Besides being the Rebbe’s chief mazkir and head of Chabad’s central mosdos, Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Aizik Chodakov was an exceptional educator and pedagogue. In honor of his yahrzeit, we share with you a note his family recently discovered.
By Anash.org writer
Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Aizik Chodakov was an exceptional educator and pedagogue credited with many significant successes in the field of education. He was the head of the Rebbe’s Mazkirus, director of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, Machne Israel, Kehos Publishing Society, and chairman of Agudas Chasidei Chabad.
As a master pedagogue, education was the central focus of his life and work. He dedicated himself to it with tremendous zeal throughout his long life. At just 18 years old, he was appointed principal of the “Torah V’Derech Eretz” school in Riga, Latvia. Later, at the age of 32, he served as an inspector of Jewish schools on behalf of the Latvian Ministry.
In 5700 (1940), he resettled in the United States as part of the Frierdiker Rebbe’s official entourage, and in 5702 (1942), he was appointed as director of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch.
The Rebbeim placed trust in him with matters of chinuch, as the Frierdiker Rebbe writes (letter #2450): “[Regarding] all of these [curricula], and which books to use, you should ask Rabbi Chadakov, who is a professional in this field and a yirei Shomayim whom I trust; without him, you should not decide anything on these subjects…”
In honor of his yahrzeit, we share with you a note his family recently discovered.
In a letter received by Merkos in 5751 (1990), dated 7 Menachem Av, the writer reported that a Kriah curriculum printed with permission from Merkos, teaches Alef-Beis and Nekudos as sounds before being combined together. The writer asked Merkos why permission was granted for this curriculum, as it teaches something that is not true, since the nekudos on their own do not make sounds.
On the envelope, Rabbi Chadakov wrote a note to the staff at Merkos in Hebrew:
Urgent. To those responsible at Kehos publication. Please verify the enclosed issue, correct it appropriately, and inform me what was done regarding this.
*
Mrs. Chaya Kramer, daughter of Rabbi Chadakov , shared a related experience from her time as a student at Beis Rivkah Seminary.
A “Kriah professional” with many years of experience was teaching reading to give lessons on how to teach Kriah. This teacher instructed the students to teach the children the nekudos by claiming that the nekudos have sounds, indicating that the Komatz vowel on its own makes the sound “Uh” (not as “Komatz Alef Uh,” but by itself), Patach corresponds to “Ah,” etc.
In the evening, Mrs. Kramer shared what she had learned with her father. Rabbi Chadakov then explained to her how the nekudos don’t have sounds and that it is inaccurate to teach children that they do.
He elaborated that a complete sefer can consist of only letters without nekudos, and it can still be read. However, if one were to provide only nekudos without the letters, it would not be readable. For instance, a Komatz on its own before a Vais cannot be read it as “אָב.” Teaching that nekudos have sounds is imparting false information. It’s not only necessary for us to teach using the method of “Komatz Alef Au,” but we must not mislead them to believe that the nekudos themselves have sounds.
The following week, when the teacher returned, the young Mrs. Kramer spoke up in class, presenting the arguments her father had provided her with. A heated debate ensued as to whether nekudos have sounds or not.
After the lesson, Rabbi Yaakov Majeski A”H, the principal of Beis Rivkah at the time, called her over and said that he had been listening to the classroom discussion – he could hear it from his office next door – and he agreed with her position. Although supporting a student in such debates was unusual for him, this was an important educational issue, and it was crucial to uphold the truth in teaching Torah.
That teacher never returned to Beis Rivkah again. While no reason was given, it was clear to the students why.
The next time Rabbi Sholom Ber Gordon A”H, who taught in the Seminary, instructed the class, he dedicated much time to explaining to the students that nekudos do not have sounds and emphasized the importance of teaching sounds only in conjunction with letters, “Komatz Alef Uh” and “Patach Alef Ah,” etc.
Rabbi chadakov was an excellent Mechanech.
The nekudois on their own don’t have sounds.
With that, how to teach keriah today,is another story.
It has already been discussed extensively ,and Rabbanim clearly stated about if teaching sounds is ok, answers from the Rebbe supporting the sounds also have been posted.
This article is taking one side.
It would be justice to present the whole story and what the Rabbanim wrote on this.
