A Moment with Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l #301 This was transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures.
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QUESTION:
How can a Rebbi help a weaker student succeed in learning?
ANSWER:
The first thing is, to encourage him. A very big factor in learning is not to give up hope. The truth is, everybody can succeed in learning, it doesn't mean that you'll become a world renowned Gaon, but everybody can succeed in becoming a lamdan. It's only when people find it difficult and they despair, then they can lose out. A Rebbi, if he encourages boys, he'll be surprised with the results. Of course you need help too, but encouragement is a very important factor.
Parents should encourage their children (they should help them too), "keep it up, you're succeeding, you'll be something," and eventually it's going to happen. I remember when I was a boy, one of my Rabbeim who used to talk to me always and give me encouragement when he saw me sitting with a sefer. I cannot forget him, I'll always be grateful, for those words were a source of strength, because people need that more than anything else. Of course they need instruction, but encouragement is what we have to give, and by the way, not only in learning.
The husband needs encouragement when he goes to work; money doesn't grow on trees, it's very hard to make a living. When he comes home from work, the wife should encourage him, and even though he tells her of his failures and difficulties, she should say, "don't worry, eventually we'll make it, eventually we'll pay all our bills, we'll be settled, we'll be happy." These words are like a balm, like a salve, to help the husband maintain the struggle of his existence. And by the way, there's nobody in the world that doesn't have any troubles, everybody has some troubles, and everybody needs encouragement.
Women need encouragement in the home, housework is many times very difficult. People that are not well need encouragement, that despite their illness a few kind words will help many people better than medicine. Therefore, me'oded anavim Hashem, Hashem encourages the humble, encourages the meek; a very important function, to encourage people. If you make it a career to encourage people, you should know you're going to have a tremendous schar for this great form of chessed.
Important Numbers
