Page 17 - HaMizrachi #28 Pesach USA 2021

GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis

The Answers are Also Important

esach is our “Festival of Ques- The bestselling author, Warren Berger, asked. We need to communicate our
tions.” On four separate occasions, in his book, A More Beautiful Question: answer effectively and involve the ques-
Pthe Torah instructs us regarding The Power of Inquiry to Spark Break- tioner in the response. Most importantly
the questions posed by our children through Ideas, demonstrates that the of all, we need to let the questioner know
relating to the Exodus from Egypt. most creative and successful people tend we are pleased that he or she has made

Our tradition considers it a sacred task to be expert questioners. By mastering the enquiry and how delighted we will
to inspire children to ask, probe and the art of inquiry, they raise the ques- be to field more questions at any time.
explore. We take their questions seri- tions no one else is asking, and find the In this spirit, when the great Sage, Hillel,
ously. In the central Maggid section of answers everyone else is seeking. was asked ridiculous questions time
the Seder, we respond by drawing upon Significantly, questions also benefit and again, his response, always keen to
the healthy debates of our Sages over those who are responding. This is beau- encourage, was “My son, you have asked
many centuries; vibrant arguments that tifully articulated in the Talmud (Ta’anit a great question!” (Shabbat 31a)
continue to challenge our intellect. 7b): “Just as a small piece of wood can
ignite a large piece, so too, minor Torah Just as much effort should be invested by
To question is not a rejection. It is seen parents into the answers they will give to
by our intensely discursive tradition as scholars can sharpen great Torah schol- their children’s questions, as the effort
a way of refining our understanding of ars and enable them to advance in their put in by the children who pose them.
studies. This is what Rabbi Chanina
the truth. And, if you understand how taught: I have learned much from
to ask the right question, you are more my teachers and even more from my Emerging from this realization, there is
than halfway to the answer. a crucially important lesson for educa-
friends, but from my students I have tional programming in our communi-
It is not always easy to ask. We some- learned more than from all of them.” ties. Alongside the great Jewish schools
times worry that it might make us look But it is not only the questions that are that provide a solid foundation in educa-
weak, ignorant or unsure. In response to important. tion for our children, we need to provide
such concerns, Pirkei Avot teaches: אלֹ outstanding educational opportunities,
ד ֵ מ ָ ל ן ׁ ָ שְי ַּ ב ַ ה, “one who is shy will not learn.” At the commencement of the Seder, we both formal and informal, for the adults
raise the matzah and declare: א ָ מ ְ ח ַ ל א ָ ה in our communities.
In fact, asking questions is a sign of אָיְנ ַ ע – this is the bread of affliction! This
strength and intelligence. The great- is followed immediately by the questions In addition to training our children to
est leaders are those who constantly that our children ask. ask the right questions, we need to be
ask questions because they recognise ready to respond with the right answers.
that they cannot know everything. The Intriguingly, in the Talmud (Pesachim
confidence to ask simple, penetrating 115b), Shmuel understands the term
questions can make all the difference to אינע to mean “answers.” According to
our capacity to grow and develop. The his view, the statement now takes on a
more challenging the question, the more very different meaning: this is the bread
we stand to succeed. over which we give answers!

Maieutics is the name given to learn- From Shmuel we learn just how import-
ing through asking challenging ques- ant it is to hone the skill of providing
tions. The term comes from the Greek suitable answers. To do so, we need to
meaning “midwife.” Socrates argued that listen respectfully and carefully to the Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis is the Chief Rabbi of
inquiry is the greatest tool we have to question. We need to take care to under- the United Hebrew Congregations of the
give birth to knowledge. stand what exactly it is that is being Commonwealth.

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