Parshas Terumah

עשית שנים כרבים זהב” שמות כ”ה, י”ח” You shall make two cherubim of gold. The כלי יקר explains that these כרבים that were in the image of angels, symbolize מלמדי תורה…

Logo graphic.

By Walder Jewish Education

פרשת תרומה

 
ועשית שנים כרבים זהב"  שמות כ"ה, י"ח"
 
You shall make two cherubim of gold.
 
The כלי יקר explains that these כרבים that were in the image of angels, symbolize מלמדי תורה, teachers of Torah. Similar to the teaching the Gemarah that says: "אם הרב דומה למלאך, יבקשו תורה מפיו" מועד קטן י"ז.  The teacher of Torah must be as an Angel.
 
About the כרבים the Torah tells us:
  1. פורשי כנפים 
  2. אל אחיו ופניהם איש
  3. אל הכפורת יהיו פני הכרובים
We learn three corresponding lessons about מלמדי תורה. 
  1. The כרבים are פורשי כנפים למעלה  – their  wings spread upward. The Teachers of Torah too, must excel in areas that are between man and his Creator.
  2. The כרבים are also described as ופניהם איש אל אחיו, with their faces towards one another. The Teachers of Torah must demonstrate that they are אוהבי שלום ורודפי שלום. 
  3. And of the כרבים it says: אל הכפורת יהיו פני הכרובים All the interest of the Teachers of Torah must be towards the Torah within the ארון, void of personal gain. 
It is written from Rav Reuven Grozovsky zt”l, that if you have to choose between a professional pedagogue but is lacking in his יראת שמים, and a true ben Torah that is missing the pedagogical skills, there would be no doubt whom to choose. After all, he says. If one needs a doctor, he would choose a less caliber doctor over a superior caliber lawyer! 
 
He quotes the Chofetz Chaim as saying that if one has an option of two wagons. One is comfortable with fast horses and the journey would be pleasurable. The other is a broken rickety wagon with a horse that has difficulty breathing and the journey would be difficult at best. But the second one is going in the direction you need to go while the first is going in the opposite direction, is there any doubt which to choose?
 
The message is clear. First and foremost and Teacher of Torah must demonstrate their devotion to Torah, יראת שמים including their בין אדם לחבירו.
 

Rabbi_Rubinfeld

About the Author: Rabbi Yisroel Meir Rubinfeld

Rabbi Rubinfeld has been in the field of Torah education for over 3 decades and serves as an Executive School Consultant for Torah Umesorah. He provides an array of services to schools across North America, including teacher and principal mentorship, school and curricula evaluations, professional development and parent education.

Rabbi Rubinfeld's expertise includes classroom management and discipline, effective instruction, bullying, cultivating sensitivity in the classroom, impulse disorders (such as ADHD and ODD), and balancing the educational needs of mainstream and special needs children in the classroom.

Rabbi Rubinfeld is the also the founder and director of Torah Umesorah's Lilmod U'Lilamed department which provides professional development for teachers and principals throughout the year.

Rabbi Rubinfeld is a talmid of the distinguished Yeshivos of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin, the Mirrer Yeshiva in Yerushalayim and Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood.

Contact Us

Select Wishlist