Teach Your Children Well: Friday November 3, 2023 – י״ט חֶשְׁוָן תשפ”ד
כִּ֣י יְדַעְתִּ֗יו לְמַ֩עַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אַחֲרָ֔יו וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת צְדָקָ֖ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט לְמַ֗עַן הָבִ֤יא יְהֹוָה֙ עַל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֖ר עָלָֽיו׃ (בראשית יח:יט)
For I have singled him out, that he may instruct his children and his posterity to keep the way of יהוה by doing what is just and right, in order that יהוה may bring about for Abraham what has been promised him.” (Genesis 18:19)
There is no more important Jewish undertaking than teaching our children to do what is just and right. The lessons of our past are to be imparted to our children to instill in them a strong sense of identity and belonging, and to fashion a sense of moral and ethical behavior. We want our children to be charged with the task of uprooting evil, standing up for those who are powerless, and repairing the broken fragments of our world.
At this moment in time when our people are experiencing a crisis of biblical proportions, it is our texts and traditions that help us make sense of what we should teach our children. This week’s Parashah, Vayera, offers us some lessons for how we should act, speak, and lead as examples for ourselves and our children.
- Speak truth to power and judge fairly.
- Powerlessness is not a Jewish virtue.
- In the face of adversity, tradition calls upon us to stand proudly as Jews.