Rabbi's Blog

The American school system has a typical nine to ten month school year with a variety of evaluation periods, depending upon the district and, in the case of yeshivot and day schools, each school’s custom. A few days ago I was asked to give reports on the progress of my students. Typically, the second and fourth quarters are marked by the mid-term and final grades while the first and third marking period are deemed progress reports. The wisdom behind a progress report is the ability given to the students (as well as the teachers and parents) to assess where they are so as not too fall behind in their work and at the same time not be penalized on the permanent record if they did poorly.

The term ‘progress’ is so important because, in my opinion, it emphasizes the positive rather than the negative even though it typically is used as a red flag for a student who is not doing well. In calculating the grade for each progress report I listed three components: test score, class participation/behavior and preparedness for class. As teachers, we each want to build self-confidence within the student and try to give the best grade possible. The most common measure of a student’s progress and knowledge is through test scores.  Sometimes, however, students don’t do well on exams but are nevertheless learning and growing. Therefore, in order to measure the big picture teachers will include behavior, class participation, and readiness to learn when calculating a grade.

The makeup of a Jew consists of  many facets, no one weighing more heavily than another. Each area has a time and place for itself. From the perspective of a pulpit Rabbi, I most commonly see people in the one dimension of their service to God: prayer. As we are all aware, davening is a privilege that literally shapes our lives for better or for worse. Kislev, the month we are now entering, marks the end of the first marking period since the beginning of the year on Rosh Hashana. Individual evaluation of progress in davening is every congregant’s responsibility. The following check list of items mirrors a student’s activity in school. Every man, woman and child should consider these actions to determine his or her grade makeup.

Students who often leave class early or arrive late do not receive or get the material and simply won’t do as well as those students who were in class daily  from the beginning to the end. Likewise in Shul there are those who come late and or leave early. In mainstream classrooms students must sit at their place and not wander or walk around the room which may disturb other students or disrupt their own learnings so too in Shul. A person should focus more conscientiously by remaining within a certain radius of his Makom – his place. Being prepared for class makes learning smoother. A student must come prepared with his books, note books, pens, markers, pencils and the like. We need to come to Shul prepared to daven. That means wearing proper attire, using the correct prayer book and bringing anything else a person needs in order to pray. I must complement this scenario to doing school work at home and also davening at home. The proper setting must be present in order to achieve a modicum of success.

How do we measure up in our first progress report in Tefilla? It is interesting to note that the atmosphere of prayer is an extremely important component of the success of our davening. This can be found in the very beginning of this week’s parsha Toldos.

In Bereishis 25:22, the Torah describes Rivka’s pregnancy. Rashi informs us that Rivka felt turmoil in her womb, explaining that when she passed a house of idolatry, Esav tried to get out, and when she passed by a house of Hashem, Yakov tried to get out.  My father-in-law Reb Tzvi Rosen, Y”BL, pointed out an insightful comment made by Rav Zalman Sorotzkin in his commentary Aznayim L’Torah. Rav Sorotzkin quotes Midrash Rabbah 63:6 and contrasts the reactions of Rivka based upon the movements of Esav and Yakov. The Midrash states: “B’Shaa Shehayisa Omedes al Batei Knessios u’Batei Medrashos Yakov M’farches LaTzeis, u’B’Shaa Shehayisa Overes al Batei Avodas Kochavim Esav Ratz U’M’farches LaTzeis”. “At the time Rivka STOOD at A Shul or Beit Midrash, Yakov struggled to get out. When Rivka PASSED by a house of idolatry, the Esav struggled to get out”. The nuance teaches us that Rivka, the righteous woman that she was, would never just stand in front of a place of idolatry.  She would move quickly away from it. In contrast, when Rivka came to a holy place, she just wouldn’t pass by.  She would  stop and take it all in. Therefore, as Rivka passed the house of idolatry Esav needed to ‘run’ back to it. The word ‘Ratz’, to run, only appears when referring to Esav but not when referring to Yakov because Rivka stood there, allowing Yakov just to want to go out but had no need to run anywhere.

We could derive from this Midrash and its explanation that the world is a place of purity and holiness. If one would just stand still, he  would feel the Kedusha and soak it in with no reason to chase it. Tum’ah, impurity and sin, are negatives that we somehow create. Even after we’ve passed it we need to run back to it. When it comes to learning, davening, performing acts of kindness and all mitzvos, they usually are right in front of us. It is the sins and the actions that we should not be performing which we tend to seek out and chase after. We should learn from Rivka that when we find ourselves in a place where we don’t belong we should pass by as quickly as possible, and when we end up in a good place we should just stand and not move, perhaps even  take a seat and make this good place more permanent. 

When davening we create a meeting between us and Hashem and maintain kedusha and spirituality right there in front of us. There is no need to disrupt it by getting up and chasing some frivolous moment that breaks the connection we have with Hashem. Let us remember what the grade in davening at home, in Shul or on the road entails. 

P.S.

This dvar Torah only applies to those who value a good education. So how well did you do on your progress report?

Ah Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky