By Rabbi Dovid Abenson. Observations on the founder of Ivrit, Eliezer Ben Yehuda (1858-1922).

Continuation from the subject of the previous article, https://thelakewoodscoop.com/2016/08/teaching-torah-in-zivritmodern-hebrew-by-rabbi-dovid-abenson.html

To recap, Eliezer Ben Yehuda was the creator of modern hebrew (Ivrit), which while spoken by millions in Israel every day, ironically, causes much confusion when used as a language for Torah study.

Ben Yehuda was born Eliezer Yitzhak Perlman in Luzhky, Lithuania to an Orthodox family. His father died when Eliezer was a young boy of five years old. After struggling with poverty and a young family, his mother remarried twice – each time ending in divorce.

Eliezer was sent to his mother’s brother, David Wolfson who had the financial means to support the young boy. He was a gifted student and did well in his learning.

After his bar mitzvah, his uncle sent him away to a Yeshiva in a nearby town. It was here that Eliezer changed his direction in life. While at the Yeshiva he met someone who introduced to him the ideas of the “Maskilim”, those who believed in the pursuit of so called “intellectual free thinking” and non jewish culture, rather than traditional Torah study. Here Eliezer learned the classic works of many non jewish writers and was very impressed by them. Eventually he was caught with “heretical” books and forced to leave the Yeshiva and his uncle, being furious at Eliezer’s incursion with heretics also rejected him.

During this time Eliezer was transformed from a religious Yeshiva student to a modern freethinker. He shaved off his peyes and his shmiras haMitzvos gave way to a popular modern cultural life.

The question may be asked – as a gifted young student who had had a troubled childhood, with no parents to direct and support him, would he have turned to an alternative lifestyle if he had received adequate compassion and understanding from Yeshiva? I

I wish to quote again from my rebbe, Rav Matisyahu Salamon shlita who mentioned the following at the launch of my sefer, Bridging the Gap: “Many of the children whom we call “drop outs” have not become like that because they have a bigger yetzer hara than other people, but because they feel less cared for than other people. Those children who fall through the cracks of our educational system have very often, lost out on those fundamental skills that they should have acquired earlier in life. If we could only give them a little more care, a little extra understanding or a little more help, an invaluable chizuk can be achieved, giving these people a feeling of self-esteem. Instead of, chas v’shalom, dropping out altogether. They will now want to achieve and stay within the fold, carrying on to reach high madregos, which otherwise they would never have dreamt of before……. If we would only listen to “our true leaders of our generation” our students would do the right thing – just a little care and love.

Chazal have taught:  Sanhedrin 107b and also Sotah 47a. Always let the left hand push away, but the right hand draw close.

Elisha HaNovi thrust Gehazi, his servant, away with both his hands for committing an aveira, (and was later punished for it). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Perahiah thrust one of his disciples away with both his hands, who incidentally was Yeyshu ( JC ). In both cases, they both realized their mistakes and tried to bring them back, but the talmidim felt too much resentment and the damage was done, leading both talmidim to go off the derech.

Please consider that Elisha haNovi was the greatest leader in his time, and  Rabbi  Yehoshua ben Perahiah was the head of the Sanhedrin.

It is interesting that these cases are highlighted in the Gemara and that Chazal do not cover them up. We can deduce from this that Chazal wanted to impart a very strong message to all later generations. In my humble opinion, I suggest that even a leader of the generation or the head of the Sanhedrin must take great care when it comes to pushing away a talmid.

Schools have now resumed after the summer vacation, it is Chodesh Elul – the month of stocktaking. Is it not appropriate to take stock of our approach to our children? Evaluate, if the theme of the above narratives might not be playing a part in how we are dealing with them? And remember above all – that if we do, on occasion, have to push a child or talmid a little away with our left hand – it is only so that we may draw them all the closer with our right!

A Kesiva VeChasima Tova for all Klal Yisroel!

Rabbi Dovid Abenson an international speaker is the founder, director and author at Shaar HaTalmud, a unique yeshiva based online program, featuring evaluations and remediation, working with students to upgrade skills in Hebrew reading, chumash/rashi and gemara studies, consulting school principals worldwide to improve their ability to help students who possess underdeveloped skills. Also available for in house training for schools and yeshivos. He can be reached at abenson.kriah@gmail.com or 1-877-HATALMUD (428-2568)