Halachos for Educators: Difference between revisions
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#We excommunicate a city in order to ensure that it has an educator.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 245:7 and if the city still refuses, we destroy the city.</ref> | #We excommunicate a city in order to ensure that it has an educator.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 245:7 and if the city still refuses, we destroy the city.</ref> | ||
# Education of children shouldn't stop except on Friday and Erev Yom Tov at the end of the day.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 245:12</ref> | # Education of children shouldn't stop except on Friday and Erev Yom Tov at the end of the day.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 245:12</ref> | ||
# You can't teach new learning to children on Shabbat so that it isn't too strenuous but you can review.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 245:14</ref> | # You can't teach new learning to children on Shabbat so that it isn't too strenuous but you can review.<ref>Gemara Nedarim 37a, Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 245:14</ref> | ||
==Who can be a Teacher== | ==Who can be a Teacher== | ||
#A single man can't be a teacher since he might become secluded with the mothers of the children he is teaching whether he is teaching girls or boys.<ref>Shulchan Aruch E.H. 22:20. See Pitchei Teshuva 22:13 who writes that some questioned the minhag to have a single man as a teacher.</ref> A married man can be a teacher even if he is another city.<ref>Chelkat Mechokek 22:21 states that even for a married man if the man's husband is outside the city it is a problem of yichud in case the mothers of the children come. Bet Shmuel 22:22 agrees. However, Pitchei Teshuva 22:13 cites Rabbi Akiva Eiger who cites Lechem Rav 4 who is lenient if the male teacher is married even if his wife is in another city.</ref> | #A single man can't be a teacher since he might become secluded with the mothers of the children he is teaching whether he is teaching girls or boys. <ref>Shulchan Aruch E.H. 22:20. See Pitchei Teshuva 22:13 who writes that some questioned the minhag to have a single man as a teacher.</ref> The minhag is to allow even a single man to teach and there's what to rely upon since in the school there are married teachers and it isn't yichud.<ref>Malbushei Mordechai Yichud 22:3 p. 239-240</ref> A married man can be a teacher even if he is another city.<ref>Chelkat Mechokek 22:21 states that even for a married man if the man's husband is outside the city it is a problem of yichud in case the mothers of the children come. Bet Shmuel 22:22 agrees. However, Pitchei Teshuva 22:13 cites Rabbi Akiva Eiger who cites Lechem Rav 4 who is lenient if the male teacher is married even if his wife is in another city.</ref> | ||
# A young married man may teach woman as long as there is no yichud question,<ref>Shulchan Aruch E.H. 22:20</ref> however, it is pious and proper not to unless he is old.<ref>Sefer Chasidim 313 writes that a young man should not teach woman because of the concerns of attraction and kol b'isha ervah. Otzar Haposkim 22:61:4 quotes the Teshurat Shay 170 who writes that it is permitted for a married man to teach woman but one who is pious would avoid it as the Sefer Chasidim writes. Also they quote the Yavetz in Migdal Oz (Birchot Shamayim 2:11-12) who says the same and completely forbids it. Otzar Haposkim 21:20:2 also cites the Sfat Hameil OC 75 and Torat Hahistaklut 6:2 who elaborate on the Sefer Chasidim.</ref> | |||
#A woman can't be a teacher since she might become secluded with the fathers of the children he is teaching whether he is teaching girls or boys.<ref>Shulchan Aruch E.H. 22:20</ref> Today the minhag is that there are female teachers.<ref>Avnei Derech 5:66 citing Shevet Halevi 4:16, 10:235 and Teshuvot Vehanhagot 5:332</ref> Some say that female teachers should not teach boys older than 9 years old.<ref>Igrot Moshe YD 3:73 writes that it is permitted to hire a female teacher for little children since there's no yichud in our schools which are open to the public. Also, for children under 9 there's no concern that she will become motivated to sin. However, with boys older than 9 there is a concern and she shouldn't be hired unless there is a great extenuating circumstance. Tzitz Eliezer 14:97 agrees that a female shouldn't teach boys above 9.</ref> | #A woman can't be a teacher since she might become secluded with the fathers of the children he is teaching whether he is teaching girls or boys.<ref>Shulchan Aruch E.H. 22:20</ref> Today the minhag is that there are female teachers.<ref>Avnei Derech 5:66 citing Shevet Halevi 4:16, 10:235 and Teshuvot Vehanhagot 5:332</ref> Some say that female teachers should not teach boys older than 9 years old.<ref>Igrot Moshe YD 3:73 writes that it is permitted to hire a female teacher for little children since there's no yichud in our schools which are open to the public. Also, for children under 9 there's no concern that she will become motivated to sin. However, with boys older than 9 there is a concern and she shouldn't be hired unless there is a great extenuating circumstance. Tzitz Eliezer 14:97 agrees that a female shouldn't teach boys above 9.</ref> | ||
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#There shouldn't be more than twenty five students for one teacher. If that teacher has an assistant he could have up to forty students.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 245:15 rules that there shouldn't be more than twenty five students per teacher. If there is between twenty five and forty there needs to be a teacher with another assistant.</ref> However, primarily it depends on the situation.<ref>The Shach 245:10 writes that it all depends on the situation, the quality of the teacher and students.</ref> | #There shouldn't be more than twenty five students for one teacher. If that teacher has an assistant he could have up to forty students.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 245:15 rules that there shouldn't be more than twenty five students per teacher. If there is between twenty five and forty there needs to be a teacher with another assistant.</ref> However, primarily it depends on the situation.<ref>The Shach 245:10 writes that it all depends on the situation, the quality of the teacher and students.</ref> | ||
#A teacher who doesn't teach properly, is lazy in his work, or take another job that impedes his performance is cursed because he is doing Hashem's work deceitfully. Therefore, it is important to only appoint a teacher that is God fearing, who is skilled in language and be careful.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 245:17</ref> | #A teacher who doesn't teach properly, is lazy in his work, or take another job that impedes his performance is cursed because he is doing Hashem's work deceitfully. Therefore, it is important to only appoint a teacher that is God fearing, who is skilled in language and be careful.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 245:17</ref> | ||
#A teacher isn't supposed to be awake at night so that he isn't tired for work. He can't fast or deprive himself of food or drink since doing so will cause him not to teacher well. <ref>Rama Y.D. 245:17</ref> | #A teacher isn't supposed to be awake at night so that he isn't tired for work. He can't fast or deprive himself of food or drink since doing so will cause him not to teacher well.<ref>Rama Y.D. 245:17</ref> | ||
#It is important to get the best teacher of Torah and it is therefore permitted to replace one teacher with a better one.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 245:18</ref> | #It is important to get the best teacher of Torah and it is therefore permitted to replace one teacher with a better one.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 245:18</ref> | ||
#If there is a teacher who can read more quickly and another teacher who is more careful they should appoint the teacher that is more careful.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 245:19</ref> | #If there is a teacher who can read more quickly and another teacher who is more careful they should appoint the teacher that is more careful.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 245:19</ref> | ||
