Love The Student

The Sifri in this week's parsha says לבניך - אלו תלמידיך. וכן אתה מוצא בכל מקום, שהתלמידים קרויים בנים, שנאמר "בנים אתם לה' אלהיכם", ואומר מלכים ב ב "ויצאו בני הנביאים", וכי בני הנביאים היו? והלא תלמידים היו! - אלא מכאן לתלמידים שהם קרוים בנים.  Why does the Torah not just spell out תלמידיך?  I heard in the name of Rav Meir Chadash that the Torah calls the talmiddim בנים to teach the melamed that he must have a relationship with his students like that of a father to his son.  He pointed out that actually the love for a talmid may and possibly should extend beyond the love for one's children.  The Gemorah says that Rav Yochanan would comfort mourners by saying דין גרמא דעשיראה ביר – זו העצם של בני העשירי because he lost 10 sons (Berachot 5b.)  Yet, despite having to bear the pain of losing so amny chidren in his lifetime, R.Y. moves on to become the great scholar that he was.  Yet, the Gemorah in Bavva Metzia (84a) says that when his talmid Reish Lakish, R.Y. was in such a state of anguish that the chachamim prayed for him to die.  We see that R.Y.'s loss of one talmud hit him much harder than the loss of 10 sons!
This obligation of a Rebbe to a talmid is highlightedin the Lev Eliyahu.  He cites from the Alter a diuk in the Gemorah, וכשחלה רבי יוחנן בן זכאי נכנסו תלמידיו לבקרו כיון שראה אותם התחיל לבכות.  Why did he cry specifically when he saw them?  Because it was when he saw the students that he thought maybe I didn't give them the proper care and devotion and because of that I will get punished.  With this principal, the alter explained the possuk אֵ֥ין צַדִּ֖יק בָּאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֶׂה־טּ֖וֹב וְלֹ֥א יֶחֱטָֽא:  Why the extra words אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֶׂה־טּ֖וֹב?  He explains that it is possible for a person to be a tzaddik, separate from the world and avoid sin.  But a tzaddik אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֶׂה־טּ֖וֹב, that teaches us others, gives to the world, is impossible to be be perfect and not be lacking in some manner in his mannerism with his students.

Interesting point in Rav Eliyahu Baruch's sefer on this possuk: