contains Torah Lessons Yaakov Astor

31 In Search Of Chavie-A Case History Malky Brailofsky

39 Confessions of an Outreach "Professional" Eli Gewirtz

44 BOOKS IN REVIEW Halacha in Daily Life THE HEALING VISIT. INSIGIITS INTO THE MITZVAH OF BIKUR CHOLIM, / TI!E FIRST SEVEN DAYS /WIN? REFLECTIONS ON TilE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE/TORAS HAYOLEDES, JEWISH LAWS OF CHILD BIRTH/THE PATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS GENTILE/TI!E CONCISE CODE OF JEWISH LAW /UNDERSTANDING TI!E JEWISH CALENDAR/ AVOIDING INTEREST

48 Letters to the Editor

: . Poetry: 54 The Fire Within, Elana Aron 55 Real Tears, Sheindel Weinbach

Rabbi Yisrael

A teacher of young men draws on the wisdom of "Chovos HaTalmidim" - a guide to educating youth that was written over a half­

century ago- to help teachers, parents, as well as anyone who deals with young men

and women, to be more effective in their efforts to reach their charges.

An Educator's

Credo THE LOSS OF AUTHORITY-

50 YEARS AGO!

More than half a century ago. the Piaseczner Rebbe, Rabbi Klonymus Kalmish

Shapiro, 7"::1? prefaced his monu­mental work the ChovosHaTalmidim with a message to educators and parents. He perceived a change in the generations. Not a subtle devia­tion, but a profound change that challenged the very axioms of Jew­ish education. There was a time when just about any approach to education could be effective. The talmidim of almost any teacher and the children of almost any parent became committed Jews, serving their Creator. While this situation

Rabbi Blumenfeld is on the faculty ofYeshivat Neveh Zion, a Yeshiva for Amelican- and Euro~ pean-bom young men, situated near Jerusalem, in Harei Yehuda.

6

began to change with the advent of Haskalla in the 19th century, it changed most radically in the gen­eration preceding the Holocaust. With remarkable insight, this GadoL a Chassidic Rebbi and educator, defined those changes and their far­reaching ramifications.

"Young people consider them­selves mature before their time," he writes. 'They imitate adults before they are ready to become adults.'' Chazal warned us that in the gen­eration before the redemption, the era known as Ikvesa de Meshicha. chutzpa would be rampant. "That youth relies on itself before it has the under- standing and wisdom to do so, is inherent in that chutzpa." '

The author continues to delin­eate the two-fold consequences of this phenomenon. Firstly, a young person often views every instructor as a foreign power who has come to

subjugate him, coerce him, and de­prtve him of his independence. He reacts with a resistance that esca­lates to contempt and often hatred towards his teachers or parents. Instead of paying attention to what is being studied, he spends his time scheming his escape from this domination and bondage.

The second consequence may be even more devastating. In earlier generations, the young person was still willing to receive and absorb whatever Torah teachings he was offered. A Rebbi was able to convey the totality of his personality and rtghteousness to his talmidim, not just information and concepts. The impressions remained even if they were to surface only years later. As the student's mind and emotions gradually matured, he could draw from this reservoir ofknowledge and sanctity. A young person's outlook,

The Jewish Obseroer, December 1990

aspirations, midos, attitudes- his very essence-was profoundly in­fluenced and often molded by this treasury of teachings and values.

Not so in the days preceding the Warsaw Ghetto, in which, for most of the war, the author of the Chovos HaTalmidimserved as a Rav. A child was no longer a blank slate ready and eager to absorb Torah. The Rebbi's personality and stature of­ten failed to penetrate even the ten­der hearts of youth. It was pre­empted by suspicion and prejudice.

DEALING WITH THE INCREASE IN "CHUTZPA"

T oday we are in the throes of the period called Chevlei Moshiach - the birthpangs

of the Moshiach. Chutzpa is more visible, not Jess. Even in the most isolated and sheltered circles, this phenomenon is no stranger. Too many young people question with­out understanding and rebel with­out cause- merely to throw off the shackles of discipline. While reject­ing externally imposed discipline, the young person often fails to cre­ate his own sense of self-discipline. One need not guess at the resulting havoc this takes on personality de­velopment. Its effect on meaningful Torah observance is disastrous.

The solution is not a simple one. Fortunately, the author of the Chovos HaTalmidim applied his perceptive wisdom to the problem and presented an outline of what the educator's response should be. Actually, this response is neither new nor innovative. It is, instead, the essence, the very definition, of education. Its seeds were sown by Shlomo HaMelech when, in Mishlei, he implored "Chanoch la'naar al pi darko- teach the young person ac­cording to his way so that even when he is older he will not stray from it." 2

The goal of chinuch-education is not to achieve any particular mode of behavior for the present- at least not exclusively for that period of time when the child is under the teacher's or parent's tutelage. The goal is that he should continue to

The Jewish Observer, December 1990

The goal of chinuch-education is not to achieve

any particular mode of behavior for the present but '

that the student should continue to

live a Torah lifestyle even when

he is on his own.

live a Torah lifestyle even when he is on his own. Although every parent and educator knows that the child will not long remain a child, too many of us only have our focus on the present situation in front of our eyes. This is not just shortsighted. It is a pernicious error. "Education is not just obedience, nor discipline of habit. These are merely tools that educators must use in the educa­tional process." (This and other quotations not otherwise identified are from Chovos HaTalmidim See end-notes for source.) 3

The very word itself- chinuch­means, according to Rash~ a be­ginning.' But not every beginning is considered chinuch. for the Torah uses another term when the simple connotation of beginning is meant~ "Rather, it is the introduction or dedication of a person or object to the profession or function that he is eventually destined to remain with:'' The focus is clearly on the future. True chinuch provides the motiva­tion. incentives. aspirations, atti­tudes and skills needed to actualize the student's potential, and the imparting of values to make that potential worthwhile.

The implication is obvious. The criterion for success should not be how much material the child or

student has mastered, but how motivated he is to continue once the external incentives no longer exist. We ask. Has he learned? Has he learned how to learn? These are crucial questions. But we must not forget to ask, Has he learned to love learning? Obedience and discipline of habit are essentials. But the day will come only too soon when he has just himself to obey- if he so chooses.

BEYOND TEACHING

I f the goal of education is, as the wisest of men expressed it, to createafuturecommitment, then

to teach is not enough. We must motivate, inspire and penetrate into the inner world of the talmid and afford him the tools to build that world. But Shlomo HaMelech did more than just reveal the goals of education. His words reveal the methodology as well. 'Teach him according to HIS way .... " Chinuch­education- has to be personal. The Rebbi and the parent must get to know the student.

"If a teacher wants to instruct and command alone, he will not feel obligated to pay special attention to the talmid ... to know his nature or to become personally involved with

7

each talmid .... But the educator who wants to reveal the hidden trea­sures of the talmid 's soul and in­spire his spiritual growth ... must lower himself to the talmid, enter the thoughts and feelings of this youth until he reaches the hidden sparks of his soul.. .. Therefore, his approach will not be identical with each young person. but rather will depend on the nature of each child. "7

The Vilna Gaon explains that "man cannot break his ways, that is. the mazalinto which he was born. I" Mazar refers to certain innate characteristics and inclinations be­yond one's power to uproot.) He can, however, use his free will to channel his potential toward productive ends. "8 Whether we act in a righteous way or the converse is totally our choice. It must be, or else we would not be held responsible for our ac­tions. Every personality trait and inclination can be channeled In a positive way and utilized in serving our Creator. But these characteris­tics do exist and are not to be ignored. On the contrary, awareness of them is the first step in directing and channeling them. Just as it is man's task to harness these midos, so is it the educator's task to detect them and assist his talmidimin relating to them and sublimating them.

For example, a Rebbi may ob­serve a tendency toward stubborn­ness in one of his talmidim, and may well suffer from it in his attempts to discipline and instruct the young­ster. But he should keep in mind that, as the talmid matures and becomes self-motivated, his efforts to excel and attain greatness will be enhanced by this stubborn deter­mination. The parent or teacher should know that the very thing that makes the young person a "dif-

8

fl.cult case" today may well be an asset for him and the world tomor­row. He should seize the proper moment to relate this expectation to the talmid and encourage him to use this "mazal" for positive achievement. He may subtly reas­sure him that, as the Vilna Gaon again said, "A stubborn person will succeed!" and thathe has a lot going for him in this respect. The pride and perceptiveness of youth will do the rest.

NON-THREATENING GUIDANCE

T he Clwvos HaTalmidim fur­ther warns that we cannot simply insist that the talmid

heed his Rebbi's words. This would not be effective because he will end up considering his Rebbi an an­tagonist. 'The time has come when wemustconveytothe talmidthathe himself is his own prime educator. He is not an immature juvenile, but rather a blossom in the orchard of Kial Yisroel. And Hashem has im­posed upon him the obligation of raising and educating himself to become a servant of Hashem, a tzaddik and a gadol in Torah." 9

These few words constitute a to­tal approach to pedagogy, as well as an attitude of projecting responsi­bility. The parent or instructor is still the teacher, and must remain so. But he must teach in such a way that the student feels that he is teaching himself. The Rebbidoes this by asking relevant questions, so that the student can think for him­self and not feel as though he were being spoon-fed. He does this by respecting the student's intelligence and anticipating his ability to reach the proper conclusions, should he respond to the skillful guidance of

We ask, Has he learned? Has he learned how to learn? These are crucial questions. But we must not forget to ask, Has he learned to love learning?

his Rebbi. The Rebbi doesn't lec­ture, he teaches.

If Kial Yisroel has a textbook on pedagogy, it is probably the Haggada of Pesach. Following the Haggada's text, we fulfill the Torah's com­mandment to educate our children and ourselves to remember the re­demption from Egypt. Even a cur­sory study of the Haggada informs the reader that the halachic re­quirement to be "marbei le'saper b 'yetzias Mitzraim- to discuss the story of the redemption at length" -is fulfilled specifically through the medium of question and answer. A pedagogue knows that if a student is led to question a concept and then think through his own answer, he will understand the concept better and retain it longer. An educator knows that the more the student involves himself in this process, the better he will integrate the wisdom of the Torah into his own life.

REACHING THE TURNED OFF-STUDENT

I n our day and age the turned-off student is not uncommon. He resents the structure and disci­

pline of education, and often harbors feelings of hostility towards his parents and teachers. Many such young people come to Israel in search of themselves- or as one of them put it, "to give G-d a second chance.· Much later he realizes that it was "Hashem who was giving him a sec­ond chance." These young people

The Jewish Observer, December 1990

distrust anyone who stands in a position of authority. They erect barriers even before they know you. The process of establishing a rap­port is not an easy one, but there is a technique that often helps.

When Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai charged his talmidim "to search out the straight-fmward way to which a man should cleave," he accepted Reb Elazar ben Aroch's concept of a good heart "because it included all the others." 10 Possessing a "good heart" means seeking the good in others. Even the most embit­tered and dislrusting adolescent, even the product of a broken home and troubled childhood, has his own set of virtues. Once the educator has identified a particularvirtue he needs only to convey to his student that he is aware of it and appreciates it. Perhaps it is only the s,tudent's honesty in coming to recognize his disdain of authority or his misplaced loyalty to his peer group. Whatever the virtue may be, once the young person is cognizant of his Rebbi's appreciation of that virtue, and is able to sense that the Rebbi is sin­cerely looking for reasons to accept him as a person. the chances for rapport are enhanced. He still knows that his Rebbiis unable to agree with his behavior or attitudes, but this does not matter as long as he accepts him as a person.

This axiom has an invaluable corollary. We tend to live up to our own self-image. Once a young per­son is labeled a "tough case" or a "disciplinary problem," he often ends up unconsciously trying to prove it. A vicious cycle ensues. If. on the other hand, a Rebbi can help his talmid create a more positive self­image. constructive change and growth can begin.

A MESSAGE OF TRUST

Once, quite inadvertently, I witnessed this phenom­enon. At the beginning of

one school year, a particular talmid had failed to appear in shiur for several days. 1 visited him in his dorm room and inquired if he was feeling better. "Why should you think that 1 wasn't feeling well?" he re­plied. 1 explained that he gave the impression of being a serious stu­dent and that if he hadn't attended shiur he probablywasn 't feel ingwell. He smiled- and never again missed

The turned off student still knows that his Rebbi is unable to agree with his behavior or attitudes, but this does not matter as long as he accepts him as a person.

a shiur that year. Months later he mentioned that that seemingly in­signtftcant encounter had helped change his self-image. If a Rebbi could give him the benefit of the doubt, and consider him a sertous student despite a distressing high school record of problems and de­tention, then he could also live up to that image. He did, and became a genuine masmid and ben Torah.

lfwe want to give a young person a second chance. we need only allow

The Jewish Observer, December J 990

his potential. not his reputation, to form and determine our image of him- and then convey this message in the way that we relate to him. Whether the message is subtly or overtly conveyed, mostyoungpeople are sensitive enough to respond. The faith that we have in our talmi­dim is invariably rewarded, and it can make all the difference.

In our age of technological explo­sion. in which most interpersonal relationships are superficial, tran­sient and even disposable, the need for a sincere and personal. warm and eating Rebbi-talmidrelationship is all the more critical. The fact that so many of the problems of adoles­cence are rooted in insecurity and poor self-esteem augments this need.

An educator's credo for these troubled but challenging times would reflect the principles articu­lated by the Chovos HaTalmidim: Only an education that focuses on the long-range goals of the future and that considers the uniqueness of each talmid personally and indi­vidually, only an approach that rec­ognizes the innate or acquired vir­tues of the talmid and communi­cates them effectively. only one which enhances his self-image and actively involves the talmid in the learning process, is worthy of the name education. n

1. Based on Chovos 1-faTalmidirn, pp. 9 .. 10 2. Ml..<;hlei 22.6. 3. Based on Chovos HaTalmidim. p. 6. 4. Ra.shi on Devarim 20.5. 5. e.g. The directive calls for Mas'chilin big'nrts ... (we begin with dcfan1ation and conclude With praise)," not "Mechanchin big'nus ... 6. See Rashi on Bercishis l 4, 14. 7. Chovos 11aTal1nidim, p. 6. 8. Vilna Gaon on Mishfei 22.6 9. Chovos HaTalmidim p. 12. 10. PirkeiAvos 2:13.

9

Rabbi Hillel Belsky

''REBBY''

Rabbi Belsky. a musmachofYeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin, is principal of the Hanna Sacks Girls High School in Chicago. A long-time friend of the family of Rabbi Freifeld, ?"Yr, Rabbi Belsky was also a neighbor for several years. when he served as Rao of Agudath Israel of Bayswater, in Far Rockaway.

10

T he friend who picked me up at theairportonmywayto be menachem aveil the Freifeld

family was a talmid muvhak of Reb Shlomo. He couldn't wait to express his crushing pain. "We loved Rebby

so deeply! Do you think that now that he left us. we can transfer that love to the RibbonoShel Olant?" It was a question that was impossible to answer. but it was very revealing. Reb Shlomo's legacy was alive.

The Jewish Observer. December 1990

LOVE AT EVERY TURN

T here were so many facets to his personality, that one could begin almost anywhere, but

a logical starting point is his un­canny ability to create love at every tum. It was a magical quality that was keenly felt by all those who crossed his threshold. As someone putit, "RebShlomodidn'tlovepeople in spite of their shortcomings, but because of them. He viewed these weaknesses as tools by which one could climb and grow." >n?!JJ l'bd:>N mr.ip N7 "If I had not fallen, I could not get up."

Reb Shlomo's example served as an object lesson for my students: Ahavas Ytsroel ls not measured by how we treat the special people who are our frtends as much as by how we treat ordinary people. It was through Reb Shlomo's commitment to such people that his Yeshiva came into being. While yeshivos are.usu­ally built with a nucleus of excep­tional people who serve as its core. Reb Shlomo's design was for young men who had difficulty succeeding within the yeshiva system.

"He was a magician," one talmid said to me. "He took wood and made it human. Look at me!" And, indeed, he did just that. Any of the hun­dreds of talmidlm that make up the magnificent Sh'or Yoshuv commu­nity marvel at the stones of their own youth.

In time. baaleiteshuvafound their way to Sh' or Yoshuv as well. In Reb Shlomo, they found extraordinary patience and understanding.

During Shiva, I overheard a young baalas teshuva speaking to one of Reb Shlomo's daughters. "I produce commercials," she explained. "Popu­lar consumer items, you know. like sojl drinks."

Aftenvards, someone commented on the incongruity of her remarks in Reb Shlomo's dining room. "On the contrary, " an old frtend countered, "every Jew belonged inRebShlomo's dining room. Professions. like dis­guises, were set aside."

Reb Shlomo did not wait to be approached. One currently respect-

The Jewish Observer, December 1990

Reb Shlomo felt that if one could elevate the person, he could then transcend his problem. If one focused on the problem, however, it was likely that it would continue to keep the person hostage.

able member of the Sh'or Yoshuv community joined the fold when he was picked upfrom the street, where he was literally lost. and taken to the Freifeld home. Cleaned up and fed, the young man regained hls compo­sure, became attracted to Torah, and developed as a dedicated masmid. For Mother's Day. he wanted to give his mother a treat. but didn't want to miss learning-so he invited her to spend the day in Far Rockaway, to see what he had become.

Reb Shlomo always focused on chizuk, encouragement. and the universal need for it. Whenever a kinus (Torah conference) took place, he would only want to know one thing: did the people go away strengthened. encouraged? He was especially concerned about how the women fared. He often commented that when the Chiddushei HaRim had lost his many children, he gathered women to pray. "Women are Malchus, royalty," he would say. "They have a special ko' ach, special powers."

He would always make sure that they had the spiritual sustenance they needed: 'They are so self-sacrt­ficing in their efforts to promote the Torah values of their families. Make sure their needs are met."

"DON'T BE STRONG ... "

isciple of Rav Yitzchok Hutner 7"~, and heir to the Slobodka philosophy of romemus

ha'adam-the lofty potential of man-Reb Shlomo recognized that capacity for growth was closely tied to self-esteem. Regardless of the problem or the difficulty, Reb Shlomo felt that if one could elevate the person, he could then transcend his problem. If one focused on the prob­lem. however, it was likely that it would continue to keep the person hostage.

When dealing with a wounded neshama. Reb Shlomo would focus on the person's capacity for growth. "Don't be strong," he would say, "be big"-recognizing that not everyone, nor every situation, had the poten­tial for strength; but there was al­ways an opportunity for greatness. if one could take a broader view.

In dealing with problems, Reb Shlomo demonstrated a sense of humor that would anesthesize the anxiety of the person and allow him to be more open to growth. Motiva­tion and exaltation, then, were the keys to growth, not rules and crtti­cism. This, too, was in line with the teachings of his great Rebbe, Rav Hutner, who would quote the Tal-

11

mud that tells us that generations ago tochacha (productive reproof) was abandoned because man be­came incapable of maintaining a healthy perspective about crtticism: he would lose his self-esteem in face of fault finding. And without self­esteem, there is no basis for a rela­tionship with theRibbonoShelOlam. It was to this building of ga'avo dekedusha-prtde in holiness-that Reh Shlomo committed himself. It seemed to me that this was his motivation when he would always insist that his students be taught to master one line at a time. This ap­proach, known by his disciples as ''The System," was true on all levels. In the prtmary grades, small chll­dren mastered one line of Siddur or Chumash at a time. I asked an old talmid whether Reh Shlomo ever gave a shiur to the Gemora class.

"Yes," he replied smiling, "he taught me."

"How did he do it?" 1 asked-then interrupting myself: "Let me guess. One line at a time!"

Students are willing

to struggle if there

would be a greater

payoff, if they could

become great scholars,

perhaps. Reb Shlomo

was there to remind

one and all that it was

all worth it ...

for one line.

He nodded. I always had thought that ''The

System" was designed to give the student confidence and to set down solid foundations.

It occurred to me recently that he may have had a deeper reason, one that penetrated the mindset of the developing yeshiva student. He wanted there to be no doubt in anyone's mind as to the importance of one line. Torah learning is filled with challenge, and the struggle with investment-versus-yield. As a Rebbe myself, I have often heard students express their willingness to struggle if there would be a greater payoff, if they could become great scholars, perhaps. Reb Shlomo was there to remind one and all that it was all worth it ... for one line.

I remember Reb Shlomo's frus­tration at a meeting of yeshiva prtn­cipals that gathered at his home several years ago. All he had wanted from them was to make sure that no student failed. It was hard for him, because they focused on "reality orientation" and he had a sense of reality all his own. Success builds upon success, not failure, and he saw it as his mandate to convince everyone that they could succeed.

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The Jewish Observer, December 1990

MANY MEDIA FOR THE MESSAGE OF GREATNESS

Reb Shlomo communicated many a profound message through music. Many years

ago. Reb Shlomo was teaching eighth grade boys in another city. He peered through the window during lunch time and saw his students emerging from a non-kosher restaurant. When they returned to class, he silently distributed Zemiros booklets to them, and sang with them, "Racheim bechasdecha ... Have compassion in Your kindness ... ," over and over, until one student got up and said, "Rebby, ifl felt this way all the time, I would never eat treif."

Reb Shlomo served his Creator with beauty. Everything around him reflected the grandeur of life. The walls of his home were a feast for the eyes: fascinating paintings, photo­graphs, and artifacts-each reflect­ing some theme of the spirit's reach. It was obvious that he was always trying, in ways subtle as well as

sweeping, to teach his children and students to delve deeply into their feelings and thoughts. Emotions and their language, poetry, were always alive in conversations with Reb Shlomo. He was in touch with his own feelings and willing to share them. One Rosh HaShana he spoke to his crowded Beis Midrash about making a commitment to fulfill the mitzva of reviewing the weekly To­rah portion. "And lknowyourweak­nesses," he bellowed, "because I know my own." It was obvious at that moment how he had built his community.

FOCUS ON OTHERS

I n sickness as in health, Reb Shlomo's primary focus was on the well-being of whoever came

to visit him. When speaking to Reb Shlomo, one had the feeling ofbeing held, supported, uplifted. His fa­therly embrace was unique. The Talmud states that while the aver­age person can only retrieve his lost

object by naming its identifying characteristics, a Torah scholar can retrieve it on the simple basis of recognition, for a talmid chacham is credited with having tevias ayin-his discerning eye can be depended upon to identify the lost object. Similarly, this doctor of neshamos (as Reb Shlomo was called) could identify what was lost to someone else's soul without any particular sign or signal.

Success builds upon success, not failure, and he saw it as his mandate to convince everyone that they could succeed.

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The Jewish Observer. December 1990 13

14

"Fulfill 'yasichena' with me," he would say, inviting the petitioner to follow the advice of Shlomo Hamelech, and relieve himself of his worries by sharing it with others.

FAREWELL AT SHALOSH SEUDOS

I t was ironic that Reb Shlomo was niftar at his Shalash Seudos table, for that was the scene of

Reb Shlomo at his best. DiN '1\!11'!

o:i:i7:i m7'Po 1:i 17 t1)) "Fortunate is he whose strength is in You, whose Torah makes inroads into their heart," he would say at Shalash Seudos, as he addressed a gather­ing of disciples and guests-giving them fuel for the coming week, with road maps for those "inroads into the heart." In truth, all times were affairs of the heart for Reb Shlomo.

With Reb Shlomo's passing, we have been orphaned. "Everyone who was exposed to Reb Shlomo caught a ray," his daughter said. Although it feels as though he took the light with him, he indeed did leave hun­dreds of people ignited with his flame, reflecting his glow. His com­munity, and all of us, have lost a Rebbe, a father, a leader. But per­haps most of all, we have lost our best friend. a

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THE KOHLBERG ATTRACTION

M oral development has be­come a major factor in ed­ucational theory. Mussar

and midas have received renewed attention and emphasis in recent years. in recognition that good character traits do not merely hap­pen on their own, but must be in­culcated into children by parents and teachers.

The non-Jewish world, in its own way. has also become keenly aware of the need for developing proper ethics and morals, with the theories of Harvard's Lawrence Kohlberg re­ceiving much attention in the aca­demic world. Kohlberg's teachings have had such a major impact on recent trends in educational psy­chology and methodology, that at­tempts have been made to use his findings in Jewish education, as well. In fact, for the past number of

Rabbi Grossman is a 1n1isn1acll of the Yeshiva of Far Rockaway (N .Y .) and is currently a rebbe at Y.U.L.A. High Schools in Los Angeles.

The Jewish Observer, December 1990

years, a group of Jewish educators has met on campuses of prestigious universities to study Kohlberg"s "Six Stages of Moral Development" and their specific application to Hebrew Day Schools.

Though the debates at Harvard and U.C.L.A. are not always within the purview of interest of the Torah Jew. a short synopsis ofKohlberg"s ideas will demonstrate why they hold such mesmerizing influence over many Jewish educators.

Kohlberg has studied various cultures and suggests that there are six stages of development (with a possible seventh) that incorporate universal moral principles shared by all societies. These stages range from the most childish self-involved stage to the most abstract and al­truistic. The six stages as delin­eated by Kohlberg are:

• The Stage of Punishment and Obedience,

•The Stage of Individual Instru­mental Purpose and Exchange,

• The Stage of Mutual Interper­sonal Expectations. Relationships and Conformity.

•The Stage of Social System and Conscience Maintenance,

• The Stage of Prior Rights and Social Contract. and

• The Stage of Universal Ethical Principles.

