I want to respond to my friend and well acknowledged master teacher Rabbi Yaakov Blaus piece on lifting shiurim from the works of others.
I certainly agree with him that lacking citation teaching someone elses thoughts as ones own is problematic; however, I think that we could add an important point to this discussion. Teaching someone elses work, properly acknowledged, can be very positive and more significant that teaching ones own ideas. Why should teachers continually reinvent the wheel? Is our job to convey our own chiddushim to our students? Who says our novel interpretations are any good? Sometimes I come up with what I believe are good new ideas but only sometimes. In his work, Real Presences, George Steiner complains that he cant imagine a graduate student writing something new on Kierkegaard or Shakespeare. Many people have already written and written well on every topic. How often does one come up with something new and interesting about Bereshit that hasnt already been said and probably said better?
Hopefully, and this is often the case, what is published is the authors best work and something of value. Certainly the publishers think so. I dont know Tanach as well nor do I think as creatively as Rav Yoel Bin Nun. However, my students cant conquer or appreciate much of his writing. Several times I taught his interpretation of Yosef utilizing his sources and questions. On the top of the page I clearly stated that this was based on RYBNs article in Megadim. I remember a relatively high level student thanking me for the wonderful idea. When I reiterated that it wasnt mine, he replied that I helped him find it and by setting the argument up allowed him to appreciate it.
But even if we are discussing the writing of another teacher who is not of the caliber of RYBN, using others work is important. Take the VBM for instance; a teachers extensive background should enable him or her to appreciate what a friend or colleague has researched and written. Our students will simply not walk away with the same quality experience by quickly reading a VBM shiur or article in English. Learning the sources inside with them, setting up the topic properly, and guiding them through the reasoned argument should enhance both their understanding and appreciation for what is written. By citing the source, we also enable them in the future to find similar types of articles on their own.
To be sure, Rabbi Blau is correct that to do so without properly acknowledging where the sources originate is dubious at best and cheats our students of learning how to research on their own; however, with proper acknowledgement, utilizing existing work of other master teachers potentially increases Torah in the world. I would suggest a slight nuance to Rabbi Blaus final statement. I think most of us went into Chinuch LeHagdil Torah ULeHaadira. That can be achieved by teaching our own Torah but also the Torah of others. Of course HaMevi Davar BeShem Omro brings redemption to the world as well as to the learning experience by giving our students the tools to continue learning. I think that is what teaching is all about.
Rabbi Todd Berman
Associate Director
Admissions, Technology, & Development
Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi
