Our middle son turned 13 this week. Please send help—we now have two teenagers and a pre-teen ruling the house.
This milestone invites reflection on how we prepare our children and almost (gulp) young adults to enter the world. The Talmud explains that in teaching Torah, we should “v’shinnantam.” A phrase we say every single day in the Shema and V’ahavta, “v’shinnantam” can be translated as diligently teaching our children Torah. However, the Hebrew roots shin, nun, nun also implies a sharpness. When we teach our children, the lesson they glean should be sharp and clear enough, so they feel anchored by our tradition and confident in our values.
If we are wishy-washy in what we impart and in what we model, how can we be surprised when they continue forward with ambivalence and confusion?
There is always room for debate, struggling, questioning, and wonder. That is the beauty of our tradition. However, the central Jewish values we want our children to learn should be presented with clarity and conviction.
Our children will find their own path forward; paths that will look different than our own. But we will continue to teach with a sharpness and decisiveness that invites Torah to firmly root itself within their souls. For as they walk forward, our children will know it is Torah that anchors each step and enables them to achieve the highest of their aspirations.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Nicole Guzik is senior rabbi at Sinai Temple. She can be reached at her Facebook page at Rabbi Nicole Guzik or on Instagram @rabbiguzik. For more writings, visit Rabbi Guzik’s blog section from Sinai Temple’s website.
