Questions tagged [chinuch-education]
Questions about Jewish education, also known as Chinuch.
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Beginners' Seder Advice
I'm going to be at a seder this year with young children who are familiar with the basic structure of the haggadah. Some will likely have some of the classic divrei torah prepared for them to say. I'm ...
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Can too many decorations render a sukkah invalid?
I've seen some sukkahs (especially ones where they've had big "make sukkah decorations" kids' projects) where there are tons and tons and tons of decorations hanging down from the schach. At what ...
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High School Math in the Talmud
I'm currently tutoring someone in math that has an atitude of "what's the point of all this... why would I ever need this..." (which is typical of many high-schoolers). To try to pique his interest, I ...
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Hitting your child as a disciplinary/educational measure - modern opinions
Shemos Rabbah (Shemos parsha 1) and a gemara in Makos (8a) both seem to indicate that physically striking a child/student is a positive thing to do in terms of discipline/education.
My question is: ...
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Why not focus on halacha in elementary education?
From the Mishna B'rura's introduction to the rules of Shabas:
…But by what means can we arrive at this level: that one keeps Shabas in all its details? The advice on this is that one urge himself ...
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Premature birth contradicting science
I am a teacher at a private all-girls Jewish high school. There are two science teachers in the school, and both of us are Christian. I was talking with my fellow science teacher recently, and she ...
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What are the "Mishnah" and "Gemara" referenced in Pirkei Avot 5?
At the end of Pirkei Avot 5, we have a statement (of either Ben Hei Hei or R. Yehuda ben Tema --- I have two siddurim with slightly different texts):
He used to say: at five years of age, the study ...
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Is one permitted to study other religions?
Is one allowed to study other religions? If not, how is one supposed to know that Judaism is correct? If yes, is such study encouraged?
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Writing notes and highlighting in the Tanakh
Is taking notes and highlighting in a Hebrew/English Tanakh considered defacing the text?
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Understanding the beating of students
As mentioned in a previous question, the Shulkhan Aruch, O''C 551:18 writes:
צריך ליזהר מי"ז בתמוז עד ט' באב שלא לילך יחידי מד' שעות עד ט' שעות
(משום שבהם קטב מרירי שולט) ; ולא יכו התלמידים בימים ...
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Why don't most American orthodox Jews send their kids to public school?
Given the benefits of a public school education over private day school education, such as $0 tuition and technology and extra curriculars which many schools do not have, why don't most orthodox ...
user5092
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Does a fathers obligation to teach his sons a parnassah extend to his daughters too?
A father has an obligation to teach his sons Torah, a parnassah and to swim. To what extent do these obligations extend to his daughters too?
(edited to include my explanation from the comments)
As ...
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How does Judaism regard homeschooling?
The title quite says it. I'm specifically more interested in unschooling....
It is said in Ktubot, 50a, that:
אמר רב יצחק באושא התקינו שיהא אדם מתגלגל עם בנו עד שתים עשרה שנה מכאן
ואילך יורד עמו ...
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May a Katan (minor) perform Melachah ("work") on Shabbath?
In my experience, I've noticed that many people take for granted that if one needs a Melachah to be performed on Shabbath, one may have a minor, especially one under the age of 3, perform what is ...
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Putting Tefillin on Un-educated Jews
May one put tefillin on an uneducated Jew without first explaining to him the laws of keeping his body clean and conveying to him the seriousness of the sanctity of tefillin (is that even possible?)?
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How were girls educated during the Talmudic era?
According to the Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood in History and Society's article on Judaism:
Owing to the primacy of ritual in traditional Judaism, instruction of children focused on the ...
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Sources discussing paying for Torah education
I am looking for sources that discuss the idea of paying tuition money ("schar limud") towards obtaining a Torah education. Topics of interest include: The importance of paying tuition for Torah; ...
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How does an engaged person find a chosson/kallah (pre-marriage) class teacher?
How does an engaged person find a chosson/kallah (pre-marriage) class teacher? Preferably a good one?
Is it "just ask around"? Ask a rabbi? Is there any good way to compare different people, or is ...
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Why Moses didn't care for his sons after leaving Egypt?
This bothers me a lot, and I would like to understand Moses' approach to his family as the Torah describes it:
Moses marries Tzipora (which seemingly converts) in Midyan and has two sons (that are ...
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Buying pasul arba minim or non-arba minim for your small child
The Shulchan Aruch in siman 657 says that a child which knows how to shake the lulav properly, his father is obligated to buy a lulav for him (because of chinuch).
The Beur Halacha d"h keday ...
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Kohanim and the Third Temple
Are there any organizations that provide ongoing preparation for Kohanim to immediately assume their priestly duties upon the arrival of Moshiach? I would imagine that performing the sacrifices and ...
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What is the difference between mida k'negged mida and nekama
Not a kasha, a sincere question. What is the exact reason that mida k'negged mida is not considered revenge?
Issues that may or may not be relevant:
Is it just because it is Hashem doing it?
Does ...
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How does one explain God to little kids?
As I understand it, the ability to understand abstract concepts develops gradually in kids and is certainly not all there when they first start having conversations. This comes into play when kids ...
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What is the halacha regarding the expulsion of a student deemed a "nuisance student"?
Are there Halachic sources regarding the expulsion of a "nuisance student"? Or Halachic sources of not expelling a "nuisance student"? (Is this issue ever addressed as a real halachic issue?)
Below ...
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How do you motivate a teen who has no interest in Davening?
Recently I met a 13-year-old who simply has no interest in Davening (praying). What would be a way of motivating such a kid to Daven?
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Mitzvot for ketanim?
