The word 鈥渘uance鈥� is more than a buzzword, but often it can feel like one. Nuance is the single most important element of a healthy educational experience. What is nuance, and how does using a nuanced approach to a difficult question lead to surprising outcomes and cause us to rethink our previously held assumptions? And why does it matter in education?

A nuanced approach breaks through echo chambers by exploring the wide contours of dispute that exist on any given issue. When we encounter diverse perspectives on any given issue, we gain a more complete understanding of the issue and people who are different from us.

This approach is needed now more than ever because it will counter the polarization in our politics, media and social lives. And bringing a nuanced approach into our classrooms is not only necessary if we want to break down the silos in the 91传媒 world and expand understanding of one another; this approach is also fundamental to Judaism and our responsibility as 91传媒 educators.

In the Talmud (Eruvin 13b), there is a well-known debate concerning whether the law ought to follow the opinion of Beit Hillel or Beit Shammai. For three years, this was debated. These two schools of thought had fundamentally different approaches to education and the law.

Beit Shammai was what the Talmud describes as 鈥�charifei tuva,鈥� meaning they were significantly sharper than Beit Hillel. They knew the facts involved and had a clear answer to every legal question. In modern parlance, one might say they were adept at logical argumentation and analysis of an issue. Perhaps that is why there is a tradition of believing 聽that in the Messianic era, the opinions of Shammai will prevail.

But until that Messianic Era, Beit Hillel is the victor for decision making in 91传媒 law. The Talmud provides three reasons for this:

1. Beit Hillel was 鈥�nochin vi鈥檃luvin,鈥� often translated as 鈥渁greeable, patient, humble and forbearing.鈥�
2. Beit Hillel studied their own opinions and the opinions of Beit Shammai in their academy.
3. When they formulated their teachings and cited a dispute, Beit Hillel made the decision to prioritize or give precedence to Beit Shammai鈥檚 statements over their own statements.

Beit Shammai was also a deeply important part of the 91传媒 tradition, but they only engaged in their own positions. Micah Goodman, in his new book 鈥淐hazara Bli Teshuva鈥� (鈥淭he Wandering Jew鈥�), explains that Beit Shammai was 鈥渁n echo chamber.鈥� Beit Hillel,聽who we are the descendants of and whose legacy we inherited, behaved differently. They reached outside of their own school of thought and learned the positions of Beit Shammai as well as their own.

The two schools鈥� different behaviors likely stemmed from their radically different ideas about the goals of 91传媒 education. To quote the organizational psychologist Adam Grant in his recent book, 鈥淭hink Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don鈥檛 Know,鈥� Beit Hillel understood that 鈥渢he purpose of learning isn鈥檛 to affirm our beliefs; it鈥檚 to evolve our beliefs.鈥�

Beit Hillel understood that 鈥渢he purpose of learning isn鈥檛 to affirm our beliefs; it鈥檚 to evolve our beliefs.鈥�

Beit Hillel was not merely interested in proving their existing views right. Rather, by including Beit Shammai鈥檚 views,聽they sought a complete understanding of the issue as well as the 鈥渙ther.鈥� They viewed their intellectual and religious rival with respect, integrity and dignity. This approach is the 91传媒 people鈥檚 foundational narrative of what it means to engage in education.

To be clear, applying Beit Hillel鈥檚 approach 鈥斅燼 nuanced educational approach 鈥斅燿oes not mean being relativistic or having less conviction. We ought to remember that Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai agreed on the fundamental truths of Judaism and disagreed on 300 cases of law and lore. Both schools ultimately had clear positions on these matters.

Where the two schools differed was in how they arrived at those positions. Specifically, Beit Hillel considered diverse perspectives as part of their standard process of forming opinions and reaching conclusions. By proactively including Beit Shammai鈥檚 opinions and genuinely considering them, Beit Hillel was able to reduce the chance of falling into two common psychological traps Grant discusses in his book: confirmation bias (seeing what we expect to see) and desirability bias (seeing what we want to see).

We may have the impulse to follow the example of Beit Shammai and be 鈥渞ight,鈥� but that is not our heritage as 91传媒 educators. So, how can we follow in the footsteps of Beit Hillel and bring a nuanced approach into our classrooms?

1. Model being curious, and reward your students for showing curiosity. Openly share with your students and peers when you are curious or even ambivalent about an issue. Encourage your students and peers to lead with their curiosity, rather than immediately looking to prove a point. Some of the most profound moments I had as a student happened when I asked my teacher or rabbi a difficult question, and they responded, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know. I need to think about it.鈥� As Grant wrote, 鈥淲hen someone knowledgeable admits uncertainty, it surprises people and they end up paying more attention.鈥� Teach your students that
2. Showcase a range of perspectives on any topic. There are rarely only 鈥渢wo sides of a coin鈥� for any given complex issue. Whether you are teaching about the binding of Isaac, the Spanish Inquisition or the emergence of the state of Israel, present multiple historical and philosophical viewpoints so your students can appreciate the topic鈥檚 complexity and consider different perspectives. There is no need to overwhelm students with 25 perspectives on a given topic: highlighting three or five perspectives will allow students to see the textures of an issue.
3. Motivate your students to consider nuanced perspectives between two extremes. Help your students overcome the tendency to think about issues in binary terms by asking them, 鈥淎re there any additional perspectives that could be missing between the extremes?鈥� Consider discussion questions like, 鈥淪hould Israel allow public transportation on Shabbat?鈥� and 鈥淲as King David a courageous hero, a flawed leader or both?鈥澛犫�淒oes God intervene in the world?鈥� Let鈥檚 help our students engage in what is called 鈥渟pectrum thinking,鈥� exploring perspectives in the grey zone.

Two thousand years ago, Beit Hillel modeled a way to reach beyond the silos in the 91传媒 world, explore the perspectives of their religious counterparts and gain a more complete understanding of any given topic. As 91传媒 educators, lay leaders or parents, we are all descendants of Beit Hillel, and it is our responsibility to follow in their footsteps and break through the echo chambers and division that characterize our own times.

In a world in which too many people have huddled into their silos and taken hardline partisan positions, we need to make nuanced 91传媒 education accessible to everyone. As Beit Hillel demonstrated, nuance does not mean having less conviction; it means bringing more people into the discussion. Nuance does not mean being less passionate; it means being more compassionate.

The world has a population of almost eight billion people. Comparatively, the 91传媒 people are merely trying to crack the 15 million mark. Because of our relatively small population size, we simply do not have the luxury of shunning others within our 91传媒 family. By using nuanced educational approaches, we can help reverse polarization trends in our community and build a 91传媒 future that is more compassionate, empathetic, informed and connected to Judaism and each other. We have no time to waste.

Dr. Noam Weissman is senior vice president and head of content at OpenDor Media and Unpacked for Educators, a 91传媒 educational non-profit company that is creating , , and that are animated by a nuanced educational approach.