הלכות תלמוד תורה ד׳Torah Study 4

Halacha 1א׳

אֵין מְלַמְּדִין תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא לְתַלְמִיד הָגוּן נָאֶה בְּמַעֲשָׂיו. אוֹ לְתָם. אֲבָל אִם הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ לֹא טוֹבָה מַחְזִירִין אוֹתוֹ לַמּוּטָב וּמַנְהִיגִין אוֹתוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה וּבוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַכְנִיסִין אוֹתוֹ לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וּמְלַמְּדִין אוֹתוֹ. אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים כָּל הַשּׁוֹנֶה לְתַלְמִיד שֶׁאֵינוֹ הָגוּן כְּאִלּוּ זָרַק אֶבֶן לְמַרְקוּלִיס שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי כו ח) "כִּצְרוֹר אֶבֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָה כֵּן נוֹתֵן לִכְסִיל כָּבוֹד". וְאֵין כָּבוֹד אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ג לה) "כָּבוֹד חֲכָמִים יִנְחָלוּ". וְכֵן הָרַב שֶׁאֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ טוֹבָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁחָכָם גָּדוֹל הוּא וְכָל הָעָם צְרִיכִין לוֹ אֵין מִתְלַמְּדִין מִמֶּנּוּ עַד שׁוּבוֹ לַמּוּטָב. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ב ז) "כִּי שִׂפְתֵי כֹהֵן יִשְׁמְרוּ דַעַת וְתוֹרָה יְבַקְשׁוּ מִפִּיהוּ כִּי מַלְאַךְ ה' צְבָאוֹת הוּא". אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים אִם הָרַב דּוֹמֶה לְמַלְאַךְ ה' צְבָאוֹת תּוֹרָה יְבַקְּשׁוּ מִפִּיהוּ אִם לָאו אַל יְבַקְּשׁוּ תּוֹרָה מִפִּיהוּ:

Torah should only be taught to a worthy pupil whose conduct is exemplary or whose disposition is simple. One however who walks in a way that is not good should first be reclaimed, trained in the right way and tested (as to his sincerity); then he is admitted into the Beth Hamidrash (College) and given instruction. The sages say: "To teach a pupil who is unworthy is like casting a stone to Mercury (the idol), as it is said, "As one puts a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool"** The stone does not stay long in the sling; it is soon shot out, so honour given to a fool does not stay long with him. (Prov. 26:8). There is no honour but the Torah, as it is said, "The wise shall inherit honour" (Prov. 3:35). So too, if a teacher does not walk in the right way—even if he is a great scholar and all the people are in need of him—instruction is not to be received from him till he reforms; as it is said, "For the priest's lips shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts" (Mal. 2:7). Our sages applied this text thus: "If the teacher is like an angel of the Lord of Hosts, they may seek the Law from his mouth. But if he is not, then they shall not seek the Law from his mouth."

Halacha 2ב׳

כֵּיצַד מְלַמְּדִים. הָרַב יוֹשֵׁב בָּרֹאשׁ וְהַתַּלְמִידִים מֻקָּפִים לְפָנָיו כַּעֲטָרָה כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהוּ כֻּלָּם רוֹאִים הָרַב וְשׁוֹמְעִים דְּבָרָיו. וְלֹא יֵשֵׁב הָרַב עַל הַכִּסֵּא וְתַלְמִידָיו עַל הַקַּרְקַע אֶלָּא אוֹ הַכּל עַל הָאָרֶץ אוֹ הַכּל עַל הַכִּסְאוֹת. וּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיָה הָרַב יוֹשֵׁב וְהַתַּלְמִידִים עוֹמְדִים וּמִקֹּדֶם חֻרְבַּן בַּיִת שֵׁנִי נָהֲגוּ הַכּל לְלַמֵּד לַתַּלְמִידִים וְהֵם יוֹשְׁבִים:

How is instruction to be imparted ? The teacher is seated in the schoolroom facing the class, with the pupils around him like a crown, so that they can all see him and hear his words. The teacher is not to sit on a stool while his pupils are seated on the floor. Either all sit on the floor, or all on stools. Formerly the teacher used to be seated, while the pupils stood. But before the destruction of the Second Temple, it already had become the universal custom that pupils, while being taught, should be seated.

Halacha 3ג׳

אִם הָיָה מְלַמֵּד מִפִּיו לַתַּלְמִידִים מְלַמֵּד. וְאִם הָיָה מְלַמֵּד עַל פִּי מְתַרְגֵּם [הַמְתַרְגֵּם] עוֹמֵד בֵּינוֹ וּבֵין הַתַּלְמִידִים וְהָרַב אוֹמֵר לַמְתַרְגֵּם וְהַמְתַרְגֵּם מַשְׁמִיעַ לְכָל הַתַּלְמִידִים. וּכְשֶׁהֵם שׁוֹאֲלִין לַמְתַרְגֵּם הוּא שׁוֹאֵל לָרַב וְהָרַב מֵשִׁיב לַמְתַרְגֵּם וְהַמְתַרְגֵּם מֵשִׁיב לַשּׁוֹאֵל. וְלֹא יַגְבִּיהַּ הָרַב קוֹלוֹ יוֹתֵר מִקּוֹל הַמְתַרְגֵּם. וְלֹא יַגְבִּיהַּ הַמְתַרְגֵּם קוֹלוֹ בְּעֵת שֶׁשּׁוֹאֵל אֶת הָרַב יוֹתֵר מִקּוֹל הָרַב. אֵין הַמְתַרְגֵּם רַשַּׁאי לֹא לִפְחֹת וְלֹא לְהוֹסִיף וְלֹא לְשַׁנּוֹת אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיָה הַמְתֻרְגְּמָן אָבִיו שֶׁל חָכָם אוֹ רַבּוֹ. אוֹמֵר הָרַב לַמְתֻרְגְּמָן כָּךְ אָמַר לִי רַבִּי אוֹ כָּךְ אָמַר לִי אַבָּא מָרִי. וּכְשֶׁאוֹמֵר הַמְתֻרְגְּמָן הַדְּבָרִים לָעָם אוֹמֵר בְּשֵׁם הֶחָכָם וּמַזְכִּיר שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל אֲבִי הָרַב אוֹ שֶׁל רַבּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר כָּךְ אָמַר רַבָּנָא פְּלוֹנִי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הִזְכִּיר הָרַב שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל חָכָם. שֶׁאָסוּר לִקְרוֹת לְרַבּוֹ אוֹ לְאָבִיו בִּשְׁמוֹ:

If it was his custom to teach the pupils personally, he may do so. If however, he taught through a Meturgeman (an interpreter), the latter stands between him and his pupils. The teacher addresses the interpreter, who declaims what he has just heard to all the pupils. And when they put questions to the interpreter, he asks the teacher. The teacher replies to the interpreter who addresses the answer to the one who put the question. The teacher should not raise his voice above the interpreter's voice. Nor should the latter raise his voice above that of the teacher, when he addresses a question to him. The interpreter may not detract aught from the teacher's words, nor add to them nor vary them—unless he is the teacher's father or instructor. In addressing the interpreter, the teacher uses the introductory formula: "Thus my revered preceptor said to me" or "Thus my revered father said to me". But when the interpreter repeats the words to the listener, he recites them in the name of the sage quoted, and mentions the name if he were the teacher's father or teacher, and says "Thus said our Master so-and-so" (naming him). He does so, even if the teacher abstained from naming the sage on the ground that it is forbidden to mention one's teacher or father by name.