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Sefer Chafetz Chayim
The Response of the Chavot Ya’ir

fighting with each other or because of their angering or belittling
each other, G-d forbid. It was not because of this style that David
HaMelech said (Tehilim 127:5) “when they talk to their enemies at
the gate,” a father with his son, a teacher with his student, that they
would become enemies (Gemara Kedushin 30b) but instead it was
only from the perspective that they were opposing their antagonist’s
logical reasoning and proofs (in attempting to defend their view of
the halacha).

Regarding Rav Sheh’shat’s comment about Rav (Gemara Yevamot
24b) “Rav must have been drowsing,” the truth will lead us in the
right direction since this statement is not derogatory but rather an
incredibly great praise (of Rav), that based on his great standing and
prestige, it is not possible to even imagine that he made a mistake
in this matter (being discussed by the gemara) if not for the fact that
Rav Sheh’shat said at the time Rav was “beginning to drowse and
fall asleep” and he did not say “as he was sleeping and drowsing.”
The Tosafot in Gemarah Niddah (63a) (citation beginning with the
th
words “Drowsing”) quote the 10 chapter of Gemara Pesachim
(120b), where they explain that there are two stages of sleep; one at
the beginning of the sleep cycle and the other at the end. At the end
of the sleep cycle, even though (in that state of quasi-awareness) he
may say something and make a mistake, later, when he awakens, VOL-4
he will realize his mistake and correct it. But that would not be the
case if he first drowses and then sleeps.
Regarding Rebbe’s criticism of (his student) Levi (Gemara Yevamot
9a) “It seems to me you do not have a brain in your head,” meaning 14
that a teacher can sternly reprimand his student using strong
language in order to impress upon him the need to study more
intensively and closely in order to understand the subject matter
correctly and not make any mistakes. Levi was Rebbe’s student as
the gemara brings down in the first perek in Sanhedrin (17b) “They
were learning in the presence of their rabbis – Levi from Rebbe.” It
seems to me in my humble opinion that based on the words Rebbe
spoke to Levi, the Rambam derived the law he expressed in Hilchot
th
Talmud Torah (4 perek, 5 halacha), that a teacher is obligated to
th
become angry with his student if he sees his student not performing

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