From my archives....
In Parshas Beshalach we read about the war against Amalek. Moshe says to his student Yehoshua בחר לנו אנשים choose people for us [to wage war]. Chazal were sensitive to Moshe's phraseology. He SHOULD have said בחר לי choose for me. Moshe was in charge and Yehoshua was working for him. So why did he say לנו?
From here we learn a lesson for life. A Rebbe must hold the honor of his student as dear as his own honor. Moshe wanted to honor [or "honour" if he was a Brit. Indeed the rabbis say that he was born with a brit....] Yehoshua by equating the two of them. בחר לנו.
Maran HaRav Hutner [Pachad Yitzchak Purim Maamar 18] wonders why specifically at this point in time we learn the lesson that a Rebbe must accord honor to his student. If the context in which we learn this lesson is the war against Amalek then there must be some connection between the two.
We are going deep. Get your snorkelers.....
What is Amalek really fighting against? The pasuk says מלחמה להשם בעמלק מדר דר. They are fighting against the "dor dor" - the link between generations. They want to sever the connection between father and son, Rebbe and student [a Rebbe has the status of a father to his students as the gemara says ושננתם לבניך אלו תלמידך - "You must teach your sons" this is a reference to your students]. The exile is couched in the Torah in terms of years - 400 years. The redemption is couched in terms of GENERATIONS, ודור רביעי ישובו הנה - the fourth generations will return here [to Israel]. Redemption is achieved when the generations are connected. About the end of days it says והשיב לב אבות על בנים ולב בנים על אבות - reconnecting between the generations.
When we solidify the connection between the generations Amalek has no chance and we are assured of victory and ultimately the גאולה השלימה. That is why specifically here we learn the lesson that a Rebbe must respect his student. The way to create a deep bond between people is through mutual respect and Moshe knew that the order of the day was to create this bond.
יהי כבוד תלמידך חביב עליך כשלך.
Wonder of wonders!
Sweet friends I only like to say positive things but I feel compelled to note that "honoring the student" is not at the top of the list of many a Rebbe. The student must honor the Rebbe! I, the Rebbe should honor the student? Sounds like a post-modern, super progressive mode of education. We are Torah Jews and don't need any of that!
The TRUTH is that the sine qua non of education is the feeling and displaying of respect that the Rebbe has for the Talmid [until now I've been writing "student" but if I can use Latin I can also use Hebrew:-)]. If a talmid feels disrespected he will hate the Rebbe and ultimately the Torah, G-d forbid.
May we all be wise enough to respect our students [children are students too] and may our Rabbeim learn from the greatest of all men that to be truly great is to show others that they are great.
Love and blessings to all of my sweet friends. A Shabbos of complete bliss!