Are you sure the Rabbanim were speaking about Nekudos, and not letters? Is there a difference. From the story “He elaborated that a complete sefer can consist of only letters without nekudos, and it can still be read. However, if one were to provide only nekudos without the letters, it would not be readable.” it sounds like there is a difference.
Can you share a link please?
To the Rabbonim’s stance on the matter that you mention, as well as where the Rebbe’s answer that supports that Nekudos on their own have sounds?
Thank you for writing about this very important issue.
While my children all learned komatz alef aw,
their children (same yeshiva) are not.
This is destroying our mesorah.
I have heard that the change was because some children were having learning difficulties.
So instead of taking those children and giving them extra help, all children have to suffer and not learn the proper way.
Let’s go back to the torah way of teaching
Although in practice, it could be reasoned that nikudos or letters (like the גוף and נשמה) can not exist one without the other, nevertheless, letters and nikudos each have their own distinct “movement” or sound. For the sake of chinuch, one is allowed to teach these sounds as units of learning by themselves. This issue has already been debated, and subsequent rulings have been passed down by the Crown Heights Beis Din on this matter.
There was no Psak from Crown Heights Beis Din or any Rov on this matter. Just some Rabbonim expressed their opinion which is not Psak.
In fact, Rabbi Osdoba signed two letters stating he doesn’t agree to teaching sounds, and Rabbi Braun supported the notion of teaching sounds.
Rabbi Osdoba Shlit”a senior Rov of the Ch Beis Din signed two letters stating he doesn’t agree to teaching sounds, it was solely Rabbi Braun Shlit”a from the CH Beis Din that signed he endorses teaching sounds.
Why would today be different? Teaching Alef-Beis is teaching Torah (זאת התורה לא תהא מוחלפת) and Yiras Shamayim—why would today be different from how it was taught for generations and according to our Rabbeim’s directives?
Yes, but it has been misleading to portray an answer from the Rebbe as if it were an endorsement to teach sounds in Cheder.
What happened was the Rebbe wrote a thank you note for the gift of a kria book littered with alphabet. I cant understand how that gesture had been pulled and twisted into the likeness of an “endorsment” supporting the idea that its okay to use those greek letters in Cheder. That would go against everything he taught about the importance of Taharas HaKodesh.
The rebbe told many times that mihnag beis harav was to not give haskamos to the hundereds of books he was gifted. Even when he was “magiah”, such as Rav. Weinberg’s Lessons in Tanya, he was merely proofreading for gross errors but never intended to take responsibility for it’s authership or content. The content in LIT belongs to Rav Weinberg, not the Rebbe. Haga’a doesnt make it his. Even if you have an explicit Ksav Yad, a thank you note should never be twisted into an endorsement.
This is very true, and can be proven from the Rebbe’s Brocha to Weinbaum for Lamdeini.
In his interview with JEM, Rabbi Weinbaum relates that the Rebbe told him not to put pictures of non-kosher animals in his Kriah book.
Well, if you open his book there are unfortunately pictures of non-kosher animals, and nevertheless, the Rebbe gave him a Brocha.
Would it be logical that Brocha was endorsing the fact that the book didn’t follow the Rebbe’s clear directive not to have non-Kosher animals, and that all children’s books should have non-kosher animals?!
As related in the JEM interview by Rabbi Weinbaum, the Rebbe didn’t even open the book before giving the Brocha.
Therefore, in no way can one say that the Brocha was of any sort of Haskoma.
For the sake of accuracy, I don’t think anyone said that today is different, and I don’t think anyone would ever say that. I think the discussion was about what is the exact Mesorah.
This article omits a crucial piece of information.
The article brings a letter received by Merkos in 5751 about a “curriculum printed with permission from Merkos” in which the writer expresses his disappointment with what he calls mistakes. “The book explains that the א’ never makes a sound (page 1) and the נקדות are explained as having sounds. Which is absolutely incorrect” upon which Rabbi Chadakov A”H instructed the staff at Merkos to investigate the issue and correct it.
The article omits the fact that the curriculum the writer of the letter was referring to is the book למדני. This book was published by direct request of the Rebbe, and when the Rebbe received the completed book, the Rebbe responded “תשואת חן תשואת חן, מאור עיניים”.
The pictures in this book are clearly related to the sounds of both the Alef Beis and the Nekudos. The first picture on page 1 in the book starts off with “א – Alef never makes a sound”, with the larger part of the page being a picture of “Esther-Alef hides shyly behind a tree” – which is the very concern raised by the writer of the letter – that it is technically incorrect according to Dikduk and the structure of Lashon Kodesh. Yet the Rebbe not only gave his blessing for the book, but also expressed satisfaction with the pictures by adding מאור עיניים. (Per the author, he also merited to receive Horaos from the Rebbe regarding the pictures such as instructing not to include non-kosher animals – this was before the Rebbe spoke about that publicly).
[It is worth noting that there are at least two other known books-curriculums which were shown to the Rebbe and received the Rebbe’s brachos that teach sounds of Nekudos, with one of them also teaching that Alef is silent, unlike the other letters.
The book לשון נפשי teaches the sounds of both the letters and the Nekudos. The sound listed for Alef and Ayin is “silent”. The sounds of the Nekudos are listed as Aw, Ah, Ay etc. The book is printed with a letter from the Rebbe sent upon receipt of the book in which the Rebbe gives his blessings including acknowledgment of receipt and appreciation of the work with the phrase ות”ח ודבר בעתו.
The curriculum מאות לאות was created by Reshes Oholei YY with ongoing correspondence and guidance from the Mazkirus and received the Rebbe’s blessing. This curriculum also ensures that students learn the sounds of the Nekudos (obviously in line with our Mesorah- only after teaching the names)].
Interesting if in fact this is referring to Lamdeini. Maybe the commenter didn’t hear that the author of Lamdeini publicly stated that the point of his curriculum was NOT to TEACH sound.
It’s here in this link https://anash.org/lamdeini-does-not-teach-kriah-with-phonetics/
The author of Lamdeini says this statement verbally many times to those who know him.
In the last line of this comment, the commenter writes “(obviously in line with our Mesorah- only after teaching the names)”.
Maybe he can explain why, based on the מאות לאות and לשון נפשי, it is so obvious that one needs to teach the names of the letters and Nekudos?!
In the מאות לאות curriculum, there is NOWHERE a mention of teaching the NAMES of the LETTERS and the NEKUDOS. It’s purely based on sounds. Nevertheless, the Rebbe gave his Berocha in writing to it. (same for לשון נפשי)
Based on your logic, quote “When the Rebbe received the completed book, the Rebbe responded, “תשואת חן תשואת חן” “, means it’s Kosher, and all should use it and follow its methods. We should all follow the methods of מאות לאות and לשון נפשי and NOT teach the names of the letters and the Nekudos?!
Obviously, even according to you, the Rebbe’s Brocha doesn’t apply a Haskoma and a Horah for all to learn from.
Therefore, we should not be פוסע על שתי סעיפים taking from these books what fits our narrative, discarding the rest; rather, these books shouldn’t be brought at all into the discussion of how we teach our children, period.
Be a little more careful about what you write, it does say to teach the names of the letters!
It doesn’t mention in either of those curricula about saying Komatz-Alef-Au! just mentions Phonics.
So your point is there, just get your facts right.
The answer of the Rebbe was to a mossad that presented a detailed plan to teach keriah, which was, the letters, names and sounds,
Nekudois, names and sounds,
The Rebbe answered in the affirmative.
If someone has a link to that would be appreciated.
For the same reason we use smart boards, use work sheets, and have the talmidim see videos of the Rebbe. These were also not done in previous generations!
https://anash.org/rabbonim-express-view-on-sounds-in-kriah/
The letter of Rabbonim relies on verbal answers to Rabbi Weinbaum and that the Reshet spoke to Mazkirus. Concluding that not teaching sounds is some new hoax.
But maybe based on this new information, which is in WRITING from Rabbi Chadokov, with clear testimony from him and Rabbis Majesky and SB Gordon.
Maybe the above statement would be reversed, as we see evidently that the idea of not teaching sounds existed already for decades and from Chashuve and respected Mechanchim.
Read an article put out my Rabbi Altein from Winnipeg, where he says that the Nekudos DO have a “pure sound” to them ( the Alef ) … pure sound of Kumatz is uh…
Regarding Rabbi Altien’s article, it’s to note that it has been heavily disputed, and there is no probably no greater proof to this than the fact that the Rabbonim did NOT use his sources.
Other than this, I don’t think that anyone has yet claimed to have found a source to the usage of phonics. The discussion is solely about Mesorah whether phonics were used in the past to COMPLIMENT the regular reading of Osios and Nekudus by name.
Chadarim never used “worksheets”, never employed databases with student grades, nor administrators to or IT departments to oversee paper mills. Nor 30+ students per class. There were no paper mills printing exam sheets. Rather there were max 7 students and a picnic table and a melamed who actually remembered precisely where each of his students were holding. The small scale and simplicity is why it worked. The Yeshiva factories of today uses lots of worksheets and curriculums and sophisticated addendums to those corriculums yet todays students struggle. go figure.
A) Mesora means – Tradition. How did they teach back in the day in Russia? The answer: Rabbis YB a”h Raices, Rabbi AY a”h Schwei and להבדיל בחל”ח – Rabbi Shmerl שיחי’ Roitblat testified that back in Russia, their Cheder NEVER taught with phonics.
B) The Rebbe says, that one must consult the “expert” in the field. For Israel’s security – the security experts. For medical questions – doctors. It follows that for Kriah, one should turn to the experts and senior Kriah teachers.
Rabbi YB Raices, Rabbi Katzen, Rabbi M Schwartz, all testify, that the children learn best without the new methods of phonics.
Rabi Netanel Ziss runs a large institution in Israel (ליבת הקריאה) to help poor readers become fluent readers, Rabbi Ziss says that in almost all the cases, the student was taught with phonics. In which case he begins with them from Alef Beis, Purely Al-Pi Mesora (NO phonics). And only then do they succeed in the skill of reading.
Rabbis Abenson and Zobin, of the leading experts in teaching Kriah decried loudly against using phonics in Yeshiva. They prove that it infiltrated the Yeshivos FROM THE GOYIM. The Goyim use phonics becase the Enslish Alphabet letters hardly ever sound like the letter. (ex. F Eff sounds like an E. versus Alef-Beis letters ALL sound like the letter is pronounced.
Here is a link to both articles.
https://tinyurl.com/Mesora-Kriah
here the Rebbe writes clearly that Nekudos should be read BY THEIR NAME
Igros Kodesh Vol. 1 page 188, the Rebbe explains the advantage of the Alef-Beis Chart as it has been printed by Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch (included in every Tehillas Hashem Siddur):
“We acknowledge the receipt of the Alef-Beis chart that you sent us. Amongst the differences between the Alef-Beis chart that was published by Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, versus the one you sent us, there is one fundamental difference, that the Nekudos (in our publication) are printed along with their names, Komatz, Patoch etc. Versus the other Alef Beis chart, which do not have the names, in which case, not only will the child never learn the true names of the Nekudos, but also, there is another problem, that the Nekudos will not be pronounced by themselves [as “Komatz” “Patach”], but rather, as if they are connected to letters [“Uh” “Ah”]. The extent and urgency of this matter, in regard to the child’s Chinuch Al Taharas HaKodesh, is self-understood.”.
Tshuas Chain effectively means thank you. Maor Einayim means that the book “illuminates the eyes”. That means that there were pictures in the book which have illuminated his eyes because they were colorful. That still does not mean “I endorse” the work.
forgot to mention:
also Rabbi Pinchus A”H Korf testified that in russia they never taught with phonics.
maybe in hungary and poland it was different.
but not in Chabad.
To date, on the one hand, no sources have been found to support the opinion of Oisios and Nekudos have each their own sounds, and no documented evidence has been found to support that phonics were ever taught.
On the other hand, sources leaning to the opposite are in abundance, and most recently sources have circulated how Reb Chaim Brisk, the Chazon Ish, Reb Eliyouh Dessler and many others (also from Hungary) expressed clearly their opposition to using phonics.
This isn’t a Lubavitcher thing anymore, it has now been proven to be a very widely accepted Charidisher Mesorah, leaning all to one direction only.
There is a published document from a research done in the 60’s, which reports how in all frumer chadorim without exception, chasidish, litvish, yekish, sefardish etc, only the traditional method of Kometz Alef Oh is being used, without phonics.
