By Walder Jewish Education
(וידבר ה' אל משה ואל אהרן ויצום אל בני ישראל" (שמות ו', י"ג"
Hashem commands Moshe and Aharon regarding the bnei Yisrael.
Rashi explains: "צום עליהם להנהיגם בנחת ולסבול אותם" – He commanded Moshe and Aharon to lead them calmly and to be patient with them. The Medrash expounds further:
"אמר להם הקב"ה בני סרבנים הם רגזנין הן טרחנין הן, על מנת כן מקבלין עליכם שיהיו מקללין אתכם שיהיו מסקלין אתכם באבנים" (מד"ר ז, ג')
Hashem said to them – know that my children are disobedient, quarrelsome and troublesome, and it is on this condition that you accept the leadership of them upon yourselves, and with the full knowledge that they will curse you and that they will even pelt you with stones.
These words of chazal teach, says Rav Volbe (עלי שור ח"ב), to what extent a public servant must demonstrate his middah of patience. הם מקללין אותו ומסקלים אותו באבנים, והוא מנהיג אותם בנחת וסובל אותם. Continues Rav Volbe, one who is not able to do so may not undertake any leadership role with the community. He enumerates several examples: this includes a Melamed in a classroom, a R”M in a Yeshiva, a Rov of a kehillah, a gabbai of the shul, or a general community asken.
We are all familiar with the Mishna that says: "ולא הקפדן מלמד" (פרקי אבות ב' ה')One who is overly strict should not be a teacher. Rav Aharon Kotler writes (משנת רבי אהרן) that a מלמד דרדקי that is too strict, even though he works hard and does his job faithfully, nevertheless, his influence on his talmidim is reduced.
Albeit an awesome responsibility, our classrooms are no different than the Rav, the R”M and even Moshe Rabeinu! We are zoche to elevate ourselves to lofty levels while we are teaching. Let’s aspire to hold on to that level all the time as we endeavor to elevate our tamidim with us.
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.