spirit

torah portion

Hey Shutterbugs!

The Soul
Of A
Teacher

Here's your chance to show your stuff.

Jewish Dog
Photo
Contest

M

JOHN HARDWICK

#DJNDogContest
Submit your photo
for a chance to win
March 9-22

Simchah Photos

The JN invites readers to send in their
2017 simchah photos for publication in
JN's annual Celebrate! section March 22.

Send your high-resolution photo to jheadapohl@
renmedia.us by March 12 and be sure to ID the
names of the people in the photo, the kind
of simchah it was and where
and when it happened.

Get the JN
delivered
to your door
every week!

Follow us online

Detroit Jewish News

@JewishNewsDet

@detroitjewishnews

46

March 8 • 2018

jn

Parshat Vaykahel/
Pekuday: Exodus
35:1-40:38; I Kings
7:51-8:21.

oses is often referred to as
“Moshe Rabeinu” (Moses
our rabbi/teacher). He was
the one who merited ascending Mt.
Sinai to receive the Torah from God
and transmitting it to the children
of Israel.
Yet, in the end, Moses is not the
one to get to build the Mishkan
(Tabernacle and Ark of the
Covenant). Rather, he is
refers to Betzalel, the Torah
instructed to pass on all of
states not only was he bril-
the instructions for this holy
liant at the many types of
project to Betzalel, who was
crafts that he had to use in
then to instruct and oversee
his work, but it also says
the craftspeople in their
belebo ulholrot natan — that
respective tasks throughout
God placed in his heart the
the project.
ability to teach. It was not
For anyone who has ever
that he was simply wise in
Rabbi Shalom
played the game of tele-
teaching but that God had
Kantor
phone (where you whisper a
placed this ability in the
message from one person to
foundation of his soul.
another to see how the mes-
The great medieval sage
sage changes), this sounds
Ibn Ezra comments that
like a disaster.
there are many wise people in the
In the end, there was a brilliance
world who find it incredibly difficult
to Betzalel’s appointment. We know
to transmit their skills or wisdom
that there is a difference in “simply
to others, but with Betzalel (and his
teaching” and “being a teacher.”
assistant Oholiab), we find a wisdom
When one simply transmits infor-
in their ability to teach others.
mation in his head to another per-
To be teachers, we must be able
son so that person can learn that
to engage students in a journey of
information, he is teaching — and
learning, where we share pieces of
sometimes that is what is needed.
our souls and then get to learn from
But when you are able to pass on
the souls and wisdom of our stu-
that information to another person
dents.
so that he absorbs it into his being
As Parker Palmer, one of the lead-
and in that process you are able to
ing thinkers on teaching, wrote,
touch his soul and perhaps even
“Good teaching cannot be reduced
allow him to see a little of your own
to technique; good teaching comes
soul — that is when one becomes a
from the identity and integrity of the
teacher.
teacher.”
A teacher must be able to pass on
May we all be blessed to have a
the information as part of a message teacher such as Betzalel, one who
that goes from soul to soul as part of has been blessed with the ability to
a relationship built on trust.
teach placed in his heart. •
When the Torah describes the
many artisans that came forward to
Rabbi Shalom Kantor is the rabbi of
build the Mishkan, it refers to them
Congregation B’nai Moshe in West
as hachma lav or nadiv lav — moved Bloomfield.
heart or a wise heart; yet when it

Call 248-351-5120 or visit
www.thejewishnews.com/
subscribe