Weekly Story: Who Certified The Educator?

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

As preparations are beginning for the new school year and seminars over zoom are being held for the mechanchim and mechanchos, to ensure that it be a successful year, I decided to post a section of a chapter from my upcoming biography on the Rebbe Rashab, where he espouses his views on the criteria of an educator. The threat that the authorities will evict him from Lubavitch because of him being so outspoken didn’t faze him.

Your feedback is most welcome and appreciated.

A short introduction to the background to the story will give you a clearer perspective of what was happening:

The Rebbe Rashab successfully persuaded the fund of YKA to stop supporting the maskilim and instead they used the remaining 650.000 francs to partner with him to build a weaving factory in Dubrovna, employing and providing a decent living for two thousand Jews.

However, the maskilim weren’t going to accept this defeat without a battle.

On Monday, the 6th of Teves, 5663 (1903), at five in the afternoon, an inspector from the regional education ministry came to the Rebbe’s house. He demanded an explanation as to why the Rebbe opposed the educational and vocational schools of the maskilim.

“The instructors in these schools deny the authenticity of the Torah,” the Rebbe replied. “They do not observe the mitzvos, and they speak against our religion. Furthermore, the curriculum, as well, is antithetical to our religion.”

“But the teachers are certified,” countered the inspector.

“By whom?”

“By the government.”

The Rebbe replied:

“The government should not get involved in religious matters, nor does it have the right to do so. The ministry doesn’t realize that for the Jewish people, education is a religious affair and not an academic one, as it is with other nationalities.

“We Jews are obligated to educate and guide our children only in accordance with the guidelines that were given to us by the Creator at Sinai. These are the guidelines our ancestors had self-sacrifice to follow, and we must fulfill them with the same passion, without allowing anything to interfere.”

“Rabbi Schneersohn!” replied the inspector. “Your limitations are restricting the government’s power. You are saying that the government can take care handle certain things, but in other matters, it has no right to voice its opinion. Not only does this mindset smell of disrespect to the government’s authority, it is outright rebellious!”

“This is something for the judges to decide,” the Rebbe replied. “Let them decide whether saying ‘I am a Jew, I love and fear the G-d of my fathers, and I will obey His commandments without allowing anything to interfere’ is considered rebelling against the laws of the land. On my part, I am not concerned at all, for I fear no punishment whatsoever. No one has the right to force someone else to change his opinion with regard to religion!”

“I didn’t come here,” retorted the inspector, “to hear your opinion about the educators and curriculum of the schools that the government helped establish for its Jewish citizens. I am here to inform Rabbi Schneersohn of the following message and warning from the regional director of education, in the name of the director of the entire Vilna province, which was decided two months ago.

“Honored citizen Rabbi Schneersohn: You must cease to interfere with the work of the maskilim among the Jewish people. This includes refraining from speaking or writing against them. If not, you will be evicted from the entire region, including Mohilev, Vitebsk, Minsk, Vilna, and Kovna!”

The Rebbe was not fazed by this threat. Calmly and confidently, he replied:

“I hear your warning, and I am replying in no uncertain terms: No punishment or circumstance will change my ironclad decision, that it is forbidden for every Jewish man or woman to allow their children to attend the heretical schools of the maskilim. With the help of the Almighty, I will broaden my opposition to their schools to the greatest extent possible!

“If I am exiled from the Vilna province, I will go wherever Divine Providence makes my dwelling, and there I will establish my chadorim to teach and guide Jewish children based on the foundation of Torah and mitzvos. Those students, in turn, will purify the Jewish streets from the poisonous heresy against the Creator and His Torah espoused by the maskilim.

“I am astonished,” the Rebbe continued. “You come in the name of education and philosophy, yet you speak as if you are a representative of brutal force. Please give over the following to the local regional director, as well as to the Vilna regional director: It is unheard of for a debate of ideas to be won through the power of a fist!

“I have informed you of my reason, that education is a religious matter. Only those who are personally observant may be teachers, and the curriculum must be in accordance with our religion. Yet, you reply with the strength of a fist.”

Evidently, the Rebbe’s words were effective, as the officials did not follow through with their threat.[1]

This week’s post in l’zechus the complete and speedy recovery for my sister Chaya rivkah bas Cheyena, together with all thos who ae in need of a refuah shleima.

Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeim and their chassidim. 510 pages of the 635 pages of the Rebbe Rashab’s biography have been edited. He hopes bezras Hashem to have the book available for Chof Cheshvan.    

[1] Sefer HaToldos, pp. 294-295.