“And so that you may tell into the ears of your son and your son’s son …. that you may know that I am Hashem” (Shemos 10:2).
The Sfas Emes comments that by relating the story of yetzias Mitzrayim, one gains a deeper knowledge of Hashem. This is as it says in the Haggadah, “the more one tells of the Exodus from Egypt, the more praiseworthy he is,” because he is increasing recognition of Hashem in the world.
A person came to the great tzaddik R’ Chaim of Sanz and requested his blessing so that he should be able to successfully educate his children in the ways of Torah.
R’ Chaim of Sanz said: Now you’re coming to me about the chinuch of your children? You had to come to me years earlier for yourself, and that would have included good wishes for the Torah education of your children. It is the parents’ own conduct that has the most far-reaching impact on a child. The child listens to what topics are discussed in the home. He observes which matters are of paramount importance to the parents and what their priorities are. The success of a child’s education is determined in greatest measure by the example that the parents set in the home. That is the meaning of the above pasuk.
The pasuk concludes with the words “that you may know…” One would think that it should say “that they may know,” as we are talking about the son and the grandson. It means to tell us that it must initially be the parents who have to know Hashem, who must themselves be inspired to live a life dedicated to Torah and mitzvos.
We read (Tehillim 14:2), “Hashem looked down upon mankind to see if there is a person who seeks out Hashem.” Man can only see what is revealed in another’s eyes, but Hashem can see what is hidden in man’s heart. However, when the children experience the enthusiasm, excitement, the devotion and passion of their parents for Torah and mitzvos, they see their heart as well, and it is that which has the most profound effect on the chinuch of the children.
The Kerem Shlomo says further that if the children receive a Torah true chinuch they can recognize that their parents seek Hashem, and they are therefore galvanized to give over that same chinuch to their children. It all stems from the parents knowing Hashem. The Torah says that the parent has to “tell it into the ears of your son and your son’s son.” This is to teach us that, even if the parent cannot personally transmit the Torah chinuch to his grandchildren, the chinuch should resonate so powerfully, that the children are inspired to uphold that continuum of enthusiasm throughout the future generations.
We learn in Sefer Yehoshua (6:26) that a curse was issued by Yehoshua upon anyone who would try to rebuild the city of Yericho. King Achav derided the curse, and the prophesy of the nevi’im. Chiel rebuilt Yericho, losing his first son when the foundation was laid and his youngest son when the gates were set up.
With the derision of King Achav, Eliyahu HaNavi declared (Melachim I, 17:1) that there would be a three-year drought upon the land. Eliyahu was then commanded to go to the Brook of Kris, which was east of the Jordan. There he was able to drink the refreshing waters of the brook and he ate the bread and meat which was delivered by the ravens.
At the end of a year, the brook dried up, and Eliyahu no longer had water to drink. Hashem then instructed Eliyahu to travel to Tzorfas. He came to the home of a poor widow, with an only child, who barely had food for a single meal. Eliyahu asked her for some water and a piece of bread. She swore to Eliyahu that she only had a handful of flour in a jug, and a bit of oil in a cruse, enough for one meal for the two of them. He assured the woman that she and her son would not die of hunger, and Hashem promised that the jug of flour would not run out and the oil would not lack, until rain once again descended on the land. The woman placed her complete faith in Hashem and shared her food with Eliyahu HaNavi.
Years later it was her son whom Eliyahu HaNavi revived after he had died. The Talmud Yerushalmi relates that the child grew up to be Yonah HaNavi.
We learn that Yonah was always worried about the honor of the Jewish People. He was concerned that if the people of Ninveh would do teshuva it would reflect badly on Klal Yisrael, and he therefore tried to flee from fulfilling his mission. He was even willing to be thrown into the stormy sea because of this. Where did he learn to care so deeply for his people, and to be so dedicated in his service of Hashem?
It was something that he saw in his childhood; it was embedded in the walls of his home. He witnessed his mother’s kindness and her emunah, and this impacted him for a lifetime.
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