ESSENTIAL FOR EDUCATION

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

Mazal Tov Medel (Kehaty) on your birthday this coming week. Wishing you much success in both gashmius and ruchnius , all with much joy! And success with education.

This week's Sedra is Emor.

Emor means saying.

In a Sicha of the Rebbe he explains as follows:

In Torah when the word emor is used it implies SOFT SPEECH - here message is tailored, reflecting full consciousness of its intended recipient.

In contrast, when the word daber is used in Torah, this also means speaking, but it implies HARD SPEECH - straightforward and precise.

In our first verse of the Sedra, emor is said twice and Rashi comments that this is referring not only to saying but also to EDUCATING

The implication is that EDUCATION IN ALL IT'S CONTEXTS, MUST BE CARRIED OUT PRIMARILY WITH SOFT SPEECH

Furthermore the double expression of emor, is teaching us that if we want our education to be successful there has to be A LOT OF TALKING.

Even though the Mishneh says 'say little and do much', and 'I did not find anything better for the body than silence.' - it should not prevent us from using speech fully in education. Keeping these mishnayos in mind will help us avoid unnecessary repetition of our speech when educating!

Essentially, soft speech is PRAISING the student.

All our potential students possess infinite latent good, and by praising, we draw out these positive qualities, thus allowing them to actualize their potential.

This does not mean that we should ignore honest and objective assessment of the pupils shortcomings and failings.

However we should try and give them the benefit of the doubt, that their misdeeds have come about from the circumstances of their life.

Where education fails, it is due to the educator having not praised enough with soft speech!

We need to take responsibility.

Gut Shabbos to all!