A cursory glance at their tities indicates how Kohlberg's system aims at guiding a person into full flowering as an ideal moral human being, for at the final, highest stage, specific laws or social agreements are valid only to the extent that they are in accord with principles of justice and equality. Purity of mo­tive is a given at this stage. and man does what is right because he has accepted the validity of certain principles and has become commit­ted to them.

Virtue is taught through the Socratic method of creating dissat­isfaction in students regarding their inadequate knowledge of the good. The teacher facilitates their devel­opment by presenting ethical di­lemmas, for which the students have no ready solution. Jn the ensuing discl1ssion, the students become exposed to the opinions of others,

17

and are most likely to prefer argu­ments based on a moral stage one level above their own. Moral action is strongly correlated with moral thinking, so it is assumed that the person's actions will rise to the level of his thoughts, and a more moral human being will eventually emerge from the process.

Substitute ''Torah and Halacha" for "Justice and Equality," and one begins to understand the tantaliz­ing appeal this theory holds for many Orthodox educators. Since our goal is to produce Torah-observant, ethicalJews, thepromiseofKohlberg to direct behavior is indeed attrac­tive.

Take, for example, .Jerry Friedman, who serves on the Na­tional Council of Jewish Federa­tions as well as on the Los Angles Federation Council, heads the In­stitute on Cognitive Moral Educa­tion, based on the Kohlberg ap­proach, and has become a nation­ally recognized expert in the field.

Since our goal is to produce Torah-observant, ethical Jews, the promise of Kohlberg to direct behavior is indeed attractive.

He lectures on ethical sensitizing across the country and has been praised for his work by Rabbi Alvin I. Schiff. executive vice president of Greater New York's Board of Jewish Education. His work in the Sinai Akiba Academy in Los Angeles was praised in the L.A. Jewish Journal as a more successful replacement of the "traditional reliance on the study of Torah and halacha (Jewish law) and the teacher or rebbe as a role model to instill ethical behavior."

A closer analysis of the philo­sophic moorings that anchor Kohlberg's system, however, should give pause to those who would rush to embrace concepts without ques-

tioning the foundations that may belie their surface attraction.

MORALITY: BY MAN'S REASONING OR G-D'S

GUIDANCE?

T he stages of moral develop­ment, delineated by Kohlberg, are meant only to set the

framework for defining conflicting claims and choosing between them. They do not attempt to answer the question, ls there such a thing as an objective moral standard?-which is essentially a religious question.

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"ought to be done" because "x is a command of G-d" or "x is in the Bible," Koh!berg distinguishes be­tween moral and religious forms of thinking and discourse. Morality is a decision-making process, and moral principles are exercised by making choices in resolving moral conflicts. Moral development, in his view, occurs regardless of whether the individual has any particular religious beliefs.

Torah Judaism takes a different approach, for we believe that "virtue" is synonymous with conformingwith G-d's will or command. As opposed to Kohlberg, we believe that moral judgment and consciousness, are singularly derived from religious judgment and consciousness and not from human insight or under­standing. Though this difference in approach should be obvious, the headlong rush towards Kohlbergand his friends on the part of some Jew­ish educators does demonstrate that they recognize a desperate need to guide our children in their moral development. In addition, however, it shows that the pervasive influence of secular culture filters down to the Torah community more than we care to admit.

First, then, let us clarify the To­rah view on the subject: on what basis do we determine what is and is not moral?

To be sure, every society has its criteria for what is moral and what is not, what is good and what is evil. In the Torah frame of reference, the operative terms of moral thinking are not limited to good and evil, nor to right and wrong, but actually extend to the realm of emes and sheker, truth and falsehood. That is, a course prescribed by Torah is consistent with the Creator's designs for the world. and one forbidden by Torah runs contrary to His will­which is the essence of all existence.

With this in mind, we can un­derstand that the moral decisions and conflicts facing a Jew are not a choice between two valid alterna­tives, or even between two options of varying degrees of acceptability, but the realization that there is only one viable possibility. It is here that it

The Jewish Observer, December 1990

becomes obvious that we and soci­ety at large are on divergent paths, and it is precisely this point that non-Orthodoxgroupscannotgrasp. An approach contrary to Torah is a path of falsehood, essentially illu­sory-not only without value, but without substance. The Torah Jew cannot grant it legitimacy by ac­knowledging it as a path to be con­sidered; he surely would not teach his children to deal with falsehood as one of several viable alternatives.

BEGINNING AT AN EARLY AGE

Aa very early age, we begin creating an awareness in our

children of the awesome re­sponsibility that awaits them-that they realize their fullest potential as people of the Torah. In the struggles that await them, they should choose good not only for its material benefit or because it is intellectual gratify­ing, but because one has no other choice if he wishes to be a Torah Jew. To be sure, this is achieved by excercising freedom of choice, but in this context it refers to the ability to acknowledge one's functional im­peratives and to act accordingly. Man touches eternity through sub­mission to G-d's will, eschewing submission to the self; or in the words of the Brisker Rav, "Bechira chofshis/free will means choosing to do what you may not wish to do." At every level of maturity. man will confront new manifestations of the same moral conflict: the battle be­tween emes and sheker. "False­hood" is a matter of responding to material want and physical desire. "Truth" is humbling one's own will before the will ofG-d. The resolution of this dilemma is always the same: to determine what the Torah's di­rectives are, and to do one's utmost to live by them.

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WHERE KOHLBERG'S SYSTEM FAILS

F roma Torah perspective, there is no essential difference be­tween Kohlberg's stage one

and six, or any other such plateau of awareness, conflict. and resolution, no matter how valid they may be in their own terms.

Kohlberg's moral standards are man-oriented, with conflicts re­solved through the presentation of moral dilemmas. This method,

A closer analysis of the philosophic moorings that anchor Kohlberg's system should give pause to those who would rush to

embrace concepts without questioning the foundations that may belie their surface attraction.

20

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which utilizes a rational process, cannot be reconciled with 1'orah 's approach to education. which sees human opinion as an irrelevant factor in determining correct be­havior. Moral conflicts are not re­solved through use of broad prin· ciples, admirable though they may be; to the contrary, any decision that is self-centered, without refer­ence to the Divine will, cannot be moral.

Though a person may agree that every word of the Torah is true, and conform to its teachings, that alone is insufficient. We are guided by the clear declaration of Rashi(Sanhedrin 90a), regarding the person who be­lieves in techiyas hameisim (resur­rection of the dead), but does not accept its Torah origins: "Mah Lanu u'l'emunaso? V'chi meheichan hu yode'ashekeinhu?What[valuedoesJ his belief [have] to us? And from whence does he know that it is so?" One cannot accept the mitzvos in a sequence of"nishmah v'naaseh-we will understand them and then per­form them," for the directives of the Torah are an imperative of nature, not the end product of a host of enlightened choices.

SOME PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

I n our open society, we are sub­ject daily to a myriad of words that aim to entice us and attract

us towards whatever product is currently offered, be it a new car or a recycled idea. Such is the charac· teristic of Eisav-"tzayid be'.fiv-he

The Jewish Observer, December 1990

has game in his mouth"-i.e. pow­ers of entrapment. And though his advances are often rejected, we fre­quently forget that this confronta · tional framework, within which human beings are rendered vulner­able to persuasive seductions. is inimical to Torah, where truth is paramount, self-evident, and should not be forced to compete with alter­native "truths."

Torah is not lo be "sold" as a commodity to our students, who will then weigh and measure its words in light of what they currently hold true. Such an approach holds the Torah accountable to human standards, and despite its shining luminescence, its words become subject to questioning and scrutiny, risking weakened commitment and even rejection.

The words of our Sages must be understood not as "interpretation," but as "revelation"-every nuance opening vistas of understanding into

both the depths of the human psyche and the secrets of creation.

While we certainly wish to en­courage children to probe and ana­lyze, the process is a quest to un­cover hidden gateways rather than a struggle to accept convincing ar­gumentation. The Sages are not merely men of superior reasoning, whose words are open to discus­sion. Rather, they are standard bearers of an image once revealed, whose teachings stand as witness: a faithful rendition of Sinai for sub­sequent generations. It is not divrei Chazal (the words of the rabbis of Talmud) that need scrutiny, but rather, the outlook of the recipient, who upon recognizing a discordant note strives to re-adjust his weltanschauung accordingly.

It is precisely at this point that the weakness of Kohlberg becomes apparent. Take for example "Sharon's Dilemma"-a classic ex­ample of the Kohl berg approach.

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SHARON'S DILEMMA

Sharon and her best friend Jill walked into a department store to shop. As they browsed, Jill saw a blouse she really liked and told Sharonshewantedtotrytheblouse on. While Jill went to the dressing room Sharon continued to shop.

Soon Jill came out of the dress­ing room wearing her coat. She caught Sharon's attention with her eyes and glanced down at the blouse under her coat. Without a word. Jill turned and walked out of the store.

Moments later the store secu­rity officer, a salesclerk, and the store manager approached Sha­ron. 'That's her, that's one of the girls. Checks her bags.,. blurted the clerk. The security officer pointed to a sign over the door saying that the store reseroed the right to inspect bags and pack­ages. Sharon gave him her bag. "No blouse in here,,. he told the manager. "Then I know the other girl has it, " the clerk said. "I saw them just as plain as anything. They were together on this." The security officer then asked the manager if she wanted to follow through on the case. '"Absolutely,,. he insisted. '"Shoplifting ts getting to be a major expense in running this store. I can'tletshoplifl:ers off the hook and expect to run a sue-

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cessful business.,. The security officer turned to

Sharon. "What's the name of the girl you were with?" he asked. Sharon looked up at him silently. .ieome on now; come clean, "said the security office. "If you don't tell us, you can be charged with the crime or with aiding the per­son who committed the crime."

Question: Should Sharon tell Jill's name to the security oificer? Why or why not?

Teacher/Facilitator Probe Questions

Sharon's Dilemma 1. Would it make any d![fer·

ence if Sharon and Jill did not know each other very well? Why or why not?

2. Is it ever alright to lie? To breakthelaw?Ifitis, underwhat circumstances?

3. Woulditmakead\fferenceif Jill had recently reported Sharon for cheating on a test at school? Why or why not?

4. What would happen to so­ciety if everybody were to lie, steal, or disobey laws whenever they felt like itorto protectfriends?

5. What would the storeowner want Sharon to do? Why? The security officer? Why? Her par· ents? Why? The police? Why? What obligation does she have to each of these people?

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This dilemma is designed to cre­ate genuine conflict in the individual participant, and to provoke a lively class discussion of the issues in­volved. Students are encouraged to take a position and defend it, but at the same time to empathize with and tolerate contrasting views.

Observers of a class discussion following the presentation of such dilemmas have described the classroom atmosphere as "student­orien ted" -"debate- like" - "frus· trating-no clear answer" while the teacher's facilitative role has been charactertzed as "open to all ideas"­"did not have the answer"-"quiet much of the time."

Clearly, the utilization of this and similar di1emmas, and the manner in which it is presented, should pose almost insurmountable prob­lems for those of us who view ethical behavior and sensitivity as func­tions of Limud HaTorah and Mussar-the source material where one carries out his and her quest for eternal truth. The "Dilemma" story is designed to arouse feelings of personal loyalty and friendship, and to direct students to focus upon and clarify their own opinions.

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In contrast, the Torah Jew is cer­tainly obliged to be aware of these feelings, but they are to be viewed as pitfails, rather than as a source for decision making, Ki hashochad yaaver einei clmchamim-one's per-

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sonal view can only be viewed as a hindrance from a perspective that envisions absolute truth as an objec­tive reality. The mere hint of friend­ship would disqualify a judge from legal proceedings, all the more so the lay individual, who must eliminate any personal bias if there is to be any hope of moral development.

A TRADITIONAL ALTERNATIVE

P erhaps a fresh look at a more traditional approach would bear fruitful results as we

strive to preserve our own moral

system in the hearts and minds of our children.

Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, N"1''°nl. writing of the necessity for shimush talmidei chachamtm (apprenticing Torah scholars), points in amaze­ment to the diligence with which our sages attached themselves to their teachers, even to the extent of entering their private quarters to observe firsthand how a Jew should behave. "Torah hi v'Wmod ani tzarich-it is Torah and I mustlearn" (Berachos 62a).

And what of the students of today, many of whom rarely have the oppor-

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The Jewish Observer, December 1990

tunity to even see a flesh-and-blood talmid chacham, much less come in contact With the truly great sages of yesteryear? What are they to do?

