it is forbidden. A little
boy must not bleat like a calf."

* * *

Boaz's system of teaching was founded on one thing--whippings. Why
whippings? He explained the reason by bringing forward the case of the
horse. Why does a horse go? Because it is afraid. What is it afraid of?
Whippings. And it is the same with a child. A child must be afraid. He
must fear God and his teacher, and his father and his mother, a sin and
a bad thought. And in order that a child should be really afraid, he
must be laid down, in true style, and given a score or so lashes. There
is nothing better in the world than the rod. May the whip live long!

So says Boaz. He takes the strap slowly in his hands, without haste,
examines it on all sides as one examines a citron. Then he betakes
himself to his work in good earnest, cheerfully singing a song by way of
accompaniment.

Wonder of wonders! Boaz never counts the strokes, and never makes a
mistake. Boaz flogs, and is never angry. Boaz is not a bad tempered man.
He is only angry when a boy will not let himself be whipped, tries to
tear himself free, or kicks out his legs. Then it is different. At such
times Boaz's eyes are bloodshot, and he flogs without counting and
without singing his little song. A little boy must be still while his
teacher flogs him. A little boy must have manners, even when he is being
flogged.

Boaz is also angry if a boy laughs when he is being whipped. (There are
children who laugh when they are beaten. People say this is a disease.)
To Boaz laughing is a danger to the soul. Boaz has never laughed as long
as he is alive. And he hates to see any one else laughing. One might
easily have promised the greatest reward to the person who could swear
he once saw Boaz laughing. Boaz is not a man for laughter. His face is
not made for it. If Boaz laughed, he would surely look more terrible
than another man crying. (There are such faces in the world.) And
really, what sort of a thing is laughter? It is only idlers who laugh,
empty-headed gools, good-for-nothings, devil-may-care sort of people.
Those who have to work for a living, or carry on their shoulders the
burden of a knowledge of the Holy Law and of the ways of the world, have
no time to laugh. Boaz never has time. He is either teaching or
whipping. That is to say, he teaches while he whips, and whips while he
teaches. It would be hard to divide these two--to say where teaching
ended and whipping began.

And you must know