Rebbe Rebbe
class. The Menahel exclaimed that he was holding by giving up on him. He tried everything to teach him and influence
him and nothing ever worked. What should he do? R’ Shra- ga Feivel Mendelovitz thought for a moment and turned to the Menahel. Tell me, what color eyes does this student have?
“What”? Exclaimed the Menahel. What does the color of his eyes have to do with the problem I have with him?
R’ Shraga Feivel Mendelovitz repeated the question what color eyes does this student have? “I don’t know” answered the Menahel.
Rav Shraga Feivel told the Menahel, if you don't know what color eyes he has, that
means you never looked him in the eyes. When you speak with him you are expected to connect to him and his Neshama that way.
This connection and bond between Rebbi
and Talmid like father and son isn't just a מעלה for a Rebbi to have. It is a חיוב- it is the responsibility of every Rebbi to
create and facilitate.
As Rav Elchanan Waserman writes in קובץ שיעורים - when we say ושיננתם לבנך אלו תלמידים, it isn’t a nice מעלה to have in a Rebbi it’s the chiyuv and responsibility of the Rebbi.