Talmudic Times
A great teacher sits at a long table in his yeshiva, preparing to give a teaching. At the table sit his senior students, the closer they sit to their teacher the more senior they are. Those of his students who are most junior sit around the outside of the room, against the wall. The students are diverse and come from many a distant land and as a result a number of languages and faces sit in the room.
The teacher is bidding farewell to one of his students, who is about to journey to a distant and foreign land. This student had only been at the yeshiva for a short time, yet had proved themself to be able, and to have the makings of a great scholar and teacher.
As the teacher bids farewell to his senior student he makes a remark about the distant land that employed the use of a stereotypical accent of this land. Two of the teachers junior students are indeed from this place, although they have lived in the teachers court for a great deal of time. The majority of the senior students seated at the table laughed - except for one.
One of the senior students finds the comment, and in particular the use of a non-complimentary portrayal of this land to be inconsistent with the yeshiva, and in particular to have the potential to cause the junior students to feel pain and upset.
In a moment of shock the student leans to speak to the teacher, and reminds him that there are indeed students from that distant land right there in the room, and that this kind of speech is inconsistent with the great yeshiva, and the teaching that it tries to impart.
The teacher rebukes the student - not the first time - and chastises him for his zeal.
Who did the greater wrong?
The teacher, Who spoke without thought, and in doing so could sully the reputation of both himself and the yeshiva?
The senior student, Who rebuked his teacher, and in front of his fellow students?
Who caused the greater hurt?
The teacher, who could have hurt his own students?
The senior student, who - without thinking - brought attention to the short coming's of himself, and his teacher?
How is this best resolved? Does the student apologize to his teacher, and accept the rebuke of his teacher in silence, knowing that he should bend his will? Does the student justify his speaking out of turn as being the result of shock and disbelief that his teacher can indeed be unthinking, and at the very least, human?
Or does the student just say nothing, and let the sleeping dog slumber on?
The teacher is bidding farewell to one of his students, who is about to journey to a distant and foreign land. This student had only been at the yeshiva for a short time, yet had proved themself to be able, and to have the makings of a great scholar and teacher.
As the teacher bids farewell to his senior student he makes a remark about the distant land that employed the use of a stereotypical accent of this land. Two of the teachers junior students are indeed from this place, although they have lived in the teachers court for a great deal of time. The majority of the senior students seated at the table laughed - except for one.
One of the senior students finds the comment, and in particular the use of a non-complimentary portrayal of this land to be inconsistent with the yeshiva, and in particular to have the potential to cause the junior students to feel pain and upset.
In a moment of shock the student leans to speak to the teacher, and reminds him that there are indeed students from that distant land right there in the room, and that this kind of speech is inconsistent with the great yeshiva, and the teaching that it tries to impart.
The teacher rebukes the student - not the first time - and chastises him for his zeal.
Who did the greater wrong?
The teacher, Who spoke without thought, and in doing so could sully the reputation of both himself and the yeshiva?
The senior student, Who rebuked his teacher, and in front of his fellow students?
Who caused the greater hurt?
The teacher, who could have hurt his own students?
The senior student, who - without thinking - brought attention to the short coming's of himself, and his teacher?
How is this best resolved? Does the student apologize to his teacher, and accept the rebuke of his teacher in silence, knowing that he should bend his will? Does the student justify his speaking out of turn as being the result of shock and disbelief that his teacher can indeed be unthinking, and at the very least, human?
Or does the student just say nothing, and let the sleeping dog slumber on?
posted by simpletruths at 16:04
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