Following the article by Mrs. Gillie Shanowitz on our teen’s thirst for strong values and the truth, we share with you a pertinent letter from the Frierdiker Rebbe to American educators, urging them to rethink their attitude in education and what will happen if they don’t.
By Anash.org editor
Following the article by Mrs. Gillie Shanowitz on our teen’s thirst for strong values and the truth, we share with you a relevant letter from the Frierdiker Rebbe to American educators. In this letter, the Frierdiker Rebbe reiterates his famous line that “America iz nisht andersh” (America is no different), and that the youth want the full truth, not a watered-down Yiddishkeit.
The letter was published at the beginning of Kuntres Eitz Hachaim and Kuntres Ha’avoda which were published at that time (5706/1946). The Frierdiker Rebbe called upon educators to rethink their attitude in education and to recognize their responsibility in impacting their students for life.
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The Frierdiker Rebbe’s letter:
I hereby present manuscripts – of my father, the holy Rebbe, of blessed memory, – known as Kuntres Eitz Hachaim and Kuntres Ha’avoda, for the purpose of publishing and disseminating them…
The words of the tzaddikim live and stand strong forever. Hence, all that is said in the above kuntreisim is a living Torah and a directive for all Jews, especially yeshivah students.
I have stated my opinion several times that the saying “America is different” – thereby excusing oneself in matters of Torah, mitzvos and yiras shamayim – is an absolute fallacy. Especially, concerning the youth of this country, and particularly the students and graduates of the yeshivos, they are open to every word that comes from the heart with G‑d‑fearing inspiration and the strengthening the Torah and Yiddishkeit.
There are those who deceive themselves, saying, “In order to draw the youth near to Torah and mitzvos, we must sing their praises and refrain from any word of rebuke, warning, and demand.” However, the truth is just the opposite, for then the listener feels he is being spoken to with glossed lips and words of empty flattery. Not with this path of falsehood will they be drawn near to our Torah.
There will come a time, when the young generation will bring a claim against all its leaders and especially to the yeshiva faculties and their deans, saying:
“Why didn’t you rebuke us for our ways?
“Why didn’t you tell us the truth, the truth of the Torah, in its entirety?
“Why didn’t you instruct us on the way to live in day-to-day life, by telling us:
“How we should daven every day before our Father, the King of Kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He,
“How we should study His Torah, and as we have been commanded – ‘With awe and fear, with trembling and tremor’,
“How we should fulfill His mitzvos, and as we have been commanded ‘With joy and gladness of heart’ which is a vast service.”
What will we say, and how will we justify ourselves on that day?
We, all, and the yeshivah faculties especially, must organize our work, especially in adjusting the yeshivos’ curriculums and policies of decorum, so that the yeshivos will not just be a place that teaches how to be a lamdan, Rov, Ra”m (teacher in yeshivah), or similar, but that the yeshivah should be where they educate the student to be a complete Yid, whole in body (mitzvos), in soul (tefilla), and in Torah….
Seeking their welfare and blessing them,
Yosef Yitzchak
I often have seen letters where the Rebbe describes the softness of children these days and how they must be treated very carefully and gently.
Could their be a difference between the generation in Russia (with mesiras nefesh) and the generation in America?
one doesn’t have a right to quote the rebbe, especially if its against the grain of everything he said on the topic, without a source.
Literally the Rebbeim answered us years ago and no one listened… or is listening…
EXCELLENT LETTER OF THE FRIERDIKE REBBE!
THANKS FOR POSTING!
MAYBE THE PARENTS OF TODAY WILL TAKE NOTICE OF HOW TO RAISE CHILDREN!
STOP WITH THE “CAN’T TELL MY CHILD WHAT TO DO”
“IT WILL TURN HIM OFF FROM YIDDISHKEIT’!
JUST THE OPPOSITE: CHILDREN ARE THIRSTING TO KNOW RIGHT FROM WRONG!
WHERE SHOULD THEY LEARN IT ? FROM THE AIR !!
WE ARE NOT TELLING YOU TO CLOBBER YOUR CHILD.
JUST DIRECT THEM IN THE TORAH WAY!
MAKE THEM FEEL PROUD TO BE A PRACTICING YID!
MAKE THEM FEEL PROUD TO BE A CHOSID OF OUR BELOVED REBBE!!
In case you missed the memo, let it be known that when you write in all caps (LIKE THIS), which usually comes from ‘talking in all caps’, people do indeed feel like they are being clobbered.
“JUST DIRECT THEM IN THE TORAH WAY!” in all caps sounds clobbering.
This letter was written in America to American educators!
There are also many letters and sichos from our Rebbe about the importance of showing strong leadership and how youth in America want a challenge! (See farbrengen of Yud Tes Kislev 5731 and 5728)
הייתי הרבה אצל פארברענגען של הרבי לא הבנתי הרבה אבל דבר אחד מונח בזכרוני האיך שהי’ מבטא המלה “גוייאשקייט “שמאופן הביטוי הי’ די שימאס אצל האדם כל ענין גוייאשקייט אינו מובן וואס איז געשעהן
I don’t think you need to be a big scholar to know that. When reading the Rebbes letters and learning the Rebbes sichos, we see the Rebbes approach. The Rebbe’s approach was more yemin mekareves than smol doche. The Moshe of each generation leads his generation according to what their mission is and what they need to fulfill their mission.