“Teach letters and nekudos separately. Of course, children should be taught the letters and the nekudos (vowels) separately, as it is known that Gedolei Yisrael and our Rebbes waged war over this, in order to ingrain in children the kedusha (holiness) of the letters and the kedusha of the nekudos.” Igros Kodesh vol. 8 pg. 82
Please post link so that everyone can see that report in this 1960s
Happy to share with anyone that would like.
Full page letters of many respected rabonnim in our community and Chabad at large that fully support and encourage the teaching of the sounds of the letters and the nekudos.
As well as the text of the curriculum that has the rebbes blessing and signature, which clearly shows regarding teaching sounds of both the letters and nekudos.
If you truly want to know, happy to point you in the direction where you can find clear examples and answers.
[email protected]
Iy”h at the right opportunity .
Children who succeed in kriah through kamatz alef uh alone do so because they have an innate grasp of the PHONICS behind it. They intuitively understand that each letter contributes the beginning sound of its name and that each nekudah contributes a consistent vowel sound. Without this understanding of the phonics, a child would essentially have to memorize over 300 letter-vowel combinations by rote, with no rhyme or reason.
The reason for teaching letter & nekuda sounds in addition to kamatz alef uh is that many children do not naturally grasp the phonics involved unless it is made explicit.
Whether phonics was formally taught in previous generations is irrelevant. If it wasn’t, it’s because children instinctively understood it. Today, if a teacher sees that teaching sounds helps students succeed in kriah—and there is no instruction from the Rabbeim against it (in the many letters and sichos concerning how kriah should or should not be taught) —then the teacher is not only permitted but obligated to use this tool to help children succeed.
Let’s make it clear: NO ONE is disputing the Rabbonim’s position. This isn’t and NEVER WAS part of the discussion.
The discussion is, what was the Mesorah in the past and what did our Rabbeim say etc. The Rabbonim’s position is surely based on good reasons, and NO ONE is interested in getting involved and saying differently. Nevertheless, knowing what the Mosorah is and what our Rabbein said, has great meaning and significance.and is something we all have right to know about and perhaps should know.
There is such an opinion, but there are those who dispute this and say it depends totally on the teacher and the skills that he or she is trained with and develops, and ultimately the Kometz Aleph Oh works far better.
But even according to their opinion, I agree the teachers skills is also a factor to be considered.
Quotes from an article by Rabbi Moshe Schwartz, master educator in the kamatz alef uh method:
“It happens that sometimes students need to start over again on page 10 of the sefer when they were already reading, with difficulty, on page 50. One boy started close to the beginning of the sefer four times during tutoring time, and also in his homework – and now he is reading.”
“There are so many different Aleph-Beis seforim available today… For a child that takes longer to learn, it’s great for them to be able to go through 2 or 3 of these seforim until they can read really well.”
These are the children who are not intuitively understanding the phonics behind kamatz alef uh, as their peers do.
What happens when these children don’t have a Rebbi who closely tracks their kriah progress—who starts over with them multiple times or goes through several kriah books? What if they grow discouraged by having to start over again and again, always lagging behind their classmates?
What if these children could instead be taught explicitly the skills needed for blending letters and nekudos —and succeed the first time, without having to keep going back to the beginning? (Granted, a challenged reader will likely still progress more slowly than his peers—but without the same frustration of repeated failure and starting over.)
Mesora has no more then a 3 step process. Phonics instill additional steps (4 or 5), intending to be helpful, but actually breaking the flow. Now students are forced to begin rote memorization of sounds which are to be associated with each named letter. And by the time the class reaches sounds of vowels, the young brain’s critical learning period will have expired.
The KAU process involves 3 steps: recognizing letters by their name. 2) recognizing vowels by their name. 3) self discovery – the highest for of learning – that 1 vowel naturally manipulates each of the 22 letters sounds. Obviously not fully solidified, but another round of patach and then segol should switch the bulb on.
This is where the smart logicians chime in. They want to explain the process in depth and with sophisticated reasoning so that the youngster can analyze and conclude how the code system works. By doing so, they add a step after letter recognition, which involves a few months of rote memorizing sounds which are associated with the letters. A teacher of this system explained to me that the student is not allowed to proceed to vowels until they pass an exam in which 100% of letter sounds have been memorized. Next stage, names of vowels, followed by their sounds again. A lot of explaining is done at this stage, because the young mind has never had any samples from which he could discern the fine contrast between phonic and vowel – unlike the traditional student who has long turned to page 2 of the siddur. Now he has to memorize vowels, and worse – some proponents of this method rob the child of the ability to associate name-tags to these vowels. (names are important for storage and retrieval into and out of memory). Again, the student is prohibited from progressing to page 2 until the teacher, principal, administrator, and consultant are %100 certain that this student has rote memorized and supposedly “understood” the rhymes associated with the nameless symbols. By this time a year has gone by. Finally, they are introduced to page 2 of the siddur.
This phonics method while it may work has been excessively complicated, unnecessarily drawn out, and most importantly misses the opportunity for the highest form of learning – self discovery. The sheer inefficiency of phonics tells of the sheer classroom inexperience of its designers.
The only reasonable but half-true point of the phonics proponents are that we do find that for some children traditional efficiency has failed to switch on the bulb. However, what makes you blame the method, have you considered that perhaps the child has never practiced 1 on 1 because he was just singing along “Patach Bais Bah” in a class of 30+ kids? Of course our factories are producing a percentage of defected products. The problem is not the method.
Learning requires efficiency. KAU was always a simple 1-2-3 process, and by interfering with that process you rob the mind of leaning that stays.
I dont mean to differ from the official guidance of our Rabbonim, to the religious aspect of phonics, or from its’ necessity regardless of mesora –
Just as someone who teaches and from speaking with other phonic melamdim I have learned that what they purposely wont tell you is how strainful and prolonged it is for the child to memorize all the sounds.
The sound solution sounds so perfect, yet in practice is very strenuous for a child, especially the challenged.
Seems very simple. Obviously, one must let the children know that the sound the nekuda makes, it can only say when there’s a letter on top of it.
That doesn’t negate the idea that students must know the sound that each nekuda brings when it is combined with the letter. Of course sounds of each letter and nekuda must be taught. It’s impossible to read without that knowledge.
If there’s an elephant in the room and you don’t tell anyone about it, does that mean the elephant is not there?
The above raises an honest point. I’ll share what I think after having spoken extensively with the founders of the phonics curriculum and one of its leading Rabbonim.
I think that if it’s just preschool arts and crafts you would be correct that adding sounds are indeed simple and it doesn’t really matter. But if its already pre1a and ability is becoming a concern, I think it may be time to take the path of less resistance.
Although knowledge should never be withheld – as us gifted tend to tour our young the marvels of HaShem’s world – I’m certain that as an experienced teacher you’ve also come to learn that sometimes, pointing things out, even if not mistakes, can actually be pausing to their reel. The reason is that anyone can show and tell. Anyone can be quick to correct mistakes. But the gifted strive to enable an environment where the discovery process can unfold, by itself.
Traditional KAU does just that. By easy familiarization with the Alef Beis – and always with positive praise, there’s no need be 100 percent, by the way – we effectively prepare or set up the child for success in their upcoming stage and page. And so long as we don’t encounter stagnation. At that place, the child is enabled to discover the pattern on his own. S/he will there have the advantage of contrast, which phonic instruction lacks.
Obviously there’ll be some prodding, and at times where we do the explaining / learning for the child, but those interferences are minimal and only when absolutely necessary. But purely rote instruction, though it does work, is spoon feeding, is passive, is prolonged. Most importantly it’s taxing. Excessive memorization makes things hard.
Hatzlacha.
Thanks for your reply. In my experience working with students, the students who have difficulty learning to read generally were not taught sounds. Many standard students, drop the last letter sound in closed syllable words as well. There is absolutely no reason to not teach sounds and the above letter is not a proof that we don’t teach sounds. The above letter simply tells us to let students know that the sound will be used when it’s combined with a letter. All the old timers learned sounds; in the last 15 years a new unheard of before concept of not teaching sounds, based on misinterpretation, came prevalent. Of course you teach with our mesorah. You also take the time to explain to the children where the sound of the letter comes from and where the sound of the nekuda comes from, when joined. You can certainly lead them to understand this concept, but ignoring it is not the answer.