How does one know that when one hears {Torah] from a Jew of modest stature that it should be received as though he hears it from a person Wise in Torah? The passage says. "[Let these matters) that I command you today .... " And not just from a wise man, but as though it were from the Sanhedrin .... And not. .. just from the Sanhedrin, but as though it were from Moshe. And not. .. just from Moshe, but as though from the "one shepherd"-G-d Him­self .... --Kohelles Rabba, 12: 11

standing of the Torah. "-Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, in Alei Shur p. 76

THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER

Challenging students to grow beyond themselves-beyond their limited perceptions­

is our definition of moral develop­ment. The proper role of the teacher in this setting should be to inspire his students to broaden their hori­zons. This cannot be accomplished by merely exposing them to differ­ent ideas. but rather, by demon­strating through word and deed how an individual can subsume and submerge his own identity to the

It is not divrei Chazal (the words of the rabbis of Talmud) that need scrutiny, but rather, the ourlook of the recipient, who upon recognizing a discordant note strives to re­adjust his weltanschauung accordingly.

Rabbi Wolbe highlights this pas­sage as illustrating that the value and impact of a message is not dependent upon the greatness of the teacher. To the contrary, one who listens properly can find the words of the most modest of indi­viduals as illuminating as if they were uttered by G-d Himselfl

Shmias haozen-proper listen­ing, the second of the foriy-eight qualities by which Torah is ac­quired-is the key ingredient of shimush talmidei chachamim. Teaching our students to listen properly to the words of our Sages,

"to abandon the urge to speak on one's own and develop new modes of thought, but rather find sustenance and support in listen­ing to the words of the Rav with precision and exactitude.

"To be sure, we are not speaking of blind acceptance, but a deep and all-encompassing compre­hension, to the greatest extent possible.

" ... not to surrender in any way a direct understanding: to the extent a student serves his Rav, he will increase his knowledge. strengthen his Wisdom, and purify his inde­pendent approach to an under-

The Jewish Observer, December 1990

directives of the Torah. In short, he must recreate Maamad Har Sinai­the assembly at Mount Sinai-where the entire nation was reborn. His position is never neutral. for he must act as guide, to measure the students' responses on the scales of truth and falsehood: to locate the sheker inherent in every difficulty, and to bring his charges closer to emes.

Moral growth will never be achieved by an approach that de­mands less, for unless change is expected from our students, they Will merely co-opt whatever infor­mation they acquire to their pre­existent mindset. Only minor ad­justments Will be made to satisfy any conflict, rather than the com­plete transforma~\on that emes sometimes requires.

Though the teacher need not be a world class scholar. he must be true to the Torah he teaches. A disem­bodied understanding of the lesson he is teaching is not Truth. Only if he fulfills the task set out by Mesi/as Yeslwrim-"'she'yisbarer v'yisames etzel ha'adam, ... that [these teach-

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ingsJ be clear and truthful to him" -can he be portrayed as a living manifestation of an emes worthy of emulation. The truth will speak for itself- "Chochmos bachutz tarona birchovos titein kola-wisdom will resound in the streets, and give voice in the avenues." To adduce support from external sources can only detract from its glistening per­fection.

The one dilemma for which we should prepare our students is the conflict wherein man is obliged to "choose life": the battle between his personal inclination and G-d's com­mand. This conflict is always with us, and within the same param­eters: but unlike the Kohlberg ap­proach, its resolution is consistent at every level of development: to be determined by "What is G-d's will in this situation?" What changes in the process of growing is the amount of truth we have accepted to date, and how much more knowledgeable we have become, how much ofa Maamin we have become.

Torah is not merely one more product in the marketplace of ideas. From our vantage point, all man­made theories suffer from one basic shortcoming: they lack the Divine perspective that defines morality. Torah Judaism is not one more niche in an expansive continuum but a means of existence that transcends time and space. We may cajole and entice our students to enter our world, but human constructs of morality will never suffice if we are to make a lasting impact on our children and students-"V'im ani I' atzmi ma ani? And if I am for my­self, what am I?"

True moral elevation can only progress from a commitment to keeping G-d's commandments. Without this initial commitment. the philosopher at stage six is no closer to G-d than the innocent of stage one. While Kohlberg aims to transform a selfish brute into a sen­sitive human being who reflects upon his actions, Judaism's goal is the perfect man, G-d's partner in creation, whose life is sanctified by every deed, following a precisely delineated code of conduct. •

71ie Jewish Observer, December 1990

Yaakov Astor

When a History Class Contains Torah Lessons

Map showing the Allied landings on the coast of Normandy, June 6, 1944 ~ D-DalJ for Operation Overlord. the liberation of western Europe.

I teach English and American History at one of the local yeshivas in the afternoon. Sev­

enth grade. Call me suicidal. but I actually enjoy it...usually. At the very least, I attempt to learn some­thing for myself.

I stress to the boys that if we are going to spend our time on secular studies we have to gain something from it. Concerning English, I ex­plain to them the value of being able lo express oneself clearly in writ­ing-especially in today's media­oriented society. As for history, l try to demonstrate how Torah Jews should read history with an eye out for the hashgacha pratis-the Di­vine Providence-in events. In our most recent history- lesson, this point came across clearly; in fact the hashgacha pratis was so self-evi-

Yaakov Astor Jives in Monsey. N.Y. This is his first appearance in "J11eJewish Observ~r.

The Jewish Observer. December 1990

dent that even secular historians could only sit back in amazement.

June6, 1944wasarguablyoneof the most important days of this century. On this day. "0-Day," the seemingly impregnable armor of Nazi-occupied Europe was pierced: the largest invasion force ever as­sembled-5,000 warships. 11,000 planes. and 200,000 soldiers-con­verged on the shores of Normandy. France, all in one long day! The invasion was so successful that the combined Allied forces pushed for­ward and were able to sink the dagger of defeat into the heart of Hitler's "impregnable" Germany within one year.

In retrospect, the casual reader of history might be hard put to comprehend how such a large inva­sion could fail. Upon closer inspec­tion, however, the line between total victory and total defeat was very thin, indeed. It is incomprehensible

to us. but Hitler was just a couple of simple twists of fate away from wip­ing out his most powerful foe, and tightening his hold on Europe for the unforeseeable future.

After several days of discussing the event with my class, I pulled out a copy of Cornelius Ryan's The Longest Day, my source for facts. To prove to them the incredible hash­gacha pratis ofD-Day, I volunteered to open the book at random and read a section aloud. I opened to a page directly tied into the previous day's discussion on 0-0ay: What was Hitler \!1"' doing that morning?

THE SLEEPING FUHRER

T he Great Dictator was fast asleep that morning, after a late night of partying. The

officer responsible for awakening him in case of an emergency ratio­nalized that the reports of Allied

27

attacks in France were not really unusual. In truth, he was terrified of having to stir the Fuhrer and risk facing the wrath of his foul temper. Thus, we have our first bit of hash­gacha pratis.

However. Hitlerhad capable mili­tary men fighting for him. There­fore. at first glance. it may not seem important that he be informed immediately ... at first glance.

The plot thickens. though.

THE MISSING GENERAL

T he most capable of Germany·s generals was a man named Erwin Rommel, the famed

"Desert Fox ... so named for his ge­nius in engineering great victories for the Nazis in North Africa. Hitler had put Rommel in charge of forti­fying Northern Europe against the anticipated Allied invasion. Experts agree that Rommel's genius was the greatest threat to the Allied forces.

Where was Rommel on June 6? After five and a half months in Eu­rope preparing and waiting for the expected invasion. he decided he had to pay a visit to the Fuhrer. Why did he have to visit him now? Be­cause Hitler had ordered that the huge division of tanks defending Normandy should be under his personal command-an unusual

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request. to say the least. This wor­ried the "Desert Fox"; if the invasion were to come, he would need to mobilize the tanks immediately. Waiting for permission from the Fuhrer in Germany could cost him precious hours. On the morning of June 6. therefore. Rommel was al­most 1,000 miles away from Normandy. and the tank division was still dependent on the orders of Hitler.

And the Fuhrer. on whose word rested the mobilization of the tank division that could have stopped the invasion, was fast asleep.

The plot thickens even more.

THE CROWDED AGENDA

Obtainingcontrolofthetanks was not Rommel's only reason for leaving the site

of the invasion; it may not even have been his main reason. He wanted to return to Germany because he needed a short reprieve from the strain of guarding 3.000 miles of European beach. trying to stay one step ahead of the Allies. Further­more. June 5 seemed a good time to temporarily leave the front for an­other reason: his wife's birthday was coming up.

Her birthday was June 6. Rommel had another reason for

leavingwhenhedid. Weather reports called for a continuation of the gales and storms that had been besetting Northern Europe. which made inva­sion highly unlikely. The weather also worried General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the man in charge of the Allied invasion forces. In fact . the invasion force had actually headed out to sea on June 5, only to be called back because of the weather. Late on June 5, General Eisenhower received a report that surprisingly predicted a partial clearing for the morning of June 6. Had Rommel Mayed around a little longer. he tco might have received that report.

Eisenhower's decision-making process is clouded in mystery. He was aware that the weather alone could turn the invasion into the greatest military defeat in history:

The Jewish Obseroer. December 1990

History is replete with seaborne ar­madas suffeling disasters. Yet after long. intense thought. for a reason he himself could not recall. he de­cided to take the huge Iisk.

As for history, I try to demonstrate how Torah Jews should read history with an eye out for the hashgacha pratis-the Divine Providence-in events. In our most recent history lesson, the hashgacha pratis was so self-evident that even secular historians could only sit back in amazement.

THE ENDLESS STRING OF SPECIAL FACTORS

T hese are just a few of an endless stling of hashgacha pratis events related to the

pages I opened randomly, the hashgacha pratis which turned D­Day into the beginning of the end of Nazi Germany rather than what could have been (dare we think about it?) the end of the beginning. I have not even touched upon the Nazi war games scheduled for the morning of June 6, which drew away from the battle areas more than a half-dozen top-ranking German military offic­ers, who were scheduled to stage that very morning a mock invasion: a mock invasion of the Allies on Normandy! I also did not mention the Providence that left the German air force with only two fighter planes

The Jewish Obseroer, December 1990

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mined for a Torah lesson; don't leave the front to visit your wife just be­cause it's her birthday.

KING SOWMON'S LESSON

0 f course, the greatest lesson is that it reminds us of what

King Solomon. in his wis­dom, said, "The heart of the king and his ministers is in the hand of Hashem." Who told Eisenhower to invade despite the risk? Who in­spired Rommel to leave the front just when he did? And who saw to it that, fifty or so years beforehand, a baby who was to become General Rommel's wife should be born on June 6? ... Who made Hitler get the idea that he should have control of mobilizing the tanks? Who made him sleep late that morning, and who made his aide not take the reports of a possible invasion seriously? ... Who put in the minds of the Nazi commanders to schedule war games for June 6, and to leave a mere two planes in the invasion area? ... And who caused all the other myriad "coincidences"? To quote Uncle Moishe: "Of course, it was Hashem."

On a deeper level, the king and his ministers are our own head and heart. KingSolomon'sstatementwas not only directed toward hashgacha klalis, Divine Providence over world events; it also refers to ha.shgacha pratis, Providence governing the details of our individual lives. If we but gaze into our own lives perhaps we will see how a little spark of evil can grow and rise to hold great power. We might also see how we can overcome it when we enlist Di­vine assistance. Our obligation as teachers and individuals, then, is to teach others and ourselves about all the hashgacha pratis inherentin everything we do. We can then, per­haps, come to realize (among other things) that evil can be confronted and defeated; that, in fact, it has no purpose other than to be the victim of that great and awesome D-Day promised us in the future, which we are all anxiously awaiting. and can in our own small way help bring about. •

The Jewish Observer, December 1990

Insek

IT DOESN'T PAY TO BOTHER

T he general system of educa­tion used in our yeshivas and Bais Yaakovs today is prob­

ably as good as it will ever be. Teachers strive to abide by it. prin­cipals aim to enforce it, and parents may, at times. try to fight it. Some­times, though, a lack of sufficient resources may force Torah schools to sidestep some painful situations, even though they are mandated to deal with them. Sometimes, a wise, more-experienced member of the administration may advise a novice teacher to budget her time and ef­fort in a way that seems to deprive a student of some desperately needed attention. A student like Chavie. Fortunately, I didn't listen.

"It really doesn't pay to bother yourself with Chavie. She has never participated in any type of school­work whatsoever. I'm afraid that she will never be a student. Just let her be; it would prove a wasted effort to try to get her to cooperate­nothing has ever worked."

As I watched my elementary school class daven, these words. spoken to me by the principal at a private meeting, echoed round and

Mrs. Brailofskylivesin Brooklyn. N,Y, Her poem, ~High in the Hills ofYerushalyim.~ was featured in JO, June '89.

The Jewish Observer, December 1990

round in my mind. How true they seemed!

Most of my students were point­ing at the proper places in their Siddurtm. chanting the words of "AshreC with vitality. Admittedly, two were examining the cracks in their desks, and one was fingering her new bracelet. Chavie, though, sat in a world of her own.

An onlooker would surely have concluded that Chavie was deaf. Or dumb. Or both. But she was none of these! She sat low in her chair, her thin hands resting limply in her lap. Her Siddur was still open to "Adon olam"; she hardly bothered turning the pages. Her head was bent so, that it was nearly parallel to her desk. Sad dark eyes stared blankly at the pages. Her lips mumbled in­audibly; not a sound escaped them.

I thought of the sketchy details that I knew. Not as lucky as most Jewish children, who come home each day to a loving, happy home, Chavie's home was ravaged by marital strife. The oldest of the brood of children, she bore the brunt of

Malky Brailofsky

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most of the household chores. And unlike most children, who receive a cheery, "Thank you, darling, the laundry was folded beautifully," and then later. "Good night, you were a very good girl today," Chavie mer­ited none of these. Bitter, unhappy parents either could not or would not tell her.

Isita wonder. then, I mused, that Chavie behaves as she does? She probably imagines herself trapped in a cage, with the world one big prison around her. Good for duties, good for tasks. but for little else. Why should she smile? Why should she raise her hand? Why should she study? Noone cares, noone needs me. Noone thinks I am important.

The girls were davening Shemoneh Esrei by now. Chavie stood motionless near her desk, her Siddur lying limply in her hands. A fresh wave of pity washed over me, and my heart ached for her. Maybe I could do something.

The principal's words crept back into my mind. "Just let her be-it really doesn't pay." I fought a quick inner battle, and one more glance at Chavie told me who had won.

"I'll show them," I thought fiercely. "We're going to take this Chavie and replace her with a new one. A happy one. A caring one. A loved one, and a loving one."

31

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THE LONG, LONG "QUICKEST ROUTE"

T he quickest route to success, I concluded, was an outpour­ing oflove. I was so sure that

once Cha vie sensed that I truly cared for her and that I had confidence in her abilities, she would shine.

A story that Avi Shulman once told in a lecture strengthened me in my resolve. He described a poor beg­gar who sat on a broken crate on a street corner selling shoelaces. All day. as passersby approached his comer. he would call out, begging them to make a purchase.

One day, the bank president.from the next block passed by our friend. He had often observed him riding in his shiny black limousine, and now he approached with a gait so sure and certain. The seller held his breath as the entrepreuner edged closer to the milkbox.

"Please. kind sir," he whispered. "Would you care to buy a pair of new black shoelaces?"

"Well. "the president bent down to examine the wares. "You know that I only deal with merchandise that is of the finest quality. Are these laces the best that money can buy? Hmmm. ... Yes. they lookquiteelegant. I will take two pairs. Thank you very much. and good luck."

The beggar stared at his customer as tucked his pµrchase into his smart leather case and strode quickly on.

"Did you hear what he said?" he asked himself. "He said that these laces are top quality. That's quite nice. if I can sell merchandise to please the bank president himself. then maybe I can get a decent job and eam a decent salary. You never know."

In time, this poor. seemingly worthless man had worked his way up the economic ladder. occupying an enviable position in a local firm.

As the girls closed their Siddurim I reflected that Chaviewas very much like this man. She had no aspira­tions, simply because she felt that she would never succeed. Well, I resolved. I will give Chavie a taste of success. And I'm going to make it

The Jewish Observer. December 1990

taste so good. that she will want lo lick the spoon over and over again.

my goal. Nothing. l began walking up and down the

rows more often during davening.

know how lo handle kind words. Yet.

But how can l show a student success when the pages of her notebook are consistently blank? How could l possibly show her that she could earn "It really doesn't pay to bother

yourself with Chavie. She has never participated in any type of schoolwork whatsoever. Just let her be."

I thought of how to get Chavie to participate more in the les­sons. Her notebook was a collection of papers, most of them bent and blank, a few covered with illegible mark­ings. She literally never raised her hand in class. neither to ask a question. nor to answer one.

a passing grade when every lest paper is handed in mostly blank?

Forget il, l told myself. Forget the scholastic part of Cha vie. Worry first about Chavie, the starving Jewish child. WorryaboutChavie, the student, later. Just love her,

Before the Chumash lesson the next day. I approached Chavie quietly. and urged her to attempt to write notes.

and show her that you do. The rest will follow naturally.

FINDING THE TOOLS OF LOVE

S o here l was. I had a goal. l had a dream. But I had the backing of noone. And l did

not know which tools to use to achieve my goal. I just knew that it had to be achieved. And nothing was going to come between me and

As I passed Chavie' s desk, I would pat her back gently. Repeatedly, l would place her finger at the proper word in the Siddur, stroking her cheek as my hand moved back.

At recess one day. I complimented her on how pretty her hair looked. But she didn't even acknowledge my words; just looked sadly right past me. as if l wasn't there. I knew that she had heard. but she did not

"Just write the hard words in every pasuk," l coaxed.

"This way. you'll be able to say the pasuk for me tomorrow."

She didn't even look up as I spoke. Her eyes glued to her desk. she simply shrugged, ending the con­versation.

"This is going to be a slow go," I decided, "if it's going to go at all."

A week later. the class took a Chumash test on two perakim. As usual, ninety percent of Chavie's

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The Jewish Observer. December 1990

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paper was blank. Some questions had scribbles on the appropriate blanks. On impulse, 1 filled in the answers near some of the questions that she had left empty. Then 1 made big red checks near those numbers. Every scribble that she had made was neatly crossed out, and 1 printed the correct responses neatly nearby. These questions, too, were awarded bright checks. With a flourish, 1 marked a big 75 on the paper. Under the mark, I wrote "Chavie, 1 see that you have done beautiful work. You have made me truly proud. Let's see if you can keep on making me so happy. 1 am sure that you could!"

When I presented the tests to the principal, as was the rule, she looked at me in surprise when she hit Chavie's 75. Her questioning glance demanded an explanation.

"l am trying a new method," I explained. "No, ofcourseshedidnot deserve this mark. I gave it to her as a present. I think I know what I am doing. Just have patience, and we might see fantastic results."

I received a frown and a this-is-a­b!t-ridiculous look. Undaunted, I hurried to the classroom to return the papers.

Was I in for a disappointment. Chavie didn't even smile when she saw her grade! I expected at least some sign of satisfaction. But I re­ceived none. I bit my lip in despair. Perhaps there truly was no way to reach Chavie?

The days turned into weeks. I constantly tried, by subtle move­ments, to convey to Chavie that I loved her and was proud of her, and wanted to be even prouder. Fellow teachers took notice of my cam­paign, and as Chavie had several sisters in the school with similar problems, they asked me how I was going about it. I related the method that 1 used to mark her last test as an example of what I felt was the primary goal: reaching the neshama inside, not the scholastic ability.

'That's insane. How can you give a 75 when she deserves a O?"

"How?" I replied grimly. "With a pen."

The Jewish Observer, December 1990

THE PAGES WERE COVERED WITH SENTENCES

One day. l glanced at ChaVie's notebook. The pages were

covered with neatly-written sentences. How beautiful her handwriting actually was! Each let-

ter was perfectly formed. as if she had been writing this way since first grade. Her lonely eyes lit up like a lantern as l told her so.

She slowly began raising her hand in class. At first. even when she spoke lo me. she would still stare down at her desk. But as she got used to speaking and being spoken lo, she would look straight at me as we conversed.

The English principal was wail­ing for me as I left the school build­ing one day.

"l want to tell you that ChaVie is improving tremendo11sly in her studies. l was told that you were working on her, and so l thought you would be interested to know. She has begun showing great inter­est in all aspects of the program."

l thanked her politely. noting si­lently that had l showed her that

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The Jewish Observer, December 1990 35

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test paper crowned with a 75, she would surely have berated me for my foolishness.

1 looked forward to the following ! week with trepidation. I had sched­

uled a major Chumash test on an entire parsha. 1 wondered what Chavie would show. The day before. I called her aside, reminding her again to study as well as she could because I expected big things from her tomorrow.

The tension in the class was pal­pable. The girls quickly turned over the test papers and began working. It was a challenging exam, and they worked feverishly. At the clang of the recess bell. many had still not finished. Chavie, too, was still writ­ing.

Finally, the papers were collected. I stole a quick glance at Chavie's. Every blank was filled in!

I marked her paper the moment I arrived home. Chavie had truly earned a 96! I read and reread her answers in disbelief. So this was the girl that would never succeed in school! This was the girl who should not even be bothered with!

P.S.

I live at present only a couple of blocks away from Chavie. Of­ten, I pass her on the street.

walking alone or with friends. The other day. I saw her conversing with two classmates on the corner. Her happy face and animated way of speaking bespoke true joy and confi­dence. I tried to compare herwith the Chavie who sat low in her seat, eyes never once looking upon me. I could not. There was simply no comparison. That first Chavie was gone. A new one had come instead. •

The Jewish Observer. December 1990

~IStORY IS up ~OR adoption In 1988, under the direction of Hogoon Rav Avrohorn. Pam, Shlito and the endorsement of.oil leading Gedolim, the Adopf1on program was born This bold new plan, now encompassing

34 towns and villages throughout Israel, hos already mode moior inroads 1n Torah educof1on_ Concerned, dedicated committees "odop!" individual areas and provide the loco! Chinuch Atzmoi Torah Schools with the resources they need for expansion and development.

Now as never before, thousands of Russian immigrants and others are flood<ng into Eretz Yisroel. Their children, in addition lo native Israelis, ore desperately turning to Chinuch Atzmoi for the11 Torah education. Since lost Morch, our schools and kindergoriens have enrolled over 1,000 Russian immigrant ch<ldren from the recent Aliyah, and a training center was opened for Russian teachers Unfortunately, many others are being turned away due to lack ol funding for facilities and personnel

How can we, in America, help Chinuch Atzmrn save these precious neshomos2 What assistance will we provide to the monumental and historic responsibility facing Chinuch Atzmoi teaching Torah to 47 ,000 children in 308 schools and kindergariens with o faculty of over 3,000. How con we pool our resotirces and determination to write a portion of the history of Eretz Yisroel~ Adoption is the answer!

Join us for the Notional Adop11on Dinner of Ch1nuch Atzma1 on Sunday January 20, 1991. By associating yourself with this vital project, you will be reshaping the minds and lives of thousands of Tinokos Shel Bois Robon~the future of Kial Yisroel Remember. .. history is not frequently up for adoption!

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T hrough an act of Divine Providence and the confi­dence of a few benevolent in­

dividuals. I served for a period of six years as a Rabbi in a small New Jersey community. Ff'win Rivers. 1

Friends who were familiar with the level of religious observance in this community often wondered what on earth a nice Jewish boy was doing in a place like this. (Sometimes I did, too.) As Jewish outreach became more fashionable, however. people wondered less why I chose to live and work there, and more about the "what"s and the "how"s of what I was doing. In time, I developed a reputation. for better or for worse, as an outreach "Professional."

Whether or not that title befits this writer certainly merits further probing, but it is not relevant to the point intended here. A more critical question is whether the concept of an outreach "professional" fosters the impression that outreach be­longs exclusively in the hands of professionals. While the hundreds of gifted individuals who have dedicated their lives to outreach unquestionably deserve kudos for their outstanding achievements, a

Rabbi Gewirtz, currently living in the Har Nof section of Jerusalem, is on the facultyofYeshiva Aish HaTorah and maintains a private practice in family counseling.

Eli Gewirtz

Confessions of an Outreach ''Professional''

Thousands of the individuals whose appetites have been whetted are thirsty for more information, further clarification and additional Shabbos experiences with Frum families. Only a small percentage are having their thirst quenched.

unique demand exists for non-pro­fessional volunteers to augment the existing resources.

THE PROBLEM

T he problem. if you can call it that, is the unprecedented success of the various out­

reach efforts. Connecting with one's Jewish roots is "in" these days. People from all walks of life are taking classes. attending seminars, joining beginners' minyanim and even talking about Judaism in the workplace. Take, for example, the number of recent Jewish Obseroer articles on Kiruv Rechokim as a ba­rometer of the spiraling interest in outreach-related information.

1. The Shul, Congregation Taras Emes, the Day School, and theTalmudTorah in Twin Rivers are part of the Shalom Torah Centers educational network.

Thousands of the individuals whose appetites have been whetted are thirsty for more information. fur­ther clarification and additional Shabbos experiences with frum families. Only a small percentage are having their thirst quenched.

This point can be illustrated, for example, when considering the de­mand generated by Aish HaTorah's Discovery Seminar. During the last year alone, more than 3,500 indi­viduals from secular backgrounds attended Discovery Seminars held in North America. This is in addition to approximately 1.200 American students yearly, who attend the seminar during their visits to Israel. If these people were left for the "pros" to teach and invite for Shabbos. this would give each professional the responsibility for 30 more individu­als than they currently study with, and an equal number of additional

The Jewish Obseroer, December 1990 39

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guests who are comfortable drop­ping in on them for Shabbos or a midweek "personal" shmooze. Tak­ing this hypothetical absurdity a bit further to consider the needs of last year's some 4,500 participants and growing expectations for the future, one quickly realizes the futility of this idea. Think of all the dishes.

