Posted on 09/06/23
For this commandment which I command you today, is not concealed from you, nor is it far away. It is not in heaven, that you should say, "Who will go up to heaven for us and fetch it for us, to tell [it] to us, so that we can fulfill it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, "Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us and fetch it for us, to tell [it] to us, so that we can fulfill it?" Rather, [this] thing is very close to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can fulfill it. (Devarim 30 12-14)
Rashi: It is not in heaven — for if it were in heaven, you would have to climb up after it [in order] to learn it. [Eruvin 55a]
This verse refers to the accessibility to Torah and its profound wisdom and inspiration, without having to travel to impossible destinations beyond our physical reach to obtain.
Is it truly so readily available?
As the new school year starts up once again the battle begins: to gain entry to the schools of our choice; to privilege teachers best suited to our child; to assure the right grouping of classmates the child will flourish best with; joining the right carpool…, and the list goes on.
At times it feels as if it might be easier to climb to the heavens, than to obtain the choices we prefer and believe are in the best interest, and most critical, for our child.
So, is the Torah's promise of easy availability to grow in Torah inaccurate?
We recite daily the blessings over Torah referring to G-d as, המלמד תורה לעמו ישראל — 'The Teacher' of Torah to His people Israel.
The question begs. When did G-d teach Torah to His people? In His first foray as a teacher, it only lasted for two short sentences. After conveying the first of the two commandments at Mount Sinai, the Children of Israel, begged for a substitute!
And all the people saw the voices and the torches, the sound of the shofar, and the smoking mountain, and the people saw and trembled; so, they stood from afar. They said to Moshe, "You speak with us, and we will hear, but let G-d not speak with us lest we die." (Shmos 20 15-16)
Yet somehow, we still refer to G-d each day as the 'Teacher of Torah' for all of eternity, even though it was a very short-lived career.
The Rambam in fact in a responsa questions the correctness of this appellation since — "הא-ל יתברך ויתעלה שמו אינו מלמד לנו התורה" — The Almighty, may His name be blessed and exalted, does not teach us Torah! (פאר הדור סי' ק)
An early mentor of mine, who had a great influence on my trajectory in life, Rav Avrohom Gurewitz, author of the series of sefarim entitled Ohr Avrohom, and legendary Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivas Ner Moshe in Jerusalem, suggests a marvelous solution to this dilemma.
שפתי כהן — For a priest's lips shall guard knowledge, and teaching should be sought from his mouth, כי מלאך — for he is a messenger of the Lord of Hosts. (Malachi 2 7)
Rabbi Yochanan asserts that this verse referring to a priest, is using the elevated Kohen as the paradigm for all teachers and giving us the formula for selecting the appropriate teacher to absorb from.
If the rabbi is similar to an angel of the Lord of hosts, perfect in his ways, they should seek Torah from his mouth; but if not, they should not seek Torah from his mouth. (Chagiga 15b)
Both Rashi and Radak explain that the actual translation of the term מלאך means a שליח — a proxy.
In other words, if the teacher sees himself, likened to the role of an angel who is the ultimate 'agent' of G-d — selfless submission to the will of G-d, then one should seek Torah from his mouth.
There is a Talmudic principle שליח של אדם כמותו — the proxy of a man is 'as if he is' the one who appointed him.
When a teacher performs his mission as the agent of G-d, then indeed G-d is in essence teaching every student among the Jewish people on a constant basis.
This places a tremendous responsibility and privilege upon the teacher, but at the same time should instill in parents, awe, and respect for the one who merits to be G-d's proxy.
Each side of this remarkable partnership in the education of G-d's children must adjust their thinking when working together, especially at times when they disagree.
The teacher must strive to be as close to an angel as humanly possible, removing bias and self-interest when making decisions on behalf of that child, assuring the teacher is acting as an agent for G-d, for only then can a teacher be worthy of being a true 'proxy' of G-d.
A parent must respect that G-d chose this method of education to convey His will, relying on those who you have chosen as 'agents' of G-d in being the conduit for G-d's will to teach your child.
It may never seem perfect, for we are limited in our perception, and we all make errors, despite the fact we believe we know better.
So, Torah is not in heaven, and history has proven we are doing G-d's work, teaching successfully the same Torah we were given at Sinai after thousands of years of exiles and tribulations.
It requires of us to make a leap of faith at times and put our trust in G-d's maneuvering it all for our benefit, even when it may not appear that way to our short-sighted eyes.
I can look back at my own experience of forty years and observe how decisions that were condemned turned out to be many years later for the betterment of a child.
Equally so were educational plans that were implemented with full consensus yet did not always pan out for the apparent good.
There is a divine providence that guides us as only the One of an intellect beyond our ken can orchestrate, as only He can for our ultimate good.
I saved an article that was written and published before last Rosh Hashana by a remarkable parent of a child, with a message for all of us that is relevant to this very topic.
It was written by Avraham Fixsler who nearly two years ago lost a daughter, Alta, after fighting for three years with the authorities in England to keep her alive despite being born with health deficiencies that in the medical team's mind wasn't worth investing in to keep her alive, eventually forcing the Fixslers to have the plug pulled on their beloved daughter Alta a'h.
On 13 Cheshvan 5782, in front of our eyes, with a minyan of Yidden in the room, the doctor and nurse walked in and simply switched off the life-support equipment. They didn’t look at us and didn’t say a word. There was no apology, not even a glance. I cannot describe what we felt then.
As I write these lines, my tears are dripping onto the keyboard. There was a feeling of humiliation that we, as parents, couldn’t do the minimal act of protecting our child. A feeling of failure. But we also understood that it’s all from Hashem.
With tears in my eyes, I declared to all the Yidden who were there, and I spoke to Alta — to whom I spoke a lot — I told her that it was Monday, the week of Parshas Vayeira, which retells the episode of Akeidas Yitzchak. There are no coincidences in the world. My name is Avraham, and HaKadosh Baruch Hu asked me for my dear daughter Alta, my Alta whom I loved, as a korban. And from that moment, I gave Alta to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. I accepted that whatever would happen to her was in His Hands.
Alta fought for her life for a few more hours, and her soul departed with Echad. The people in the room at the time related that they clearly sensed something lofty and holy at that moment.
We endured the levayah, and then it was all over. But for us, Alta’s parents, it was just the beginning of the pain, the emptiness. We no longer felt that intimate partnership that we previously felt with HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
I travel the world to tell over Alta’s story, because the chizuk that I offer to others gives me chizuk as well. The emunah that we absorbed as children accompanies us. So does the knowledge that we tried to do everything we possibly could for Alta. That is the real nechamah — that is the balm to our souls.
Dear parents [teachers], I ask you, for the aliyah of the neshamah of Alta bas Avraham, invest in your child [student], even if he/she is different from what you expected. Or reverse your approach to parenting [teaching] and let go of your expectations. Invest, and appreciate the gift that HaKadosh Baruch Hu granted you. Our job is not to succeed. Our job as parents[teachers] is to try our hardest, and to invest the maximum in our children [students], even when it is hard for us — primarily when it is hard for us.
Parents[teachers]of special children: Know that you have the privilege of being chosen and trusted by HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Take pride in your child [student], and take pride in your job in this world, and in the bond that is forged between you and [your students' parents'] the third Partner: HaKadosh Baruch Hu. [The added brackets are mine] (Mishpacha, Issue 929)
It is not in heaven, that you should say, "Who will go up to heaven for us and fetch it for us, to tell [it] to us, so that we can fulfill it?"
Rather, [this] thing is very close to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can fulfill it.
We can do it!
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן