Nitzavim-Vayelech 5771

This week's double parsha begins: "You are standing (nitzavim) this day before the L-rd your G-d, the leaders of your tribes, your elders and your officers, every man of Israel, your young children, your women...that you may enter the covenant of the L-rd your G-d..."  The second of this week's parshiot contains the mitzvah of Hakhel, a public reading of Torah during the shmittah (sabbatical) year, during the Sukkot festival. "Assemble the people: the men, the women, and the young children, and your stranger in your cities, in order that they hear, and in order that they learn and fear the L-rd your G-d, and they will observe to do all the words of this Torah. And their children, who do not know, will hear and learn to fear G-d..."

What is the purpose of bringing young children to enter the covenant, and obligating young children to hear Torah at Hakhel?

Ramban explains that Torah refers to young children who are of an age approaching chinuch, the age when they must begin to learn the mitzvot.  They are old enough that when they hear Torah read at Hakhel, they will ask their parents what it means. According to Kli Yakar and Ohr haChaim, the children "who do not know" refers to those who have reached the age of chinuch.

The Jerusalem Talmud (Yevamot 1:6) relates that Rabbi Dosan ben Horkinas saw Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya and proclaimed: "'Whom to teach knowledge?...those weaned of milk' (Isaiah 28:9.) I remember his mother bringing round his cradle to the study hall, so that his ears should pick up words of Torah."  The Kleinman edition of Limud Yomi notes: "[From this we learn] that a lasting impression may be etched in the soul and brain of a child that will influence his entire life, though he has no discernible knowledge or memory of that stimulus."

Rashi comments that the purpose of obligating children to hear Torah at Hakhel is "to give reward to those who brought them."   In other words, writes Likud Yomi: "It is an assurance to parents who take an interest and work diligently to promote the wisdom of Torah and fear of G-d in their children even at an early age, that in good time their toil will be rewarded by having children who are true bnei Torah (Children of Torah.)"

Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year 5772, begins Wednesday evening, September 28.  Make sure you take your children, the young and the older, to synagogue to hear the shofar, to hear Torah and to impress upon them the significance of these holy days.