With this newfound idea of not teaching sounds, comes the idea that little kids should memorize many configurations of letters, their joint sound, instead of learning the skills to figure it out themselves.
Learning phonics, is based on years of research of how children learn to read. This concept should not be discounted by anyone who doesn’t have a basic understanding of Literacy.
We have an unprecedented situation where so many kids don’t know how to read, largely because teachers have neglected to teach the skills involved in reading-including sounds.
See Igros Kodesh Vol 26, page 234. Excerpt: “Regarding the Mesorah method: if one is not successful with it, he should not draw a conclusion that it’s not a good method. But rather, examine himself, whether he understands how to use this method.. but should not add/introduce any new methods”| (free translation)
Regarding the illusion of “testimony” from teachers that Traditional KAU doesn’t work (see official letter) –
Firstly, realize that without the capacity to control variables there’s no evidence to their claim. One would need to compare two groups (Traditional-KAU vs Phonic-KAU) with the same number of participants and the same instructors. The amount of explanation provided in both groups would need to be quantified, given that this factor can vary extensively depending on the design of the particular curriculum. To my knowledge such a study has yet to be performed.
Second, the KAU method of old is not our Gemara method of old. Just because we were thrown into the sugya without a skillset, which is an ongoing problem with all yeshivos, there’s no reason the Rebbeyim’s Kamatz Aleph system has to take the punishment. Our preschools are not necessarily the same entities as our defunct Yeshivas. With a bit of introspection we discover we are actually “projecting” our frustrations from one external entity to another. Transposing the problem further back is just stretching a truth into a more familiar context. We hear what we want to. The stories we told our brains may not necessarily be the accurate truth.
If we allow our selves to be open to reality, we could experience the realization of the real reason for claims that preschoolers can’t read. Consider: when was the last time the parent sat with their child to read together? Many children weren’t taught anything to begin with – being shipped off to a factory that supposedly teaches via rote sing-along CD’s is not the way learning occurs. If nobody bothered to TEACH Traditional-KAU, that doesn’t mean that T-KAU is flawed. Lets stop projecting. The fault is not the method.
לכבוד הרב מאיר ראוונער שליט”א
אחדשה”ט. אחרי שדברנו בעניין לימוד אלף בית עם נקודות עם ילדים צעירי הצאן שיחיו
נהנתי במה שאתם עוסקים.
הנה ידוע לכולם שהמסורה הייתה ללמוד לימוד מלא קָ מָ ץ א לֶ ף אָ , קָ מָ ץ ֵּבית ָב,
ולדאבוננו היום יש הרבה שסרו מדרך המסורה וחושבים שהם יוצאים ידי חובה רק בלימוד
כמה ימים באופן המסורה וממהרים ללמד צלילי האותיות והנקודות, כי הם חושבים שכך
הילד יקרא יותר מהר ולמה צריך לנו כל האריכות, אבל צריך שידע כל מלמד דרדקי שלימוד
מלא הוא לימוד התורה האמיתי של הילדים הקטנים, שהם מצפצפים בקולם הנקי והטהור
הבל פיהם שאין בהם חטא, ועל זה אמרו חז”ל במדרש הקול קול יעקב שכשומעים במרום
את קול צפצופם של ילדי ישראל אין הידיים ידי עשו שולטים, וכך הילד בכל אות אומר שבע
צלילים קָ מָ ץ א לֶ ף אָ ואם מקצרים רק לומר א ביטלנו את כל ששה הצלילים מלימודם החביב
של הילדים שתורתם חביבה לפני המקום ב”ה, ואם גם בשלב השני כמה וכמה שבועות אחרי
שהורגלו בלימוד המלא והתחילו ללמוד רק צלילי הברות, ישנם כמה ילדים שעוד צריכים
לומר המילוי אומרים זאת בשקט, כי יש להם צורך עוד להתחזק וזוהי תורת צעירי הצאן,
ולפעמים יש ילד שיקח לו אריכות זמן לידע לומר רק צלילים, והרי גם אחרי שכל הילדים
יודעים כל הצלילים כגון באמצע השנה או בסופה, הרי יש חילוק והבדל עצום איך כל ילד
קורא, הרי כמה וכמה ילדים שצריכים לימוד פרטי גם אחרי ידיעת כל הצלילים וא”כ מה
הרווחנו למהר ללמוד צלילים ולבטל לימוד התורה החביב של תשב”ר, והעיקר סבלנות מצדנו
וזוהי תורתם העולה מעלה לנחת רוח לפני הבורא ית”ש, וגם יעקב אבינו אמר ואני התנהלה
לאיטי לרגל המלאכה אשר לפני ולרגל הילדים.
