Last week Kollel Anash of Crown Heights had the privilege of hosting a shiur on the topic of educating children by Rabbi Nachman Yosef Twerski of Crown Heights. The shiur was in connection with Shavous, a time when Klal Yisroel proclaimed “our children will be our guarantors” for receiving the Torah. Rabbi Twerski is a veteran hanholah member at the Oholei Torah Mesivta and a renowned lecturer on topics of Chinuch and Shalom Bayis.
Rabbi Twerski began by pointing out, that years back, it was not common to hold courses on the topic of educating children. It was not necessary, since children were then brought up with a natural respect for parents, grandparents, and elders. In today’s day, the culture around us is very different and this affects us as well to some degree. Therefore, it is important to discuss the topic thoroughly.
He impressed the importance of giving over the foundations of Emunah at a young age. One of the yesodos of Emunah is that Hashem loves every Yid. We should let the child know and feel this love at a young age. Even a baby needs to be embraced. Without that embrace, the baby will grow up unhealthy. The home should be a place that provides emotional security for the child. A child should feel secure; he has parents that love him. If later on in life, someone challenges the child, he will have the strength to deal with it.
How does one instill security in a child? Rabbi Twersky related, how he once received a call from someone from Eretz Yisroel who was writing an article on the topic of Chinuch. He wanted to hear what his three cardinal principals of Chinuch are. Rabbi Twerski responded: Think positive about the child; View the child positively; Speak positively with the child. One should think of ways how to make the child feel secure. This idea is important for parents, teachers and in general with all our social relationships.
We need to remember we are the not owners of our children. They were gifted to us by Hashem for a mission and purpose. We must take appropriate care of them “Kol hamtzil nefesh achas…” – anyone who saves one life, is as if he saved the entire world. A “nefesh achas” can be your own child. We need to be extremely careful how we speak to our children. Just like we make sure to speak pleasantly to someone we are trying to bring closer to Yiddishkeit, the same should be with our own child and to an even greater degree. This is a direct shlichus from the Ribbono shel Olom himself! No need to specifically search for a nefesh achas in the street. He or she can be in your own home.
Kollel Anash is located at Congregation Anash at 770 Montgomery Street and is under the leadership of Rabbi Michoel Lerner. The Kollel was founded and is sponsored by Rabbi Dovid Fischer, Rov of Congregation Anash.
Audio:
Video of Shiur:
