SHAVUOS HOLIDAY: OPEN LETTER TO NON-RELIGIOUS & RELIGIOUS JEWS
Teachers, Parents: Stop Mistreating Children
Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim
We have one life.
If the greatest doctors informed you how you’re killing yourself, you would listen.
If the greatest minds said you forfeit what’s best for your kids, you would listen.
Well, the greatest Jewish minds quoting God have already spoken, namely, Moses, King Solomon and Maimonides.
You must ensure children receive the best direction.
The Greatest Event
In Torah, 9 times Moses reminded the Jews of the greatest event in all of history. He recalled how our nation of 2 million Jews, enumerated extensively by family names and tribes had eye-witnessed Revelation. They all stood at the foot of Mount Sinai hearing intelligence emanating from the blazing inferno, feeling Earth quake, seeing lightning, hearing thunder and the sound of a shofar waxing louder and louder (Exod. 19:16-18). The mountain was engulfed in fire, yet intelligent sounds were heard from within the fire. The people trembled. God orchestrated such a miracle to remove all doubt that the source of the Torah being given, was not biological, not earthly. For any biological entity perishes in fire. That's why God used fire in this communication.
Proof of God
Had the nation not witnessed this event, they would reject Moses’ repeated reminders that they were there. But they did not reject Moses, in fact, the entire nation transmitted that event to their children, grandchildren until that account reached us today. There is no other Jewish history for that Hebrew date, Shavuos 2448. Had this miracle never happened, we would have in our possession an alternate Jewish history. Had the Jews never been in Egypt and witnessed those 10 plagues and the splitting of the Reed Sea, again we would have an alternate history in our possession today. But the fact is that there's only one singular Jewish history, which is what Torah communicates: we were in Egypt 210 years, we witnessed 10 plagues, the sea splitting and receiving Torah at Mt. Sinai. We ate miraculous manna that appeared on the ground each morning for 40 years in the desert. The miraculous rock provided the entire nation water during those decades.
These histories cannot be false. Had they been, the Jews would not have unanimously transmitted it as their sole history. Similarly, if someone today tried to convince us that this morning we all witnessed a spaceship with aliens, we would not unanimously teach our children such a story.
The proof of Revelation at Sinai is that simple and irrefutable. We possess this historical account because all these miracles transpired literally in front of millions of people. We all witnessed God’s communication. No other religion makes such claims of mass witnesses of miracles. In fact, they demand blind faith, precisely because their religions are fabrications.
Caring for our Children
If rabbis, teachers and parents communicated these historical truths to our children, if children learned this clear proof that God gave the Torah to the Jewish nation, this reality would stir our children to wonder what is so important in the Torah. Far fewer children would abandon religious Judaism. When a child’s mind sees a proof, it far outweighs the lures and values of our secular societies today led by the intellectually untrained and the morally deficient.
Torah is True & is the Best Life
Revelation at Sinai validated the entire Torah as true, which proves that God created man, the universe and Torah. God created us, so He alone knows what’s best for us, and He told us to follow Torah. Torah will yield the greatest life in terms of personal happiness, societal peace, and success as promised by God in the Shima (Deut. 11:13-15). Rejecting a Torah life and all its laws and values means one thinks he knows better than God. Sinning against God will also result in the Torah’s harsh curses.
Of course adapting to a Torah life requires change, and your personal comfort in what’s familiar and what’s routine to you will oppose such change. But those are poor reasons to not follow God. If you follow wisdom, and decide to change and follow Torah, you can do so slowly, guided by this new knowledge that Torah wisdom will improve life in all areas. And your continued Torah study will grant you a higher level of happiness as you will start enjoying Torah’s immense brilliance. King Solomon was second in wisdom only to Moses. He taught that nothing man can desire compares to Torah wisdom (Prov. 3:15, 8:11). World leaders were greatly impressed by King Solomon's wisdom. We should not take his advice lightly. Following him, we learn what decisions and values have caused us unhappiness and problems. His keen knowledge of psychology and philosophy will guide us to more rational decisions that avoid most problems. We then start enjoying a more tranquil life, we eliminate animosity, and find more success and an appreciation for God’s wisdom. The same God who created the universe, also created Torah. This must imbue us with motivation to study Torah which has great depth and brilliance that provides unparalleled satisfaction.
Your kids have one life.
If the greatest doctors informed you how you’re killing yourself, you would listen.
If the greatest minds said you forfeit what’s best for your kids, you would listen.
If God tells you what the best life is, follow Him. He knows best.
Not following Torah is self-destructive.
Not teaching your children is worse.