"SO WHAT CAN I DO?"

I 'm glad you asked. Get on the phone (after you finish this ar­ticle, of course) and call one of

the Kiruv organizations in your area tovolunteeryour help.2 Offer to learn with someone one evening a week, offer to teach a class, offer to open your home to a couple or a family, or just say "I want to help." This is not a call for contributions (though I'm sure these will not be refused). It is a plea for your time and your tal­ents.

"WHAT, ME? TALENTS?"

M any otherwise talented people tend to shy away from outreach because of

the perception that they are not

2. To a!>sistin the follow-upofDiscovery Seminar participants. call Aish HaTorah at (718)377-8819. For infonnation about exisling outreach centers in your area. call AJOP at (212) 221-2567.

The Jewish Observer, December 1990

qualified. don't have all the answers, or because they have no experience. It is true that some people are not cut out for outreach. If you are blatantly intolerant. obnoxious, uncaring or insensitive, in-reach would probably serve you better for the meanwhile. If the above is not a selious concern. chances are that you can make a significant differ­ence in someone's life. You may not know it all. but you know consider­ably more than the person coming in with no background. You may not have all the answers. or even most of the answers, but 1 have yet to meet the person who refused to make a commitment to Judaism because a particular question hasn't been satisfactorily answered or be­cause some issue hasn't been ad­equately clarified by one particular person. A good cholent is sometimes worth more than a thousand words. 3

The following story, related by Rabbi

3. For the benefit of those who would fed more secure knowing some of the 1nost con1monly asked ques!ions and ci cross-section of select responses to these questions. Aish HaTorah will shortly be publishing a guide to outreach.

Noach Weinberg of Aish HaTorah, should serve to dispense with the "I don't know anything about out­reach" myth. Rabbi Weinberg met a fellow who claimed he didn't know the first thing about Kiruv Rechokim but had successfully helped a 95-year old woman back to the fold of mitzva observance. 1~his is his story:

I own a 300-bed nursing home. 297 beds of which are occupied by non-Jewish clientele. Ever since we opened. I made sure to serve Kosher food to the few Jewish residents.

One day, just as the State repre­sentative was about to complete a routine inspection, a 95-year old woman walked up to the inspector and said she wanted to .file a com­plaint. "I'm being discriminated against because I am Jewish," she insisted. "He doesn't serve me the same food as everyone else!" The inspector demanded an explanation. When I explained that I could not. in good conscience, serve non-Kosher food to a Jewish person, the inspec­tor said ii was unconstitutional for me to impose my religious beliefs on

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I pleaded in vain with the woman. When I reasoned that the Kosher food was tastier. she said, 'Tm 95 years old. Do you think I know from taste?" Telling her that Kosher food cost me much more than the stan­dard meals, only strengthened her resolve. "So give me the other stuJf and I'll save you money." I reminded her that Kosher food was healthier and more hygienic than that 'treifa chazarei · but she didn't budge.

"Well what did you do?" Rabbi Weinberg asked the nursing home owner.

"I already told you. " he replied.

"But you didn't! You say that you helped this woman becorne more observant!"

"I did," he said. "She now davens, says brachos, lights Shabbos candles. keeps Shabbos ... the works!"

Rabbi Weinberg couldn't under­stand. "I thought you told me the

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While this story is not what we call run-of-the-mill kiruv, it does underscore the point that determi­nation is more important than ex­perience. and that we are capable.

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This, of course. doesn't address the other major hurdle: "OK. 1 realize that 1 ought to get involved, but my real problem is that 1 don't have the time."

THE TWIN RIVERS -LAKEWOOD EXPERIENCE

T he most challenging opportu­nity I experienced during my six years in Twin Rivers was

the day when two community members asked whether they could study Torah "just like they do it in the yeshiva" i.e., with a chavrusa. The problem was that there weren't enough resources within the com­munity to satisfy this need. Lake­wood, home of Bais Medrash Govoha, on the other hand, had such resources in abundance. It would be simple enough, I figured, to find a suitable chavrusa for both these men from amongst the multi­tude of capable men in the Lake­wood community. I quickly real­ized, however, that there was not only a vast ideological expanse separating the two communities, but that they were physicallytwenty­two miles (and thirty-five minutes) apart from eachother. Who, in their rtght mind, would want to give up more than two and a half hours of their free time after spending a whole day learning or working, and schlepp twenty-two miles to teach Alef-Beis to one person? I tried my luck. After three trtes, the voice on the other end gave a resounding, "No prob­lem!"

Four years and some fifty pairs of chavrusos later, a group of local women pleaded for a similar program for women. Now this was impossible!

The Jewish Observer, December 1990

Four years and some fifty pairs of chavrnsos later, a group of local women pleaded for a similar pro­gram for women. Now this was im­possible! The Lakewood women, mostly Kolle! wives. longed to spend a few precious moments with their husbands who spent most of the day studying. How could 1 dare ask them to give this up one night a week? When pushed to the point where I feared being accused of prejudice, I called the first of several names that were recommended. This time it didn't take three calls. Four of the first five women contacted agreed.' Notwithstanding their real time limitations, these men and women somehow managed to make the time. Theirinitial concerns about whether they were suited for this responsibility dissipated shortly after they began studying and real­ized how much they had to offer.

The impact that this program had and continues to have is immeasur­able. Suffice it to say that plans for building a mikveh and an ernv this year would probably never have come about without the assistance of the more than two hundred people from Lakewood who volunteered their time and energy.

People often wonder whether they can really make a difference, whether their efforts will really change some­one. Admittedly, it is almost impos­sible to recognize the impact you are having. Malting significant changes in one's life requires more than infor­mation and friendship, and the fil­tering process often produces changes that aren't always immedi­ately gratifying. Even the "pros" struggle with this one. Nevertheless, the real answer to the question of whether your efforts will make a difference is an unequivocal "yes!". Your efforts will definitely change someone. You! As you are challenged to clarify difficult concepts. your understanding will grow. As you ex­pose others to the beauty of the Jewish home, your midas will grow. And as you expertence your student's

4. The statistics, appr0Xin1ately 700/o oflhewomen agreeing, as compared to around 40% of the men approached, remained constant throughout the pro grant.

The Jewish Observer, December 1990

growth in Yiddishkeit, your nachas will grow by leaps and bounds.

Warning: The impact of this mes­sage is likely to last about another two minutes. Get to the phone now. and make that call. •

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BOOKS IN REVIEW

Halacha in Daily Life

THE HEALING VISIT, INSIGHTS INTO THE MITZVAH OF BIKUR CHOLIM. by ChanaShofaos and Bat Tova Zwebner (Targum/Feldheim, Southfield, Mich .. 1989. $10,95h.c. $8.95p.b.). This slim volume should be considered required reading for everybody. It not only restates the basic rules governing this mitzva, but presents them within a frame­work of ideas which help the reader truly to understand and observe the duty of visiting the sick. The au­thors show that it is not really a matter of visiting but of helping the patient- and this requires deep empathy, sincere caring. and thoughtfulness in action.

The reader cannot but note how much effort went into the writing of this book. The authors interviewed many people and gathered case histories-some that will inspire us and others that will serve as warn­ings as to what one should avoid. This was a labor oflove; the authors speak out of the depths of their own experiences of serious sickness, and "words from the heart enter others' hearts ... But this is not a depressing book. It reads easily. and offers a wealth of difficult ideas on how to cheer and help patients. Of par­ticular value are the author's ob-

servations on child patients and children of patients, and how they should be handled. I genuinely be­lieve that anybody who reads this book will have a new approach to the mitzva.

THE FIRST SEVEN DAYS by Dr. Meir Wikler (distributed by the United Hebrew Community of New York, 1990) and WHY? Reflections On The Loss Of A Loved One, by Rabbi Yitzchak Vorst (Feldheim, SprtngValley, 1990. $4.95p.b.)were wrttten to help mourners. Dr. Wikler composed a brtef guide to the tradi­tional observance of shiva, de­signed for those unfamiliar with the rudiments of the halacha; thus there is no discussion of the funeral and its laws, of the services in the house of mourning. and of the laws applying after shiva. Within the limits that the author set himself. this is a useful pamphlet. Rabbi Vorsfs es­say has a very different purpose; it records the author's feelings and thoughts upon the loss of his three­year old son, which he decided to share with others, to help them if­G-d forbid-they should suffer be­reavement. And he truly succeeded in wrtting a deeply moving and in­spirtng text, lyrtcal in language and style. and containing a wealth of

The Jewish Observer. December 1990

insights. Life after death, the Holo­caust, the meaning of G-d's good­ness. and many other topics are touched on-and indeed brought to life-by the stories included by the author. As a source of strength to others, this little book is a fitting monument to Rabbi Vorst's son.

TORAS HAYOLEDES, JEWISH LAWS OF CHILD BIRTH. compiled by Rav Yitzchok Silberstein and Dr. Moshe Rothschild translated and edited by S. Ludmir (Institute of Halacha and Medicine, Bnei Brak Hospital Maynei Hayeshua, Bnei Brak, 1989. $17.95). This is a comprehensive compendium touching on practically every ques­tion that can artse from before the onset of birth to the mother's recov­ery. For the ordinary layman, the basic rules are given in brief in the more than ninety chapters of the book (the language is clear but a more idiomatic editing of the trans­lation would be desirable); but this work is of particular value lo the more learned user who can take advantage of the wealth of halachic references and additional informa­tion given in the elaborate Hebrew footnotes. They make this work an essential reference tool for all who are concerned with psak halacha.

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THEPATHOFTHERIGHTEOUS GENTILE, by Chaim Clorjene and Yaakov Rogalsky (Targum Press, Smithfield. Mich., 1987, $12.95) focuses on a rather unique area of halacha-the seven laws of the chil­dren of Noah. As the authors point out, this is a subject that has nor been of practical concern ever since the earliest part of our history. In modern limes.it was brought to public attention by Aime· Palliere who wrote The Unknown Sanctuary lo recount his road to Noachidism and died a martyr's death at the hands of the Nazis. But it was only very recently that adherence to the Noachide laws became a subject of practical interest in some non­Jewish circles-and they will find this book very useful. The authors outline the seven Noachide laws (as well as some others commonly ac­cepted by men of morality, such as honoring one's parents and giving charity) and fill in many of their details by drawing on the halachos that are binding on Jews. This re­viewer does not presume to evalu­ate their halachic conclusions; but in a world as corrupt and de-mor­alized as ours, adherence to the standards of morality here outlined would be an enormous blessing.

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The Jewish Observer, December 1990

THE CONCISE CODE OF JEW­ISH LAW, vol. two, by RabbiGersion Appel(Ktav, New York, 1989, $22.50 h.c., $14.95 p.b.), compiled from the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch and Tra­ditional Sources. This volume es­sentially follows the patterns of the first volume (reviewed in JO Feb. '82). It contains an introduc­tion to the subject matter of this volume-prayer and religious ob­servanceof Shabbos-followed by an English rendering of the Halachos of Shabbos as found in the Kitzur ShulchanAruchand ChayehAdam; since the Kit'zur does not contain a systematic presentation of the 39 forbidden forms of work, the author has added a section explaining them which is based on Chayeh Adam and Kalkeles Shabbos (this section also includes a special discussion of electrical equipment and appli­ances). There are almost 900 notes. which elaborate on the text and discuss contemporary applications and problems; the sources for these notes are given in Hebrew, and a full index and glossary complete the book. It is clear that an enormous effort has gone into this work, and it is indeed a very fine and complete presentation of the issues that arise on Shabbos.

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45

There are obvious difficulties in any popular presentation of com­plex dinim in English, since such works tend to be read rather than studied, as Hebrew works usually are. (An example where a reader may not get the full picture, although the author generally gives copious cross- references. on p. 37 he stresses the need to cover the top burners with a blech, without spe­cifically referring to p. 159. where note 30 advises that it is best also to cover the controls.)

Bu tin the case of this volume, its very completeness causes a more serious concern. The author is very

careful to spell out in the notes differences of opinion among the poskim. But can the layman for whom this work is obviously de­signed handle all this information when looking up a topic in this book--orwill he perhaps be tempted, when faced with such differences. to choose the path of convenience? For example, on the subject of heat­ing food on an electric stove turned on by a timer on Shabbos, note 25 (page 157) states: "Some authorities forbid it. Others permit it, especially if necessary for a sick person .... " Careful reading of the entire note will probably convey to the reader

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that the first opinion is definitely preferable-butcanonerelyon this? Rabbi Appel, to be sure, warns in the preface that the notes are meant to be generally informative, and the reader is advised to consult his Rabbi for a definitive decision. Yet we all know how many people, given a smattering of knowledge, are willing to pasken their own questions. It would appear to me that a popular work in English should clearly spell out the proper course for action, albeit with a proviso to consult a Rabbi in any case, because of the possibility of special circumstances. and with differences of opinion given in Hebrew footnotes.

