Background:
It was in 1991 that I was incredibly blessed to have been afforded the opportunity to teach Torah. Teaching was never my first career choice, and surely the position of a first-grade teacher was not my first choice either. Yet, after spending my first number of years teaching this incredible grade, I would not have changed it for the world. This is the grade where full reading proficiency takes place, where writing skills are formed, and most of all, where Chumash learning is developed. The blossoming of a young Jew into HaShem’s world of Torah takes place right before your eyes, and there’s no joy in the world like it. Since I was completely new to this field and aware of the enormous responsibility of my new position, I reached out to my principal, Mrs. Miriam Nadoff, ע"ה, to guide me through my beginning steps. Therefore, she strongly suggested that her husband, Rabbi Benjamin Nadoff, ז"ל, provide a model lesson for me to observe. I was somewhat surprised since he was mostly known as the local mohel and sofer of our community in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh.
My feelings of skepticism were soon replaced with awe and admiration as I watched him hold an entire class of close to twenty rambunctious 6 to 7-year-olds in rapt attention. As a sofer, he drew a few letters Torah script letters on the chalkboard (this was before our school adopted dry-erase boards) and proceeded with his lesson. He didn’t teach by talking, he taught by eliciting. He asked questions, precise and curious questions that even made me want to join in the discussion. The sheer percentage of involvement from each and every student was amazing. Rabbi Nadoff just stood there and asked a few questions while the students did the learning as a collective – all on their own. As I watched and took notes on this masterclass in pedagogy, I realized that teaching is not about feeding information to students but rather providing an environment of discovery to take place.
As demonstrated in this essay, it is truly amazing and gratifying when first graders (6 and 7-year-olds) are allowed to use their minds creatively when given the opportunity to think about what Torah means to them. That being said, it is no wonder that it was Mendy Nadoff, the grandson of Rabbi Binyomin Nadoff, who provided this jewel of an insight.
My hope is that teachers and other Jewish educators will consider providing their students with opportunities to discover and uncover for themselves the richness of what the Torah can offer and see its beauty. With this discovery on their own, they will make Torah truly their own. Isn’t this what we all pray for when we say, “May it be Your will, that the Holy Temple be rebuilt – speedily in our days and provide (us) our portion of Your Torah?”
“According to the Shulchan Aruch HaRav: One who does not innovate their Torah learning and merely reviews, even 101 times, has not fulfilled his obligation to study Torah.” (Hilchos Talmud Torah 1:1; 2:2, based on Sicha of the Lubavitcher Rebbe – Eve of the 12th Day of Sivan, 5743; cf Chagigah 3a)
“Supernal beings come to hear the novellae of Torah from those who dwell in this lower world... and every Jewish person is capable of revealing hidden wisdom and to introduce new ideas... and he is obligated to do so, in order to fulfill the mission of his soul” (Tanya, Iggeres HaKodesh 26, 145b)
