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Candle lighting time for Friday, September 3, 7:17
Parashat Nitzavim/Va-Yeilekh
25 Elul, 5770 /September 4, 2010
Triennial Cycle III: Deut. 31:7-30
Humash Etz Hayim, page 1174
Haftarah: Isaiah 61:10-63:9, page 1180
- (Deut. 31:7-13) I am 120 years old today. On the last day of his life, Moses publicly transfers leadership of the nation to Joshua; and commands the priests to read the Torah before the entire people of Israel assembled at the end of the Sabbatical year.
- (31:14-21) And now, write down this song. A song that serves as a prophetic witness for the future if you will violate the covenant.
- (31:22-30) Moses writes down the words of this Torah, and commands that it be placed in the Ark of the Covenant, knowing that his people will need a constant reminder of the covenant.
The Commandment of Gathering Our Children
Rabbi Philip Ohriner
Deuteronomy 30:10-13
And Moses instructed them as follows: Every seventh year, the year set for remission, at the Feast of Booths, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place that He will choose, you shall read this Teaching aloud in the presence of all Israel. 12 Gather the people — men, women, children, and the strangers in your communities — that they may hear and so learn to revere the Lord your God and to observe faithfully every word of this Teaching. 13 Their children, too, who have not had the experience, shall hear and learn to revere the Lord your God as long as they live in the land that you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.
Babylonian Talmud Hagigah 3A
“(In the beit midrash R. Yochanan discussed the verse (3:12), ‘Assemble the people together — men, women, and children.’ It is understood, he taught, why the men are told to come, in order to study Torah. The women attend to listen to the reading. But why are the parents admonished to bring their little children (who are not yet able to learn or listen)? R. Yochanan explained, ‘The Torah commanded that the children be brought so that God would reward those who brought them.
Tosafot (12th– 13th C, France)
so that God would reward those who brought them: upon this they relied to bring children to synagogue.
Rabbi Nathan Adler (18th C, Germany)
Why were Israelites instructed to bring their children? Rashi writes (based on the Talmud in Hagigah 4A): to give a reward to those who bring them. The truth is that the small children distract the adults so that they are not able to listen or hear very well. And so the question remains: Why do we bring children? Why bother with all of the care it requires and put up with all of the trouble that comes from bringing them if they are only going to distract the adults?! Wouldn’t it be better to leave them at home so they wouldn’t be a distraction from serving God?! This is the real question Rashi’s answer is meant to address. There is a great reward in bringing children, and it is far greater than the loss. The excitement of the children, the holy atmosphere makes a profound impact on their hearts and draws them closer to the service of God. There is a benefit in this even though it can lead to distraction from Torah. There is a great teaching involved here: it is eminently worthwhile to disrupt a personal sense of peacefulness and well-being for the benefit of teaching children Torah and good deeds.
The Mishna Berurah 98:3 (Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan Poupko, 20th C, Poland)
Isaiah Horowtiz (the Shelah) criticizes those who bring children to the Synagogue, i.e., small children who have not yet reached the age when one is obliged to educate them towards the observance of commandments. The reason is that such children play and dance in the Synagogue and profane the sanctity of the Synagogue and also muddle the minds of those praying. Furthermore, when they grow older, they will also not desist from the bad practice in which they were educated in their childhood, to fool about and show disrespect to the sanctity of the Synagogue.
Shabbat Supper in the Sukkah (24-Sep-10)
Jr. Kadima: Ice Cream Sundae’s in the Sukkah Spectacular!!
Sunday, September 26, more…