וברצוני להוסיף עוד נקודה יסודית, חז”ל הקדושים רצו שהילדים הטהורים ילמדו צלילי התורה
מתוך לימוד התורה להשרות בצלילים קדושה, ולא ע”י תמונה של כ דור ללמד צליל של כ ,
וצליל ס’ מתמונה של סוס וצליל של ב ‘ מתמונה של ב ית וצליל ט’ מתמונה של טרקטור, כי
ע”י לימוד המסורה הילד קונה קדושת הצלילים מתוך דברי תורה ולא מתוך דברי חול
והצלילים הקדושים נשארים עמהם לעולם מתוך התורה שלמד, ולא מתוך דברי חול של
בס”ד
תמונות, ובאמת יש תמונות שהם חפצי מצוה אתרוג תפילין וכו’ מ”מ רוב התמונות הם דברי
חול, וגם הילדים החלשים מתקשים מאוד לצרף הצליל לתחילת התמונה, כי דמיונם חזק על
התמונה ולא על תחילת המילה שהמלמד מנסה להסביר, משאין כן בלימוד המסורה הילדים
מתחברים חזק ובס”ד שהרי עוסקים בתורת ה’, והגם שיש תלמידים והם רק מיעוטא דמיעוטא
שצריך לילך עמהם בעצות שונים ע”י מורים פרטיים אבל מ”מ רובא דרובא בלימוד רבים
בכיתה מצליחים יפה מאוד בדרך המסורה לנו מדורות שלפנינו, שאל אביך ויגדך זקניך ויאמרו
לך, שכך למדו כל השנים בעבר, ולמה לנו לשנות מדרך המסורה לנו.
שמחתי מאוד לדבר עמכם על חשיבות תורת צעירי הצאן
באהבה מוקירכם משה ישעיהו קרענגיל
אשר בעזר השי”ת חברתי ספר הסלם וכרטיסי לימוד
וכארבעים שנים מלמד דרדקי בחו”ל ועתה בירושלים עיה”ק ת”ו
נ.ב. ראיתי דברי מורי ורבי שליט”א וכיהודא ועוד לקרא הנני מוסיף טיפה מן הים שיש לכתוב בזה.
ועיין רמב”ם הלכות סוכה פ”ד ה”ב היו לה שתי דפנות וכו’ כמין גם וכו’ וכתב רבינו מנוח שם כמין
גאם כלומר גימל יונית שהיא עשוי כדל”ת שלנו, ומה שאמרו רבותינו כמין גאם ולא אמרו כמין דל”ת,
שלא רצו לתאר לאותיות הקודש שום דבר של חול, וזה מהפלגת הגדולים קדושת התורה וכבודה
עכ”ל, ומי הוא אשר ישמע דברים אלו בגודל הפלגת קדושת אותיות תורתנו הק’ ויהין להעלות על
לבו לבטל ולגזול מתינוקות של בית רבן את שינון ואמירת האותיות הקדושים תוך כדי לימוד ההברות,
שמלבד עצם קדושת האותיות השורה עליהם בהוציאם אותם בפיהם כי חיים הם למוציאהם, עוד יש
בזה שמתקשר אצלם אמירת ההברות עם האותיות הקדושים וחודר למוחם ולליבם שצליל זה של א
הוא צלילו של ה א ל ף הקדוש כשהוא מצטרף עם הקמץ הקדוש, וידיעתו היא ידיעה אמיתית המיושבת
בלב ובמוח, ולא כתוכי )PARROT (המדבר , ומלבד עוצם הקדושה שבזה הרי כל דבר המתיישב על
הלב מתקיים יותר, והנסיון מורה שלאורך שנים קריאתם של ילדי ישראל שלמדו בדרך המסורה
רהוטה יותר וברורה יותר.
יוסף רוטשטיין ירושלים תובב”א
בית המדרש אוהל שרה לאה
From which sefer does this come from?