Bava Batra 21a — the Talmud in English

The latter clause comes to teach about the children of the beit rabban.

In truth, the latter clause is speaking about the same courtyard, and it is not speaking about children who come to buy, but about children who come to study Torah with their teacher. And even though he increases the number of people in that courtyard, entering and leaving, in any event it is impossible to protest against him,

and from the enactment of Joshua ben Gamla onward,

the reason that they cannot protest against him is that the Mishna is speaking after the enactment of Joshua ben Gamla.

For Rav Judah said in the name of Rav: Rather,

in truth,

may that man be remembered for good, and Joshua ben Gamla was his name,

he was the High Priest during the period of the Second Temple,

for had it not been for him, Torah would have been forgotten from Israel. At first, whoever had a father, his father would teach him Torah;

whoever had a father who was able to teach him, his father would teach him,

whoever did not have a father

who was able to teach him,

would not study Torah.

What did they expound?

What did they expound, that they thought that only the father teaches?

“And you shall teach them”—and you shall teach them yourselves.

That which Scripture said, “And you shall teach them,” they expounded “them” as “yourselves”: that you yourselves should teach your sons.

They instituted that teachers of children should be established in Jerusalem.

What did they expound

from where did they expound that teachers of children should be established only in Jerusalem? “

For from Zion shall Torah go forth”

etc.

for its continuation is, “and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem,” to say that Torah must be in Zion and in Jerusalem. Since there they would see priests engaged in the Temple service, and everyone engaged in the work of Heaven, he too would direct himself toward fear of Heaven and engage in Torah.

And still, whoever had a father, he would raise him

to Jerusalem

and teach him; whoever did not have a father would not go up and study. They instituted that teachers should be established in every district and district,

in every land in which there are several provinces and towns.

And they would bring him in at the age of sixteen or at the age of seventeen,

because for those younger than this it was difficult to travel from the place where they lived to the place where they taught.

And one whose teacher became angry with him would rebel against him and leave.

Since they had not become accustomed from childhood to sitting and engaging in Torah.

Until Joshua ben Gamla came and instituted

together with the Sages of his generation,

that teachers of children should be established in every province and province and in every city and city. And they would bring them in at the age of six or at the age of seven.

At approximately six for a healthy child and at approximately seven for a weak one.

And once Joshua ben Gamla instituted this, the neighbors cannot prevent it, since this is a matter of a mitzva.

Rav said to Rav Samuel bar Shilat

who was a teacher of children:

Until six, do not accept him. From then onward, accept him, and feed him like an ox.

Until the age of six, do not accept him to teach him, for he is not yet able to bear the exertion of study. But from the age of six accept him and teach him Torah against his will, just as one feeds and gives drink to an ox against its will, or just as one places a yoke upon an ox’s neck against its will.

And Rav said to Rav Samuel bar Shilat: When you strike a child,

when you hit a child,

strike him only with the strap of a sandal,

do not strike him except with the strap of a shoe; that is, he should give a light blow so that he will not be harmed.

He who reads, let him read;

one who reads and studies should continue studying,

he who does not read, let him be a companion to his fellow.

One who does not wish to read and study need not be disciplined excessively, nor should he be removed; rather, he should sit together with the others, and in the end he will pay attention.

He raised an objection

against Rava from a beraita:

One of the members of a courtyard who sought to become a physician,

who wishes to become a physician—that is, a circumciser,

a bloodletter,

one who lets blood,

or a weaver,

one who spins threads,

or a teacher of children, the members of the courtyard can prevent

him.

The members of the courtyard can prevent him, because he increases the number of those entering and leaving the courtyard.

And it is explained here that even a teacher of children can be prevented, and this is difficult for Rava, who explains the latter clause of the Mishna as referring to a teacher of children whom they cannot prevent.

The Gemara answers: What are we dealing with here?

With children of gentiles,

here it is speaking of one who teaches the children of gentiles a craft or something similar; but one who teaches the children of Israel Torah cannot be prevented.

Come and hear

a proof, from that which we learned:

Two people who sit in a courtyard, and one of them sought to become a physician, a bloodletter, a weaver, or a teacher of children—his fellow can prevent him.

