Almost 30 years ago when my son, Avrohom Chaim Shimshon HaLevi, A"H, was in the eighth grade, his rebbe, Rabbi Fischel Schachter, called a meeting of all of the parents of his talmidim. At this meeting Rabbi Schacter stressed that boys who were going to be Bar Mitzvahed during the school year not lain. He pointed out that many boys get very nervous and stressed about having to lain, and that this affects their learning during their year in the eighth grade. If I recall correctly, he said something like, 'Why waste the important learning in the eighth grade by having your son lain at his Bar Mitzvah?"
Avrohom's Bar Mitzvah was during the summer on Shabbos Nachamu, so he did lain.
However, there is a simple educational procedure that will prepare a Bar Mitzvah to lain that circumvents all of the anxiety and stress. My grandson Chanoch attends Yeshiva Darchei Aliyah, and when he began to learn Chumash in the first grade he was taught Chumash with the trop. This has a number of advantages, one of which is that the pesukim are said with a "song" and hence are easier to remember. Darchei Aliya continues this method in the higher grades. By the end of the third grade Chanoch knew all of sefer Bereishis and Shemos virtually by heart. He also knew what the Pesukim meant, of course. I am sure that when it comes time for Chanoch to lain at his Bar Mitzvah, he will find laining easy, because of his study of Chumash with the trop.
Thus, I think that all yeshivas should teach Chumash with the trop. This clearly has advantages over the way Chumash is now taught in most yeshivas.
My son, Avrohom Chaim Shimshon HaLevi, A"H, was hit by a car and killed on a Friday night. His 27th yahrtzeit will be on the 14th of Teves this year. I wrote an article about him shortly after the shiva was over. It may be read at [
personal.stevens.edu]
Professor Yitzchok Levine
Brooklyn, NY
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/24/2017 07:02PM by mlb.
