Embrace, Engage Your Children

The Jewish Torah view of Educating Children

Notes from a Shiur on Parshas Bo

"The Torah is unquestionably history's greatest manual for education. For three thousand years, a nation has scrupulously observed its heritage and traditions. For three millennia, they studied, debated, and authored countless libraries of books on its every word. For three thousand years, through the hardest of circumstances, the chain of Jewish education has never been broken.

This is not a coincidence. Immediately following the Exodus, Moses emphasizes the critical importance of communicating the message to the children. "And it will come to pass that tomorrow ("machar") your child will ask 'What is this?' And you shall tell him ..."

Instead of being scared of questions, Judaism always encouraged and embraced questions. When you have the answers, you are not afraid of questions.

Rashi comments that the word 'tomorrow' refers to "the tomorrow of now," but also to "the tomorrow of a later time."

What does this mean? What is the tomorrow of 'today' and what is the 'tomorrow' of a later time?

There are two types of Jewish children, asking very different types of questions. One lives in a 'tomorrow,' yet it is a part of and a continuation of the 'today.' This is a child who cherishes the values and ideals of his ancestors.

But the other is a child who lives in a 'tomorrow' completely alienated from the 'today'. A powerful gulf separates the weltanschauung of the parents and the children.

Their paradigms vary drastically.

We sometimes feel compelled to reject and give up on this child, but the Torah instructs us to embrace and engage him."

To explore these two types of children throughout Jewish history,

and the sacred calling to each of them,

listen to A Tale of Two Children Living in Two Tomorrows.