A few questions about teaching Lashon HaKodesh and Dikduk in a Lubavitch Yeshiva (elementary school):
Q. #1:
Is it a mitzvah to learn Lashon HaKodesh for the purpose of learning Torah? Is it a mitzvah to teach our sons Lashon HaKodesh for the purpose of their Limud HaTorah? If so, what precisely is the geder of the mitzvah? What sources can I look up to learn more about it?
A. Not a Mitzva by itself, but it is often a prerequisite to learning Torah. Teaching our children Lashon HaKodesh is part of the obligation of teaching Torah, similar to הכשר מצוה.
See more in these sources:
פירוש המשניות להרמב”ם אבות ב, א. שו״ת יד אלעזר לב. תורה תמימה עקב יא אות נב.
Q. #2:
May Lashon HaKodesh be taught as a subject unto itself, separate from Chumash and Mishnayos, or should it only be taught as part of those studies?
A. It may and should be done (as long as it’s Lashon HaKodesh and not Hebrew), and so is common practice in many Yeshivas.
Sources:
ראה אג״ק מוהרש״ב ב ע׳ תפג. מוהריי״צ ו ע׳ קנב. יב ע׳ קעו. אג״ק אד״ש טז ע׳ רכג. ד״ה כי נר מצוה תשכ״ב. לקו״ש לד ע׳ 243.
Q. #3:
Can you explain what was עברית בעברית and why the Rebbeim were opposed to it? Does this have any relevance to the above questions?
A. It means to teach the Hebrew text in Hebrew, without translations from other languages. it does not apply to teaching Lashon HaKodesh by translating to/from English.
Q. #4:
Can you explain when and why Chassidim historically did not learn Dikduk? Also, what was included in that? Did Chassidim not learn basic prefixes and suffixes, verb conjugations (אני אמרתי אתה אמרת וכו), or is it only more advanced Dikduk that they would avoid? What about dikduk Rashi’s? Does what they did still apply to how we teach in elementary school level yeshiva today?
A. This began when the Enlightment Movement placed a negative emphasis on Dikduk (early 1800’s).
סה״ש תש״ד ע׳ 24. וראה אג״ק אדמו״ר מוהריי״צ ז ע׳ קמה.
However, later on, the Frierdiker Rebbe instructed that it be taught in Tomchei Tmimim, as did the Rebbe.
אג״ק ו שם. אג״ק יב שם. ר״ד יחידות ב אד״ר תשכ״ה. וראה לקו״ד ב ע׳ 456. סה״ש תש״א ע׳ 33. תורת מנחם התוועדויות תשמ״ב ב ע׳ 1066. ולהעיר מהוראה מהרב חדקוב – ימי תמימים ז ע׳ 24.
בנחיצות לימוד הדקדוק – ראה של״ה ריש מס׳ שבועות. מגדל עוז להיעב״ץ ברכות גבעון אות ב סדר הלימוד. ועוד. וראה הסמת מהרי״ל על סידור אדה״ז. ספר התולדות אדה״ז ע׳ קעג. שם ע׳ קעו. עסקנות ציבורית ע׳ 78.
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