The melamed, the teacher of children, is, to some, in an unenviable position. Spending one's days taking care of children and teaching them the simpler aspects of Torah might seem like an onerous experience filled with aggravation and banality. As we complete the first week of school and move into the month of Elul I felt that it was worth reflecting on the many lessons that can be learned while being in the company of and observing the lives and experiences of children.
The Baal Shem Tov started off his public career as an assistant to the village melamed. In Shivchei HaBesht (4) it mentions how he would escort the children and sing with them and teach them that it is really important to holler "Amen. Yehai Shmai Rabbah Mevorach l'Olam…" Affirming God's greatness with all their strength the children, even before understanding the depths of the Kaddish to which they are responding, were learning about giving a little extra energy, a little extra koach to their tefillot.
The Gemara in Massechet Shabbat (152a) records in the name of Rav Dimi that youth is like a crown of roses. This is such an interesting analogy: thorns and beautiful smells; layers of petals and deep colors that only get richer as they open.
The Maharsha explains the choice – the rose is so delicate and fleeting, just like youth. Yet, I would offer that the essence of the fleeting rose can be captured. Rose oil was, and is, a beautiful treat that people rub onto their bodies. This is mentioned in the Mishna in Massechet Shabbat (14:4) when discussing whether or not one may pour certain salves onto one's body on Shabbat. One who has a particular pain may anoint themselves with oil but not with rose oil. Yet princes may anoint themselves with rose oil as this is their normal habit on weekdays. Rabbi Shimon says "All of Bnei Israel are princes." Rabbi Shimon, no stranger to the deeper truths about people's souls, knows that in fact we might not always look it, but in the world of truth, we are all princes.
Princes are in the enviable position of not really needing to grow up. Only one brother will be the king, his siblings free to remain in their innocence, preserving themselves in rose oil. The essence of youth poured freely and regularly on what ails.
This is the message of the children that we need to bring with us into this month of Elul. The month when we are reminded that we are all princes, welcomed eternally into the King's palace "One thing I ask of the LORD, only that do I seek: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life…" (Psalm 27:4)
Children and adults are complex. Children have thorns, they have layers. Yet they trust, they give themselves over to learning and growing. As with the young students of the Baal Shem, they don't always know the depths, but they are willing to hold hands with their rebbi and say "I trust you rebbi, take us where we need to go. Help us learn what we need to learn."
Adults that anoint themselves with the essence of youth, who give up a little bit of the need for certainty, find themselves in the happy place of trusting others. Maybe even trusting the ultimate Rebbi, the Master of the Universe.
Elul is about trust, about being welcomed home into the King's palace where He reminds you that you are royalty.
This melamed will continue to teach and hope that my little rebbis let me hold their hands and bring me back to their Father, the King.