And this is difficult for Rava from the case of a teacher of children.

The Gemara answers:

Here too, it is with children of gentiles.

Here too, it is speaking of gentile children.

Come and hear

a proof, from that which we learned:

One who has a house in a courtyard of partners—he may not rent it to a physician, nor to a bloodletter, nor to a weaver, nor to a Jewish scribe, nor to an Aramean scribe.

And the Gemara understood that “scribe” means a teacher of children, whether he is Jewish and teaches the children Torah, or whether he is a gentile and teaches the children a craft or something similar. And the reason in all of this is that he increases the number of those entering and leaving among the members of the courtyard. And this is difficult for Rava from the case of a Jewish scribe.

And the Gemara answers:

What are we dealing with here? With the city’s scribe.

Here it is speaking of the teacher of all the children of the city—that is, he is appointed over all the teachers of the city and instructs them how they should teach—and there is a great commotion there, as all the teachers and children come there. In this case, it is possible to protest against him.

Rava said: From the enactment of Joshua ben Gamla onward, we do not bring a child from one city to another city.

From the enactment of Joshua ben Gamla, that teachers of children are established in every city and city, children are not brought from place to place so that they will not be harmed on the roads; rather, teachers are established in every place.

But from one synagogue to another synagogue, we do bring them.

It is possible to bring them from one synagogue to another synagogue in the same city.

And if a river interrupts, we do not bring them,

if there is a river that separates between this synagogue and the other synagogue, we do not bring them, because there is danger in crossing the river.

And if there is a broad bridge, we bring them,

if there is a broad bridge over the river, it is possible to bring them, for there is no danger in crossing the river when there is a broad bridge.

And if there is a narrow bridge, we do not bring them.

If there is a narrow bridge, we do not bring them, for there is danger in this.

And Rava said: The maximum number of children’s teachers is twenty-five children,

the number of children suitable for one teacher is twenty-five children. And with fewer than this, the members of the city cannot compel one another to hire a teacher for them.

And if there are fifty, we establish two.

If there are fifty, we establish two teachers.

And if there are forty, we appoint a head assistant,

if there are forty, we appoint an assistant to the teacher, who hears from the teacher’s mouth and repeats his words before the students so that the words will be familiar on their tongues. And the head assistant receives a wage.

And they assist him from the city.

The members of the city assist the teacher, participating in the support of the head assistant, and they do not deduct from the teacher’s wages on account of supporting the head assistant.

And Rava said: As for this teacher of children who teaches well, and there is another who teaches better than he,

if the members of the city hired one teacher who knows how to teach, and afterward another came there who knows how to teach better than the first,

we do not dismiss him, lest he come to be negligent.

We do not dismiss the first one, lest the second become proud in his heart that there is none like him, and become negligent in teaching the children well, and not fear that they will dismiss him.

Rav Dimi of Nehardea said: All the more so, if he teaches better—“the jealousy of scribes increases wisdom.”

Since they give the second one consideration, he will take care to teach well, because he is concerned about the jealousy of his fellow, whom they dismissed on his account, lest his fellow shame him before the members of the city if he does not teach well.

And Rava said: In the case of these two teachers of children, one teaches much but is not precise, and one is precise but does not teach much,

if there are two teachers, one has studied much and knows how to teach well, but is not precise in teaching the children, so that they will not become confused; and the second is very precise, so that the children will not become confused, but has not studied much and does not know much how to teach,

we establish the one who teaches much but is not precise, for an error will leave on its own.

We establish the one who studied much, even though he is not precise, because over time the children will understand on their own what the mistakes that they were taught are and what is correct.

Rav Dimi of Nehardea said: We establish the one who is precise but does not teach much, for an error, once it enters, enters.

We establish the one who is precise, even though he has not studied much, because mistakes that enter during childhood can remain forever.

As it is written

in the Book of Kings I [chapter 11]

“For Joab and all Israel remained there six months, until he had cut off every male in Edom.”

When he came before David,

when Joab came to David and told him that he had killed all the males in Amalek,

he said to him: