{"id":63177,"date":"2019-09-19T11:27:49","date_gmt":"2019-09-19T08:27:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=63177"},"modified":"2023-04-14T14:26:42","modified_gmt":"2023-04-14T11:26:42","slug":"a-teachers-influence-never-ends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/a-teachers-influence-never-ends\/","title":{"rendered":"A Teacher\u2019s Influence Never Ends"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[858,931,484,775,729,372],"acf":{"old_id":"63177","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":33992,"related_cahpter":"311","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"Like Elisha, we are garbed in our teachers\u2019 wisdom, warmed by their example\u00a0","content":"

Above my desk at work, I posted framed portraits of two of my teachers, Rabbi Simon Greenberg and Rabbi David Lieber, both of blessed memory. Rabbi Greenberg was a towering figure when I entered rabbinical school. Emeritus Rabbi at Congregation Har Zion in Philadelphia, Vice Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary, and founding President of American Jewish University (then University of Judaism). Yet he took me under his wing and offered me mentoring and guidance throughout my student days and beyond. Rabbi David Lieber was his successor, the first full-time president of American Jewish University (then University of Judaism) and a Professor of Bible. He taught me not only in his writings and talks, but most of all in his actions and kindness. Both rabbis were compassionate, transparent in their goodness, and their love of Torah and people was clear to see in their actions. I never make a decision as dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies without looking at their pictures and asking, What would Dr. Greenberg do? What would Dr. Lieber do? How would they counsel me now?<\/span><\/p>\n

That bond between teacher and student, between <\/span>rav<\/span><\/em> and <\/span>talmid<\/span><\/em>, has sustained Judaism from its inception. The link is as frail as the bond between two individuals can be, yet it is apparently strong enough to last across the ages. We see that bond as the prophet Elijah seeks to be alone so he can reunite with God, and his student Elisha refuses to leave him alone. Time after time, Elijah instructs his disciple to leave him alone so he can ascend to heaven, and as many times, his student sticks by him.<\/span><\/p>\n

And so it happens that Elijah is whisked to heaven in a chariot of fire, drawn by horses of fire. Elisha blurts out in wonder and sorrow, \u201cMy father! My father! Israel\u2019s chariot and cavalry!\u201d He takes his master\u2019s cloak and sunders it in two (where we get the ritual of <\/span>kriyah<\/span><\/i> \u2013 tearing clothing or a ribbon at a funeral), and then he puts on the master\u2019s cloak, fitting symbol that he is now garbed in his teacher\u2019s wisdom, warmed by his example.<\/span><\/p>\n

So are we all with our dearest teachers, those who shared not only knowledge but wisdom, not only skills but heart. They reverberate through us each and every day, and we \u2013 like Elisha \u2013 are wrapped in their authority, their example, their teachings. When Elisha returns, without his master, his first words are \u201cWhere is the Holy One, God of Elijah?\u201d That could be a cry of perceived absence from a student grieving his deceased teacher. But the answer is in the question itself: the God of your teacher is now found in your teacher\u2019s beloved student. Go, and be for others what your teacher was for you!<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":63182,"id":63182,"title":"2kings2-master disciple","filename":"2kings2-master-disciple.png","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings2-master-disciple.png","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/a-teachers-influence-never-ends\/2kings2-master-disciple\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"2kings2-master-disciple","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":63177,"date":"2019-09-19 08:27:36","modified":"2021-07-06 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