Educating
children: The survival of G-d's people
The word
used in Hebrew for education is chinukh חינוך, which
means to initiate and to educate. It
also means
"inaugurate" like in the case of the inauguration of the Temple.
Proverbs
22:6 Train , חנך a
child in the way he (should) go; and even when old, he will
not swerve from it.
Our children are temples that must shelter the treasures of
the knowledge of His Word. Like the Temple, nothing soiled
must enter, and all that enter must be centered on the
Menorah of His Spirit. It is written in Numbers 8:2:
“Tell
Aharon, ‘When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps
are to cast their light forward, in front of the menorah.’”
The six branches of the Menorah represent the six branches
of knowledge: Mathematics, Astronomy, Philosophy, Arts,
Medicine, and Physics, all of which must face the main
branch that represents G-d.
Herewith we understand that we must preserve our children from
all sort of soiling, but also that school teaching must
be sanctified and give glory to the Creator.
In Judaism, there is no separation between sacred and profane.
All knowledge comes from G-d and returns to G-d.
Romans
11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Parents
have a very important responsibility concerning their children,
they must prepare them to become holy vessels filled up with
His knowledge and capable of teaching their own children after
them. This is so that the identity of G-d’s people can
be conserved, safeguarded, and the young generation can bear
fruit.
There
is no greater joy than seeing young people walking in holiness,
conscious of having a mission to accomplish, glorifying the
Name of G-d on the earth. Even now, Jewish people continue
to bless their children with Yaakov's blessing:
Genesis
48:20 Then he added this blessing on them that day: “Isra’el
will speak of you in their own blessings by saying, ‘May
God make you like Efrayim and M’nasheh.’” Thus
he put Efrayim ahead of M’nasheh.
Yossef is
the Jewish model of integrity, a symbol of purity which he
kept in the midst of the Egyptian depravity, and who taught
his sons the same vision.
We
bless our sons on Shabbat evening, to be like Ephraim and
M’nasheh, uncorrupted and pure in this generation.
Our
daughters are blessed in Sarah, Rivka, Rachel and Leah, so
that they will become like these mothers who invested themselves
in the callings of their children, praying for them and teaching
them the Fear of G-d.
Education
is a divine right given to the parents; it is the first ministry
and duty of each parent toward his child. It is also a priority
for the Jewish people to teach the young generations, and it
must be a priority for the Kehila (Assembly) as well.
When
Yaakov came down to exile in Egypt, he sent Yehuda ahead
to prepare a Yeshiva, a Torah learning center. The word
used in Hebrew is lehorot, which means "to
teach."
Genesis
46:28 Ya‘akov sent Y’hudah ahead of him
to Yosef, so that the latter might guide lehorot, להורת him
on the road to Goshen; thus they arrived in the land of Goshen.
Teaching
in order to prepare the way for the descendants and prevent
assimilation was the priority for Yaakov, the Patriarch.
The
Midrash tells that when the children of Israel arrived in Egypt,
in order to prevent assimilation, they mutually agreed not
to change their Jewish names, to continue speaking Hebrew and
not to change their way of dressing!
Romans
12:2 In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to
the standards of the ‘olam hazeh. Instead, keep letting
yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds;
so that you will know what God wants and will agree that
what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed.
G-d asks us to teach our children so they will be able to discern
between holiness and soiling, in order to shine in the
midst of this generation, asserting themselves in their
identity and calling.
May Yaakov's
priority be our priority!
Excerpt
from Yehouda ben Tema's work, a Jewish erudite of the
II century after JC.
At
5 years old one is fit to read the Bible.
At
10 years for the Mishnah
At
13 for fulfilling the Commandments
At
15 for the Talmud
At
18 for the Chuppah (wedding)
At
20 for pursuing a calling
At
30 for authority
At
40 for discernments
At
50 for counsel
At
60 to be an elder
At
70 for grey hairs
At
80 for strength
At
90 for a bowed back
And
at 100 a man is as one who has already passed away and ceased
from the world.
