Should We Bring Children to Shul?

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The Torah tells us that when Moishan Haaren came before Parah,

they did not initially demand permanent freedom.

They asked for a three-day yont of in the mid-bar,

time to serve as Shem and then return.

But even that limited request was refused.

But Parah's own people protested.

We've had enough of these markers.

They said, Admosa Yezehlonulamokash,

the countries collapsing,

Shlakhasa anosyem,

Vyavdus asyemalakheyem.

Send them out and let them serve their God.

So Parah's softened sustenance.

He sums Moishan Haaren back to his palace,

and he asked them,

Meeve miahulchem,

who exactly will be leaving?

So Muncher answers emphatically,

Benirainu of Skeneinu neilach.

We will go out with our youth and with our elders,

with our sons,

with our daughters,

every last person,

with our flocks,

with our cattle,

Kihaga Shemlonu.

But Parah objected.

He said,

What do you need the children?

If your goal is to serve your God and bring Cabanois,

then the men are enough.

The children will own interfere.

Let them remain here.

It's right.

So Moishan responded,

this is not the way we serve Hashem.

Our children must come along with us.

And the question is,

Why was Moishan insisting that the children must come along?

Why did he need them there?

So once more, powerful idea.

Moishan is teaching us that it is never too early

to begin educating our children.

The children must be present.

They must watch Hashem,

learn from us,

and absorb from all the adults.

Our children must carry on our legacy.

They must transmit them the soil to their children

and to the generations beyond.

And that is why Moishan was adamant,

about taking along the children.

And perhaps, that is why Moishan said,

Benirainu, if Scandinu,

placing the children before the elders.

Because the only way to perpetuate Iddishkite

is to instill its values

into our children while they're still young.

They say,

Iddishkite,

Iddish is a kite.

It's a chain.

One link leads to the next.

From our children to their children.

From generation to generation.

We see this same principle

by the myths of Hakil.

The Torah commands

Hakil, a notion, notion, but tough.

Men, women, and children,

almost assemble.

In Digamara asks,

men come to learn.

Women come to listen.

But why bring along the children?

And for Digamara,

to give reward to those who bring them.

But Avi's question is,

what reward is there

if the children are restless

and they don't understand what is being said?

So the answer is,

that even if they are not gaining consciously

at that moment,

the long-term impact is immeasurable.

The impressions form then,

shape who they will become later.

And that alone,

warns reward for those who bought them.

I once saw this powerful idea.

When you were the stanz before

Yusuf and Mitzarahim,

and he pleads for the release of Benjamin,

he says,

Aich Ella Avi,

Vanar and Nanuiti.

How can I go up to my father

if the boy is not with me?

The Maffarshamer explained this homiletically.

Aich Ella Avi,

how can we stand before Avi,

our father in heaven,

if our children are not with us?

If they are not continuing along our path,

if we failed to educate them properly.

After 120 years,

we will be asked not only about our own deeds,

but about how we educated our children.

Did you make it a priority?

We will be asked,

did you choose the right schools?

Were you actively involved in the Hinnik?

Did you invest time and effort to help your children grow

into their observant God-fearing Jews?

Or did vacations

and your social life take precedence?

Success in Hinnik is not measured by

where a child begins.

But how much they grow?

If you are given a challenging child,

a child that starts out as a 20,

and through patience and effort reaches a 50,

that is genuine success.

But if you are given a naturally gifted child,

a museum, a genius,

who begins at 90,

and is allowed to coast,

remaining stagnant or declining,

then the obligation of Hinnik was not fulfilled.

Our children are not just the next generation.

They are the future of Torah,

the future of Kalisrael.

Every moment we spend guiding them

and teaching them,

showing them how to live a life of Torah mitzvahs,

plant seeds that will grow far beyond what we can ever see.

Leave the children behind.

That is the ideology of Parah.

Mojshah said,

we cannot go on without our children.

And this is the message for today.

If we want our children to become to me,

the Khama, the Yershimaim,

then we must bring them along on the journey.

They must watch us how we serve Hashem,

how we learn, how we dive in,

and live with purpose.

They must experience the warmth of Torah

at home, in shul,

and everywhere we go.

And now we know.

Have a wonderful day.