Are there any mitzvot that kids under bar/bat mitzvah are obligated to keep? (not including for "educational purposes")
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Tefillin under Bar Mitzvah
Common practice is that a boy begins wearing Tefillin when he reaches Bar Mitzvah age, or perhaps a month (or three) prior. While there should be an obligation even earlier (under the rubric of ...
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What texts are studied in a traditional yeshiva?
Having never gone to a yeshiva, but having interacted with rabbis and laymen who have, I am unclear on which Jewish texts are studied and which are either not, or which are given a more cursory ...
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Bracha on breastmilk?
Should a child old enough to make brachos who is not weaned be encouraged to make a bracha on breastmilk? If so which one? Are there any direct sources for this?
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Are women allowed to write a commentary on a book of Tanakh in Orthodox Judaism?
Miryam was a prophetess, and Deborah was a judge. Are women allowed to teach men or to write a commentary on a book of Tanakh according to halakhah?
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Why do many boys begin learning Gemara with Elu Metzios?
There is a popular custom for boys to start their Gemara studies with Elu Metzios (the 2nd Perek in Bava Metzia).
The Gemara (Bava Basra 175b) does say that financial laws are conducive to becoming ...
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How do you vet a day school?
How do you go about investigating whether a particular day school is best for your kids? I am most interested in the behavior and attitude of the students and the professionalism of the teachers and ...
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What size hex nut will properly fit a standard chanukah candle?
I have many a childhood memory of "helping" to make a chanukiyah out of a block of wood and eight hex nuts glued down to it (often with 2 more stacked in the center for shamash); each hex nut was ...
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Movie picturing the destruction of the holy temple?
Lately, I have been telling my 3-year-old son about the building, destruction, rebuilding cycle of the Beis Hamikdash (holy temple in Jerusalem). He is wondering how it would have looked. Are there ...
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May a child make a Berachah on a Pasul set of 4 species?
May a child make a Berachah on a Pasul set of 4 species that their parents gave them to learn how to make the Berachah and do the Mitzvah?
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Hashem is here, Hashem is there......REALLY?
The song "Hashem is here, Hashem is there..." seems to pose many interesting theological problems. What concerns would you have with this song? How would you educate your child on the challenges this ...
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Is it permissible to cheat at board games?
Board games have absolutely no value - there is nothing won and nothing lost.
In such a situation is it permissible according to halakhah to cheat?
I am asking, not to find a reason to be deceitful ...
user3342
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Anyone know anything about Shlomo Kluger Yeshiva?
A friend of mine said his great-grandfather taught at a yeshiva in New York called Mesivta/Yeshiva Shlomo (Solomon) Kluger. I've heard of Rabbi Shlomo Kluger, and assume this institution was named in ...
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What are the differences between Limmud and Chinuch?
In Kiddushin 29b it says "a father is obligated... to teach his son Torah" (האב חייב בבנו... וללמדו תורה) and in Nazir 29a it says "a father is obligated to educate his son" (איש חייב לחנך בנו).
What ...
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What are the ways our Balei Mesorah suggest to engage children in the Seder?
What do our Baalei Mesorah suggest we do to engage the children in the Seder night?
Furthermore, how effective do you think those methods would be with children of today?
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Teaching halacha to children with halachically invalid "props"
The Talmud (Sukkah 2b; cited also here) implies that chinukh (educating children in halacha observance) necessitates that the mitzvah be fulfilled according to its halachik details (at least with ...
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Jewish Books on Education
Does anyone know of any Jewish Books on Education, preferably in English? I'm looking for something that gives insight into how to properly teach children and to communicate values so that they stick.
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Is the Kabbalah Center kosher? [duplicate]
I suspect many have heard of the Kabbalah Center. Founded by Philip Berg (who went by the moniker of R' Yehudah Berg, despite likely lacking semicha), the Kabbalah center is known for publishing ...
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Can a Jew encourage non-Jews to convert to other monotheistic religions?
Would it be permissible for a Jew to encourage or help a non-Jew convert from a faith that involves avodah zara to one that does not? For example a Christian (on the notion that Christianity is avodah ...
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Kids listening to music in sefira: what age
At which age should children be trained not to listen to music during sefira.
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Should I only make one Berachah, or should I make one on each different food?
When I was in "Pirchei" boys' youth groups as a child, at snack time I was taught to make a "Mezonos" on my cake, "Shehakol" on my drink, and "Haetz" on my sliced fruit. Then, at the end, the group ...
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Deuteronomy 31:19 Torah Leining
I see some discussion on Trope and the cantillation symbols, but little has been addressed by way of why you lein. I read Deuteronomy 31:29 in Scripture today and it made me wonder, Is it possible ...
user2411
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How should a Rabbi resemble an angel?
The Gemmorah in Moed Katan 17 says:
א"ר יוחנן... אם דומה הרב למלאך ה' יבקשו תורה מפיו
ואם לאו אל יבקשו תורה מפיו
Rabbi Yoḥanan said as follows: ... If the teacher is similar to an angel [...
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Sources for which Mitzvot require early training
I'm looking for examples the Sages prescribe for educating for keeping Mitzvos (חינוך למצוות), for example:
"קָטָן הַיּוֹדֵעַ לְנַעְנֵעַ, חַיָּב בַּלּוּלָב:" Mishnah Succah 3,15
"מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַבֵּן ...
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As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man. pedagogic Talmud Torah
The Gemara in Yebamot 117 tries to explain the reciprocity of sentiment between a mother-in-law (X) and her daughter-in-law (Y). As an illustration of this phenomenon, the Gemara quotes a verse in ...
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