To all those apologists for rebbes slapping talmidim, I have worked in the past with boys who, whilst they are not OTD, have trouble fitting in the system. I cannot tell you how many of them were turned off learning torah because of rebbes who used corporal punishment; one told me how his rebbe forced him to wear a sign around his neck with the word ‘sheigetz’ on it because he couldn’t answer a question, and then slapped his hand with a ruler. The boy was forced to sit at the front of the class, facing the rest of the class, wearing this sign for the rest of the lesson. Please understand that probably the worst thing you can do for a child is use such punishments. Please, if you value your child’s chinuch, don’t apologise for the things you’re apologising for.
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