The Mitzvah of Ambiance and Attitude

by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine

The mitzvah of Hakheil was that the Jewish people should gather every seventh year and listen to words of Torah read by the king. The Torah states: “Gather the people- men, women, and children- so they will hear and learn…” The Talmud wonders why the children had to be brought, and answers: “To give reward to those who brought them.”

The question, “Why did the children have to be brought?” is a powerful one. After all, they are underage; they are not obligated in mitzvos. The response is that there is something great to be gained. Although the children don’t yet have the obligation, the parents do. As the Malbim explains, “The children are too young to understand the ‘speech’. But they will gain from the impressive Torah gathering. It will be an impression which will remain with them throughout their lives.”

Attending this Hakheil gathering is not a mitzvah upon the children. But there is a mitzvah upon the parents: To provide the children with an experience of inspiration which will stay with them for a lifetime.

This obligation is not limited to Hakheil. Throughout our lives we have opportunities to create an ambiance that treasures Torah. This is particularly relevant in a child’s education. Although the child might not yet understand the “speech,” they do pick up on the experiences. Showing that we treasure Torah and mitzvos makes an impression, even when speeches may not. A positive impression gives the child a starting point of affinity to Torah and mitzvos.

Rabbi Emanuel Feldman writes that he once encountered a man on a plane who reached into his carry-on bag and pulled out a paper bag. The Rabbi got the impression that perhaps the bag contained the man’s kosher tuna fish sandwich, or the like. Moments later, however, the contents were revealed. Contained in the paper bag were the man’s Teffilin. Utterly stunned that a person would store Teffilin with such a lack of reverence, the Rabbi coined an expression “Tefflin in a brown paper bag,” referring to the fact that we sometimes do mitzvos in a way that fulfills the legal requirements, but does little to display the sense of admiration and love that we should have towards a mitzvah.

Similarly, the way we talk about mitzvos leaves a lasting impression upon those around us. I cannot tell people how much they should spend on an Esrog. Some will spend a lot; others will spend little. But whatever you do spend, make sure to do it with a smile. If you bring the Esrog home with such joy that shows that you just want to kiss the treasure that you have purchased, then your family will know that mitzvos are precious.

The mitzvah of the Hakheil gathering wasn’t a mitzvah obligation on the children. It was an obligation of the parents to provide the youth with an ambiance and attitude that treasures Torah, so that they would have such a baseline in their lives to treasure Torah forever.

© 2016 by TEACH613™