Raising Religious & Resilient Children – Part 2

The source for the mitzvah of chinuch in the Torah offers excellent guidance in this quest. The Meshech Chochmah (Rabbi Meir Simchah Hakohen of Dvinsk highlights Bereishit 18:19, that describes Hashem’s decision to reveal to Avraham Avinu (a”h) the impending destruction of Sedom. The pasuk states: “I love him for instructing his descendants and his household to safeguard the way of Hashem to perform acts of righteousness and justice.”

The greatness of Avraham Avinu was that he disseminated knowledge of Hashem to his entire household. Similarly, the Rambam (a”h) in his Sefer Hamitzvot writes that we can come to love Hashem through contemplating the wonders of creation. Part of this mitzvah is to bring other people closer to Hashem and to tell them of His goodness and kindness.

When someone loves another person, he wants to make the knowledge known. A new mother or newly engaged person, is excited to share the news with everyone. Both the mother and the new bride exhibit excitement. The mother will talk to anyone who will listen about her new baby and the bride will yap away about her new groom. Similarly, one who truly loves Hashem will want to share that knowledge with everyone else.

Accordingly, when a child comes home wide-eyed with excitement about something he learned that day, if the parents express even one word of sarcasm this will demolish the child’s educational foundation.

Read Part 3 For More Insights