5b: Don't Embarrass Your Teacher!

At the bottom of 5a and the top of 5b we have a cute story about a student who would always question his teacher Rabbi Yannai. The only time he didn't question him was on Shabbat, when Rabbi Yannai would give a derasha in front of the community. Then, this student seemed to feel it was inappropriate to ask a question that his teacher might not be able to answer, thus embarassing his teacher in public.

Rabbi Yannai seemed to appreciate his students' consideration, as he applied to his student the verse, "and one who shows the way, I will show him the salvation of God." That sounds like a good deal.

But is this really how we want to view education? Certainly we don't want to put anyone in an embarrassing situation, but today the honest give and take, and a teacher's ability to say "I don't know, let me look into it" is instructive on its own. And perhaps on a Shabbat morning, when the congregation is the most full, is the best for a teacher to have to say that.