Crafting the Self-Reliant Spirit: Wisdom from the World of Cigar Aficionados for Parents and Mentors

Show Notes
Transcript

Can the meticulous craft of cigar aficionados unlock the secrets to superior teaching? This episode unravels an intriguing comparison between the art of keeping a cigar lit and the finesse required to nurture a child's independence flame. As we wade through this smoke-filled room of discussion, we'll uncover why the ultimate goal of parenting and teaching may indeed be to become unnecessary in our charges' lives.

Together, we explore the symbolism of the menorah's continuous light as a metaphor for the enduring nature of education. The conversation takes a witty twist as I draw parallels between avoiding cheap cigars and the transformative impact of inspiring a child to the point where they no longer need our guidance. Listen for a thought-provoking session that might spark a change in how you approach the roles of teacher, parent, and mentor.

Support the Show.

Join the WhatsApp community for daily motivational Torah content! JOIN HERE
----------------

SUBSCRIBE to The Weekly Parsha for an insightful weekly shiur on the Parsha of the week.
Listen on Spotify or the new Jewish music and Podcast streaming platform 24six!
Access all Torah talks and listen to featured episodes on our new website, themotivationcongregation.org

----------------

Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com

Transcript

WEBVTT

00:00:01.542 --> 00:00:10.503
I would like to begin with two radically outlandish statements but then argue to try to prove them to be true.

00:00:10.503 --> 00:00:15.608
Number one cigar aficionados make better teachers.

00:00:15.608 --> 00:00:31.289
And number two, that the goal of parenting, teaching, proper child tutelage and tutoring is for the parenting teacher to become utterly useless and entirely superfluous.

00:00:31.289 --> 00:00:38.060
And I would like to begin this argument from the Ata Titzavis bine Yisrael v'yukhue lech ha'shem en zayh zach.

00:00:38.060 --> 00:00:49.149
There's a mitzvah that the Kohanim should set up, arrange, organize and clean the menorah, the mitzvah of Arihaz, neyros b'amigdash.

00:00:49.149 --> 00:00:53.210
And the Torah tells us that their commandment is to light it.

00:00:53.210 --> 00:01:00.692
Or the commandment is to light it, a lahalosnare tumid, to kindle the lamp continuously.

00:01:00.692 --> 00:01:06.231
Now Rashi picks up on something, citing a Gamara in Mesaklashabis 21a.

00:01:06.231 --> 00:01:13.513
He tells us that lahalosnare, to raise up the light, to kindle it is in a terminology.

00:01:13.513 --> 00:01:40.242
Normally we say lahaliknare, not lahalosnare, but as Rashi, citing the Gamara, this is telling us a specific and unique halacha that you are to light the candle on Shabbos and in the mitzvah until the smaller candle, the wick, will catch and then rise up by itself in its own self-sustaining, powerful, illuminating fire.

00:01:40.242 --> 00:01:47.862
And it isn't hard for us to understand all the symbolism of the menorah presented by the commentators.

00:01:47.862 --> 00:02:01.698
The menorah always represents spiritual, illuminating light Kinare, mitzvah, vittorah or surely you're aware of that pasak, the spiritual brilliance, the light that comes off, the clarity that is the menorah.

00:02:01.698 --> 00:02:02.944
That's what we're trying to aim for.

00:02:02.944 --> 00:02:04.188
And education.

00:02:04.188 --> 00:02:09.591
When you are trying to light someone else's fire, how do you do it properly?

00:02:09.591 --> 00:02:26.707
Until the child, until his fire is so lit that it doesn't need your help anymore, until it goes up, olis me, eleha, until he becomes his own tiki torch, until the child becomes his own burgeoning bonfire.

00:02:26.707 --> 00:02:45.066
So, yeah, the goal is to become the parent that takes the training wheels off, the teacher that can take a step back and watch the child grow and grow, and grow until we become, thank God, superfluous because the child is his own fire.

00:02:45.066 --> 00:02:47.070
He doesn't need us to keep lighting his torch.

00:02:47.760 --> 00:02:49.205
And the cigar aficionado?

00:02:49.205 --> 00:02:58.674
Well, sometimes the child isn't exactly a perfect candle and we are like a cigar aficionado who has a cheap cigar.

00:02:58.674 --> 00:03:01.204
It doesn't stay lit in the way that he had hoped.

00:03:01.204 --> 00:03:10.145
He has to have that right tact, that right ability to light it enough, the way to milk it and to make sure that it actually stays lit.

00:03:10.145 --> 00:03:12.211
With that proper finesse it's possible.

00:03:12.211 --> 00:03:26.546
And then teaching you have to make sure that, with the right stoking of the coals, with the right lighter, with the right angle, you can inspire a child to spark his heart until he is olis me eleha and goes up by himself.

00:03:26.546 --> 00:03:27.568
Each and every child.

00:03:27.568 --> 00:03:31.884
The takeaway Well, don't buy cheap cigars.

00:03:31.884 --> 00:03:44.840
But even more meaningful, more seriously, is that the goal is to become extra, that you can inspire somebody, and specifically we're talking about children here.

00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:55.481
Until the haalos nertamed aachitay shall haveas olam me eleha, they want to grow and they rise up all by themselves.

New to The Motivation Congregation?

Here are some great episodes to start with.

Crafting the Self-Reliant Spirit: Wisdom from the World of Cigar Aficionados for Parents and Mentors

Listen On

Featured Episodes

Recent Episodes

New to The Motivation Congregation?