UNDERSTANDINGTHEJEWISH CALENDAR. by Rabbi Nathan Bushwick (Moznaim, New York­Jersualem, 1989, $10.00) is a work that truly achieves what its title promises. Based on the premise that the Jewish calendar is easy to un­derstand, if only it is presented sim­ply and clearly, with calculations using our plain basic arithmetic, this book leads the reader through the fundamentals of how our heav­enly bodies function, and then shows how our calendar is put together. The chapters on astronomy have excellent illustrations (and a most interesting discussion of the Mazolos), and the calendar calcula­tions are in the form of extremely simple charts. This book should clarify the subject of the calendar to anybody who reads it.

AVOIDING INTEREST, by Rabbi Moshe Goldberg (Box 82, Staten Is­land, N.Y. 1989) isyetanotherofthe valuable pamphlets published by Rabbi Weinberger as a service to the community. Despite the seriousness of the prohibition on taking or pay­ing interest. many people transgress through ignorance of the many ways in which interest intrndes into our daily life and activities. This pam­phlet defines interest. shows vari­ous areas when it might be an issue, and in particular explains the Heter !ska through which otherwise for­bidden business and loan transac­tions become permissible. ltdeserves the widest circulation. •

The Jewish Observer. December 1990

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To the Editor: In his article (Oct. '90), Chaim

David Zwiebel discusses the need for a Halachic Health Care Proxy when an observant Jew becomes unable to make medical decisions. In the document. an individual can name an agent to make his or her health-care decisions, specify that Jewish law is to govern the health-

care decisions, and direct the agent to consult with and follow the guidance of a particular Orthodox Rabbi or Orthodox Jewish institu­tion or organization. It is the issue of consulting a rabbi on medical halacha that concerns me, but not because I am opposed to such consultations. My concern has to do with the level of the decisor's knowledge of medical procedures and terminology. Let me illustrate. As an attorney, I have specialized in medical-legal affairs for a number of years. At the present time, I sit on

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48

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the medical ethics committees of two hospitals and on a committee that reviews information given to volunteers for medical research. As a result of my work, I have become very familiar with medical proce­dures, terminology, jargon and eu­phemisms. I know what questions to ask when I need information. I can still, however, read a research protocol and consent form and dis­cover later that I had missed the entire point of a study.

Last year, along with several other close family members, I was involved in decision making for a relative who was no longer able to make health-care decisions for herself. She was in a large hospital, which meant that my communications with her doctor-who was elsewhere on premises-was only by telephone. I struggled to ask the light questions, and he struggled to answer my questions. All of this was relayed by another relative to her rabbi. As I look back, I feel that I did not ask the light questions. I also think that I misunderstood the doctor's answers concen1ing my relative's prognosis. How could we have framed proper she'eilos when our information was incomplete?

My point is that if I, as a profes­sional, had difficulty in communi­cating with doctors, then consider­ation should be given to choosing halachic autholities who are also conversant with medical terminol­ogy and who know what questions to ask of the treating physicians. In an age of medical specialists, it is likely that the patient's treating physicians will be strangers to the family or agent. It is also likely that the patient's representatives will not know what questions to ask of the physician nor will they understand the answers that are provided ... Under such circum­stances what she'eilos can be asked and what answers can the decisor give?

I respectfully suggest that the Agudath Israel of Amelica develop guidelines to deal with this issue.

JOAN MOND LEBOVITZ West Har{ford. Conn.

The Jewish Obsemer. December 1990

WHEN DOWN SYNDROME STRIKES YOUR NEIGHBOR'S

FAMILY

To the Editor: Eveiybody at some point in their

life will experience death. Only one family in a hundred will experience having a Down syndrome child. There are veiy clear cut halachic guidelines of what to do when someone is l"n niftar. But there is no halachic right or wrong in how one is to respond when one has a Down syndrome child. The only criteria are: Can you, your spouse, and your other children handle the pain. stresses and pressures involved in raising such a child to adulthood? I know. because I've had the oppor­tunity to discuss this matter with Gedolim. You see, I am a member of that special fraternity ofpain-with­acceptance that one enters when one has a Down syndrome child in his family.

I am writing this letter because I am concerned that Mr. Milch's "Reflections of a Parent" (JO. June '90) is being interpreted by some to the detriment of others as the best possible (and therefore only legiti­mate) response to dealing with a Down syndrome child.

Unfortunately, there is no one "best response" that applies to all people. The best possible response is what is practical and workable for you and your family. "Frumness" in and of itself does not dictate or determine one's response. And this

AN URGENT REMINDER

FROM

CHEVRA DOR YESHORIM

response runs the full gamut from keeping and raising the child one­self, foster care and/ or group home situations, to placing the child for permanent adoption.

If one can get past the pain, and with tremendous acceptance raise the Down syndrome child like a brown-eyed member of an all blue­eyed family, then kol hakavod. If. however, raising a Down syndrome child spells dysfunctional family patterns and marital dissolution, G-d forbid, then you must consider alternatives. So, as stated, there is no halachic right or wrong attached to one's response. Yet too many people are only too ready to express their judgment, thus adding more pain to those who already shoulder more than their fair share.

We parents and siblings of Down syndrome children are all too fre­quently harangued by insensitive, smug individuals who feel it their personal mandate in life to let us know that our response was the wrong one (according to them).

Advocates of foster home care and/ or adoption are only too eager to inform us that our other children will never be able to find a decent shidduch because we lacked the good sense to hide ourdiriy laundiy, as it were, instead of airing it in public. We receive ominous warn­ings-as if Down syndrome were catching!-about the effect that raising a Down syndrome child will have on our other children's mental health and on our own, which is already questionable given our re-

sponse. Should we opt for foster-home

care or permanent adoption, pro­ponents of raising one's Down syn­drome child approach us on the street, in shul, in the market, and pointedlyaskuswhatkindofhuman beings we are to give up our own child. Others, with somewhat more finesse, refer to inspiring articles like Mr. Milch's or "So ... we love her anyway" in Mrs. Sander's Times of Challenge. After all, they reason, since those responses are the only ones published in frum reading material, they must be the only le­gitimate one.

The Ambivalent But Vociferous Middle

Somewhere in between the out­spoken advocates offoster care and/ or adoption and the pontificating proponents of raising one's Down syndrome child lies the ambivalent but vociferous middle. Their less direct message, which nevertheless comes across loud and clear. is: By ail means keep and raise your re­tarded child yourself-it's a won­derful thing you are doing-but don't bring him or her with you to my house, my shul, my pizza shop, etc. Frequently the chevra that encour aged the family to keep the Down syndrome child now ostracizes it for having such a child. This is particu­larly true outside of the New York area, which has the most to offer in terms of frum social services and support networks.

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The Jewish Observer, December 1990 49

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Because there is no given right or wrong, one's choice is necessartly based on a subjective evaluation: Can I handle it? Can my spouse handle it? What about my other children? How wiU it affect my par­ents, my brothers and sisters? Some fortunate ones get guidance from their Rebbes or Roshei Yeshiva. For most, it is a painfully lonely, private decision. Therefore. we parents, siblings and family members of a Down syndrome child have our dark moments when we ourselves ques­tion the correctness of our response. Please don't interfere with our deli­cate balance of pain and acceptance by interjecting unsolicited opinions which are almost always unhelpful and very hurtful. What we all need is sensitivity. understanding and support, not overt or covert con­demnation and criticism.

In the zechus of controlling your harmful impulse to judge the le­gitimacy of our response, may you and yours be spared from the ne­cessity of formulating your own re­sponse to what is, in its most fa­vorable light. a very big ntsayon.

NAME AND CTIY WITHHELD By REQUEST

-------··---- ---AUTHOR'S RESPONSE

As a parent of a child with Down syndrome and one who shares a unique vulnerability, I am sensitive to your concerns and appreciate the significance of the questions you raise.

The article, however, was not intended to represent a definitive response to the birth of a child with Down syndrome. Of course, there are situation where the appropriate response will be radically different from ours. Rather, the article por­trays, as the title indicates, the re­flections of a parent. One family, one situation, nothing more. !tis for that reason that the article did not address the very important halachic issues confronted by parents who are personally touched by Down syndrome e.g. prenatal testing, abortion, placement for adoption or in an institution. (And indeed, they

The Jewish Observer, December 1990

are each serious areas where there can be a clear-cut objective halachic right or wrong.) Similarly. l as the parent of a toddler could not ad­equately write of the day-to-day concerns faced by parents raising an older child with Down syndrome.

Instead, the article was a per­sonal essay, revealing the emotional thought process of one family as they adjusted to and accepted a daughter with Down syndrome. The purpose? To create a connection to the many isolated individuals facing similar pain, questions, and fears ... we are not alone. To inform the community that you need not observe with pity; despite the struggles and pain, there is enor­mous joy and happiness. Satisfac­tion accompanies the challenge. To open a dialogue among parents, educators and leaders. to give at­tention to these critical issues. To foster a willingness to interact with a person despite the presence of a handicap. To engender greater compassion, sensitivity and under­standing of all human beings.

I am troubled by those who con­tinue to focus on the negatives. No positive comments; only harsh, in­dicting criticism. Her birth was the miracle of life and must not be compared to death. We must de­stroy the misconceptions by being open and proud and thereby allow people to witness th~truth=sl:!~is

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not merely a Down syndrome child. Rather, a unique individual with character. personality and identity. As any child, she yearns for love and security, while she struggles for in­dependence. And yes ... she is a child ... with Down syndrome. The mind may not absorb as quickly; the speech may not be as eloquent and the muscles may not be as strong. But, in her inimitable fash­ion, she provides a unique spark, a freshness that allows her to con­tribute on her level and in her special way.

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The Jewish Obseroer, December 1990

REFLECTIONS OF A READER

REGARDING SPECIAL CHILDREN'S NEEDS

To the Editor: The JO as well as Ephraim Milch

deserve a Yasher Koach for the heartwarming and inspiring article "Reflections of a Parent" (Summer, 90). The issues raised in the article apply not only to parents of Down Syndrome children. but to the in­creasing number of families facing challenges and hardships that range from mild learning disabilities to, G-d forbid, critical illness.

The author recommends that a parent make an effort to shift form asking "Why me?" to "What can we do?". Taking this point a step fur­ther. it is worthwhile speculating how we as a Klal can more effec­tively address the needs of all special

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52

children. This is a growing social problem that is all-too-often not given the attention it deserves. On one hand, several organizations have indeed made outstanding contribu­tions, i.e. special programs at over­night camps, seminaries offering special ed. training. and more pro­grams within the yeshivas. Yet, the frnm community has a long way to go towards providing for children with disabilities on a level that at least meets (if not exceeds) the stan­dard of the secular world. All too often parents must choose between keeping their child in a Torah envi­ronment versus offering them su­perior quality services in the public school. Perhaps it is time that mechanchim, teachers, and com­munity leaders put this issue on a front burner so that children with all forms of disabilities can receive a first rate education in a Jewish en­vironment.

Through our community assum­ing more responsibility for ad­dressing this issue, not only will the burden of individual parents be eased, but the important message of" Kol Yisroelareivimzeh lazeli' will be communicated to all our chil­dren as well.

MRS. S. LEBOV1CS

Los Angeles. Calif

GUIDANCE FROM RABBI KOKIS'S ARTICLE ON TRAGEDY

To the Editor: l have been a long-time subscriber

to The Jewish Observer, but l have never written a letter to the editor.

It is only two months since we have lost our precious newborn at birth. After having an extremely difficult pregnancy. which consisted of almost five months of complete bedrest. thls tragedy seemed to me like a big slap in the face.

However, after reading the Tammuz 5750 issue of The Jewish Observer, I am looking at our or­deal, in a completely different per­spective. Rabbi Kokis's article, "Coming to Grips with Tragedy" gave me a completely different outlook and subsequently brought comfort to my troubled heart and mind. The question of "Why me (us)?"is slowly disappearing. My emuna is as firm as it's ever been, and my faith in derechHashemisstrongerthanever. Your article has certainly helped to heal the wound and make some sense in the fairness of G-d's judg­ments.

l tnily believe in the imminent coming of Moshiach when we will be able to "burst out in song".

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The Jewish Observer, December 1990

THE EXTRA BURDENS OF TODAY'S MECHANCHIM

To the Editor: At the recent convention of Torah

Umesorah, someone brought up a problem that people in chinuchface: On the one hand, we are encouraged to dedicate our lives to chinuch for the betterment of Klal Yisroel and presumably our own spiritual ad­vancement, accepting a much re­duced material life style. But then we find it, financially, virtually im­possible to find suitable bnei Torah for our daughters. That seems to be an unfair sacrifice to demand of us.

In response, one of the respected Rabbinic figures present answered that the ideal should not be aban­doned: and as for other concerns, one must have bitachon(despite, pre­sumably, the practical difficulties).

Certainly it's true that the practi­cal difficulties do not invalidate the ideal, but we do need a practical approach to an extremely vexing problem.

Without going into details, to make a wedding and provide the usual necessities for a young couple, can cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. And it's neither realistic nor fair to expect the klei kodesh to be the first to drastically lower the standards.

We encourage our daughters to want to marry a ben Torah. who will spend at least some years learning in a koUeL But to do so, the bochur requires a relatively large amount of financial support. He's being real­istic, too, since the koUel does not pay anywhere near a living wage. Where is this support to come from, if not from the families?

And since Boruch Hashem there are many well-to-do people in business and the professions who also want a ben Torah for a son-in­law, and can afford to provide the required support, the melamdim or roshei yeshiva or communal work­ers, the klei kodesh who are woe­fully underpaid, are left in the lurch-brutally so.

Which melamed can extend $10,000 a year or more to his koUel

children? And G·d help him who has several daughters! He's already borrowed to the hilt for tuition and sending said daughter(s) to a good seminary.

Commiseration and inspirational speeches are simply not sufficient to address the issue. I would like to make a suggestion which might work, if there's a true desire to re­solve this problem. And that is that the MosdosHachinuclr-the schools. Bais Yaakovs, etc.-contribute to the costs of marrying off the children of their staff, and helping to support their children in kollel for a set amount of time.

It's part of one's livelihood. In his well-known responsum regarding the Yissochor-and-Zevulun ar­rangement, Hagaon Reb Moshe Feinstein ?")It repeatedly stresses that Zevulun's responsibility in· eludes providing the wherewithal for Yissochor to marry off his chil­dren in a respectable manner. That clearly includes kest (support); it's part of the livelihood. Certainly, it's no less a need than health insur­ance or pension funds.

More to the point, it can work in a similar way, with the school making payments in a special fund, proportional to the wages of the staff person. No doubt we have sufficient administrative experts who can devise the mechanics of a plan. The point is that the institu­tions bear what is in fact their rightful responsibility.

I can already hear the screams of pain: the Mosdos haven't got the money, they're drowning in debt, and so on. But how much would it add up to in proportion to the total budget?

It's probably easier to pay directly towards the marriage costs through an endowment fund than making the necessary general increase in salaries. And it's a forced savings for the Rebbeim for the specific purpose of easing the burden of marrying off their children.

If we truly wish to keep our most talented people in chinuch, we must find a solution to this problem.

RABBI SHAUL KAGAN Pittsburgh, Pa.

The Writer heads the Kolle/ Bais Yuzchok in Pittsburgh

The Jewish Obseroer, December 1990

CLARIFICATION

In Rabbi Elias' reply to Rabbi Green -blatt in Nov. '90 issue, Rabbi Greenblatt's reference to "voices of Moderation" (which seemed to be in contrast to the Gedolim who spoke out against the Steinsaltz Talmud) was termed "inappropriate". Rabbi Greenblatt, however, meant it to be in contrast to the "strident" defend­ers of Rabbi Steinsaltz; in the cir­cumstances, there is of course noth­ing inappropriate about it. The au­thor regrets the misunderstanding.

Missing caption: The above photograph, which accompanied Yehoshua Weber's report and analysis. MFrom Kiev, With Hope- (JO. Nov. '90). was not identified. It was taken at the farewell banquet, at which the author took leave of his Mstudents" in Kiev. and led them in the culmi­nating activity of reciting the appropriate berachos for the various foods that were served. The author was in the SoViet Union as a shaliach of Agudath Israel's Vaad Lehatzolas Nidchei YlsroeL headed by Rabbi Mordechai Neustadt.

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Beth Medrash Govoha shall maintain a policy of Equal Opportunity in Em-

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53

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Elana Aron ----··------- ------... ------------- --- ·--·---------:

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The Fire Within Her name had been uttered so many a time And what was said was always the same "You should have seen her," went the familiar line. "She was a fire, a burning flame."

But as 1 entered the room 1 saw no fire. There sat a woman, all alone. She looked so frail, she seemed so tired, As if her being was etched in stone.

Her body sat limp, she could not speak, And then I noticed the slightest stir. 1 searched her eyes, so heavy and weak. Was 1 just another faceless blur?

Upon her spiiit pain had tread. Of the life she had lived not a remnant remained. Was there even a hint-a tiny thread? Had it all vanished-was nothing sustained?

By the bedside stood her picture in past days of glory. Shining, vibrant-illuminating the skies. Where was that woman? I could not see Beyond the pain that filled her eyes.

As I turned to leave, I felt her gaze. Her eyes stood and fast upon me 1 think that fire was still ablaze If only her body could set her soul free

1 took her face into my hands Her eyes. they spoke-for words they strained "Goodbye Bubby, I love you, Bubby" And then 1 knew-the fire remained .....

Mrs. Aron Jives in Lakewood, N.J. This is her first appearance in these pages.

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'The Jewish Observer, December 1990

Real Tears They put the big box in my hands, And said, 'This is for you. A very Happy Birthday, dear And many happy returns, too. "

I pulled the string, undid the knot, And lo, inside the box, I heard a squeak, and lifted it, "It rolls about and knocks. It cannot be a nwuse," I thought, "And I don't think it's blocks."

Gingerly, I lifted up The lid, and lo! Behold! There lay a doll with cheeks so pink And sUky hair of gold.

A little bottle at her side Read: "Drtnk me, little dear, And when I cry.just wipe my eye, For I can shed real tears."

"Real tears!" I told my Bubbie When I showed her my new dolt "Real tears, dear Rivky? I think not. Tiwse are not tears at alL

"A tear is something from the heart, A heart that oveljl.ows, It can express pure happiness, But usually tells of woes.

A tear is something left unsaid, And yet-it's crystal clear. It is a dewdrop from the soul, That is a tear, my dear."

WhUe riding on my bicycle, I fell and scraped my knee, It hurt, and even though I tried To be as brave could be,

I felt the tears smart in my eyes And trickle down my face. Then Bubbie kissed me tenderly, And wiped away each trace.

"Are these real tears?~ I asked her then, And looked up in her eyes. She shook her head and smUed at me, And said in a voice so wtse,

"The tears that one sheds for oneself Are not the ones that count Those are the tears that stay on earth To Heaven do not mount."

Another time I watched my Bubbie, Sitting on a stool. Slicing onions made Bubbie cry, How could they be so cruel?

The tears streamed thickly down her cheeks, As she sliced layer after layer. And as I watched, I saw her lips Move in heartfelt prayer.

"What kind of tears are those?" I asked, "Is it pain that makes you cry?" "A pain? I guess so, darling child, Sit down, I'll tell you why.

"A teardrop is a precious thing, A gift from Hashem above, To soften pain. make whole again A broken-hearted love.

"Like a raindrop--a pure tear Can bring immense relief. It can make a person grow Much stronger through his grief.

"And when with sorrow one ts faced, This diamond is a shame to waste, For if you weep just for yourself. The tears will not yield all their help.

"So when you cry, think of another. Someone with pain, an ailing brother, Think of the ones who cry for bread, Think of those suffering in bed, Think of the deaf, think of the blind, So many tragedies you will find.

''And when you share your tears with them, Those tears wUl be gathered by Hashem, And placed into a heavenly cup. All the tears of pity will add up.

''.And when the world has its full measure Of suffering-then will come the pleasure Then will we see the glorious days Of Moshiach's times, a brand new phase.

"And so, my sweet, when you see me peel And shed a tear-know it's for real For when I cry, I cry for others, For suffertng chUdren, suffertng nwthers,

For all the pain that is on earth I cry for all my tear is worth And pray for a better, happier day. When Moshiach willfmally come to stay."

Mrs. Weinbach, a published author and poet. lives in Mattesdorf, Jerusalem. Her poem, HSeed of Hope. H was published in JO, Oct. H90.

The Jewish Obseroer, December 1990

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lAi Title 'of Publica:t1on: The Jewish Obset:ver J3.-,,,tsSriF0221.001s 2:_ oate'orFiUng-sept 11, i990 _ , 3. 'f:'rt:quertcy_-Of ~ssue, Monthly, except July Md August._-]\;: :NO. or iSSW$ pUbltShed annually­Ten,_B,., Annual $ubscriptlOnJ?ri~22.00. 4. Lotatton, of Known Offite of PuhllCatfon: 84 Wmiarti -§tttet, New York. N.Y.' i0038 6. Names arid_Addtess-of PubltSher. Editor, and Managing-Edltot: Pilblisher.:....Agudath Israel of Amenca; Cht. Editorial Boatd...,.Dr, Ernst L. BOderihelnil':r_'. 84 \Vllllatn St., N.Y.C4" Managfog Edltor.:....Rabbi Nis!iQn Wolptn, 84 Wmtam Street. N.Y.c.:10038 1. ~ Agudath tStiid of Amertba. 84 WIUlruTi. Street. New Yotk.,N.Y, 10038 8., Kriown bondhoidera. mortgages and' -Other security holders owning or-holding 1 percent or more to --total' atn:()unt of bonds. mortgages t>t ,'Other $e(!Utifles! none _9._ The purpose, function, 'iind t10nproflt status. of this _organtzatlon and the cxetnpt status of federa1 tncome UiX:_purposes have not changed durlllg precedlng 12 :months. 10.A. T-ota:I n·o. cop1es pnnted {net press runl; average no. ciipjes each JsSUe-durtng prec:ed1ng 12 months: 15.000. Actual number of coptes of single Issue published neatest to filing date: 15.000.-B, Paid dtculattorr-1. Sales through_ dealers and 't:art1ets. street vendors and counter sales: a.vetage no. -copies each issue during precedlng-12 months: 4,400. Actmil-number Of copies of single tssoe published nearest to filing date 4.388. 2. Mail -subscriptions: average no. copttS eacll :issue-dui::tng prectding 12 mofiths: 9.200. Actual number Of copies of single 1ssue pubtished neattst to filing date 9.283. C. 'Total paid citcula.t1on: average no. coples each 'JsSue dunng: prtceding 12mpnths:_13.600. Actual no, of copies of single tss_ue publiSh_ed nearest , to -filing-date. r3.67L' :0, F'ree'dtsirff:iuttOn (includ~ ing S&mJ>lesl-by_nurll <:arr;1er or-uther means: aveI'l'lge no. copies each issue dufing p~lng l~ months. 1.100; actual no. of copies of-single Jssue nearest -to, flll_ng dah!: _980. E. Total dlstrlbUtlort (.sum,ofC and_ DJ~ a~ _no. copies each,, dunntf preeeedlng 12_ months: 14,700. Actuat no.: or cop1e-s of s:lngte_ lssue published neateSt to-m111gdate.14.-'t51.-F.t, omce-use.left· -ovet;utia.ccounted, s:poiledafterprhttlng:aVerage no. copies each--1ssue during _precedtng 12 months: 140. Actual nutribefof copies <>fstrigle issue - j'>ubHshed_, nearest to, nnng date: 120.- F2. Retur:ns_, from> n-ews -agents 160/ 129'. _G. 'l'OUII- {$um __ of E _and _f'J: average no­COJ)ies each issue durtng pretedl.ng 12 months: rs.®o. Actual no.- coptes of single issue pub­lished nea:rest to flllng,date, 15,000. I certlfythat the statements made by me above are correct and complete,

The Jewish Obsetvet

55

0 This is not a dry, literal trans· lation; each phrase is ex· plained so that the student understands the reasoning and flow

0 The question·answer sequence is introduced so that the student will know where the Gemara is taking him

Who is this for?

0 Separate notes that explain unfamiliar ideas without interrupting the flow of the Gemara

- a p~icipant in a .. J:?afYomi <>r other shiur, for preparation orreyi~w

- a fatherstuayingWlth'.hischildren - a beginner seeking to .. fi,\miliarize himself with a

blatt ·oemara

.c.. son'!eqne grappling. ~Ith unfamiliar material or seeking a.qµickreyiew:

0 Introductions to the entire i:ractate and to each topic, wherever necessary

Sancti\:>n~ ~ a br9ad s,pe~ttu~.~f;'~~J~Tdi"~ti 11'1 Eretz Yisr,a~;landiAffierica, thisre~dit•i~n(;\f:t?~fue.mar.a makes.tllel>:~l)at c~~Plete1¥.i.il'l~~r~~l'l~aol~,·~?tlla~ the·lea~ner~angopn.tpadeeeer~~.erstangingandto a stud~ pfcthe classic com~J1taties'

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