Category — Emor

The general wants to test the loyalty of his soldiers. So he calls over a soldier and commands him to jump out of the window.
The soldier says, “From my part it’s okay, but for the sake of my family I ask that you reconsider.”
Disgusted, the general sends him off. He calls a second soldier, and repeats his command. The soldier says, “No problem, but please give me a few minutes to say goodbye to my loved ones.”
The general angrily sends him away, and he calls a third soldier, and repeats his command. The soldier looks straight at the general and with total calmness asks, “Which window?”

Did you receive in the mail the new rule book about education? In case you did not, here is a glimpse.
“1. To command a child to do something without giving him a reason, might have worked back in the day, but in today’s world you have to give a reason for everything. 2. Thou shall not punish thy child, for thou can end up in jail on account of child abuse 3. Never command a child to do something, for there is a 63% chance that it will cause the child to run away from home and go on drugs and…”
Sounds familiar? Well, let’s see what G-d has to say about our wonderful laws of education in the 21st century. This week we read how G-d commanded us to teach the children the laws of impurity[1].
If you take a look throughout the Torah, you could count on your fingers the amount of times G-d commands us to teach children specific laws. Actually, this is the first time in the Torah that we are commanded on education! [2]
The question begs to be asked: why from all laws out there did G-d choose to teach us about the obligation of education by the laws of impurity? Seemingly, Shabbat, Kosher and intermarriage, seem more likely candidates to place an emphasis on education!
It gets even stranger: the whole impurity stuff doesn’t make sense in the first place. What is impurity? Can I touch it? No, it’s not mud or dirt. Then what is it? It’s some kid of spiritual filth that contaminates the priest when he comes in contact with a corpse. Now, what kind of logic is that?
Grand slam! That’s just the point. First thing in education is that the child must know that we follow the law because G-d said so, no explanations necessary. If G-d decides to explain the reasoning of the rule, then lucky us, but that’s not why we follow the Torah!
With all that in mind, can you imagine telling your child to take out the garbage, and he smiles and says, “With pleasure mammy, which garbage?”Sounds like the times of Moshiach…

[1] G-d commands Moshe twice to tell the Jews the laws of impurity “Emor. .V’amarta”, the commentaries (Rashi) learn that this is a commandment to the elders to teach and communicate these laws to the youth.
[2] In truth G-d does mention the responsibly of education all the way back in Genesis, when He praises Abraham that “I know he will command his children to follow his ways.” But nevertheless here is the first commandment! Why here?