Hi All:
Right now I'm doing the coffee house thing again. Mom came back last night from sis's and it's not like I really noticed or cared. I rather enjoyed two days of peace and quiet. Now it's back to my usual "duck and cover" mode.
I'd like to expand a bit on my post from yesterday regarding the Four Sons. Upon further reflections I think the Four Sons of Passover fame are more like scholars at different stages of their education. Those of you who are Jewish bear me out. In reverse order, We have one son who is called the son who cannot ask. The Haggadah, the text used at the Seders, instructs the father in the passage to explain to the son the laws and customs of Passover. We can liken this son to a novice. He has neither the skills, the training or knowledge to ask questions or have a clear understanding of what is going on. The father is the teacher who must take this beginner and instruct him. Interestingly, in the various explanations for this passage don't tell us how to go about teaching this son the laws and customs. This is most perplexing because there are many ways to teach. For this situation I'd use a combination of oral explanation (lecture) and demonstration with participation. The teacher must be very diligent about not using to technical language or complicated explanations. Instead the language must be suited to the level of the student without being patronizing or understanding.
The next son is the simple son. He is the one with a rudimentary understanding of the laws and customs of Passover. He is the one who has the fundamental skills, experience, and education. He can ask basic questions. It is up to the father/teacher to build on this foundation and enhance this son's knowledge so that he may fully comprehend the proceedings. Like the child entering school for the first time, he has a basic grasp on learning and now it's up to the teacher to build on this and hopefully produce a scholar worthy of admiration. Again, explanations of this passage don't tell us what method to use. Perhaps there are ways to do so that I haven't discovered yet. What is also interesting is that both this passage and the previous are the shortest ones. Why is that?
The next son is the wicked one. I spoke about him yesterday. He is the one who challenges the establishment. I genuinely belief he has the skills, experience, and the education to ask the hard questions. I still don't believe that he is necessarily wicked or a heretic. If anything, he's the young punk who tweaks the noses of authority. You don't give up on this person rather you patiently and firmly direct him to sources he can relate to. This something that I believe is lacking in contemporary Orthodox Judaism, the ability to relate to contemporary society. There are a lot of people who have questions. At the core of the questions is how does this relate to the world I'm living in? How does this relate to me? The good teacher will firmly and gently answer those questions or direct the person to sources that he/she can relate to. The mistake is to condescend, patronize, talk over or at this person. This type of scholar is too wise for anything of the sort.
The last son is the wise son. He is the scholar who is the most skilled, experienced, and educated. I also believe that he is complacent one. He does not question or challenge what he's learned, he just accepts it. Actually, when he does ask a question its more for clarification or enhance his own understanding. I think this scholar is arrogant because he looks down on those who challenge authority. To this scholar, challenging accepted knowledge is an anathema. Those who tweak at people's noses are to be dismissed and shunted of to the side. In reality, I believe that this scholar does not want to open himself to something new. Why this scholar is lauded is a question to me. I think that those who challenge authority are the ones who have the greatest ability to expand the body of scholarship. After all, this is what Judaism's greatest gift to the world is, rigorous intellectual debate.
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