I Don’t Like My Maggid Shiur
Question: I am a Bachur that just started a new Zman in a new Yeshiva. My Maggid Shiur (Rosh Yeshiva) Shiur Iyun, he just does not have the same Derech HaLimud as me, and I really do not enjoy his shiurim. I feel that I am not being Koneh (getting) anything from him, and feel that I am wasting my time listening to him. What should I do now for this Zman in the morning? How should I react to him? And what is the Bitachon perspective on this? Many thanks!!!!!
Answer: Can you get out of this? Your first choice is to get out of the woods . ב מ קוֹם ש ל בוֹ ח פ ץ (you don’t go to where you don’t belong) is of dire importance! You don’t go to a Derech that’s not for you. It will mess you up! Go somewhere else! What are you waiting for? Don’t waste a minute! It’s of paramount importance. Get out! And make it important in your life. GET AWAY. It’s not for you!
What if you can’t leave? Try to circumvent. Get away from this fellow. Don’t go to his shiurim. However, in a Yeshiva setting, that is usually not an option. What you could do, though, when you do go to the shiur, you can be in your own world. You can write your own Haga’hos (notes), and ignore what’s going on. Play the game, but you're not really there. You're there in body only.
You’ve got to make the best of it. Try to be yourself, in your own bubble. And try to do the best you can. And make a whole game-plan. Maybe have people who you speak to in learning on the side, so you keep Shteiging in your own way. Do your own thing, in a round-about way. Don’t become antagonistic to the people in front of you, since you're under their auspices. You have to bear with them. Be Mispallel a little bit. And thank Hashem for the pain you're going through.
But let’s say that’s not possible, since they are going to notice, and Mon (ask) you for it? Then be smart. Try to pick up a thing or two, a Yesod, or two... Believe it or not, it may even be a Hashgacha Min HaShamayim to open you up to a different world. You won’t be so M’tzum’tzam (narrow). You’ll be able to see another way of doing things. It might be a Bracha. And be Mispallel. All this stuff needs Tefila.
Follow-up Question:
Thank you so much for the reply. I'm the father of the Bachur who wrote the question. I wanted to hear Rabbi Mandel’s advice before I allow my son to listen to the above recording. I think it would be helpful to give some background. My son is 13 years old and just started Yeshiva Ketana. He's never learned Rishonim before, and isn’t used to the Limud of Iyun, so understandably he won't enjoy it, because every new thing takes time to get used to, it's only natural. BH he is a bright kid, and there is no reason he shouldn't enjoy learning Iyun once he gets used to it. He just has to give new things a chance. Can Rabbi Mandel give him some encouragement to give it a chance, and try his best to be M’kabel from his Rabbeim? I think he will really be able to Shteig.
Follow-up Answer:
Once you leave, it’s too late. And you don’t want to have Cha'rata. Do the best you can, and daven that it should work out well. It’s a very healthy thing, i.e., when a person learns to adjust to something he doesn’t like. And you have nothing to lose. You can always disappear and leave. But in the meantime, give it a shot; you might be much better than you think in this stuff. Start slow. This will help you for the rest of your life, because you're going to get married, you're going to have a job, you're going to have all kinds of pressures... and those people who learn when their young, to adjust to things that are not quite the way they want, they come out ahead. You don’t have to succeed, you just have to give it a try. And be Mispallel. I sense that you'll do very well.
You can submit your questions to Rabbi Mandel by emailing them to [email protected]
