Raising Pure Children

Living Emunah By Rabbi David Ashear

Living Emunah 2686 Raising Pure Children Raising pure children in this generation is a very challenging task. Children are being pulled in many different directions, and as Chazal predicted, in the end of days, there will be a great deal of chutzpa. We are witnessing this with our own eyes. Children are disrespecting parents, talking back to them, and not giving them the respect and honor that previous generations upheld. Of course, we need to do everything in our power to create the proper environment for them to grow in the way Hashem wants. However, there is only so much that a parent can do. This is why we need immense Heavenly help to ensure that our children remain pure and grow to be true servants of Hashem with good middot. To that end, we must beg Hashem for His help. The power of a parent's tefilla on behalf of their children is enormous. Parents who pray sincerely for their children have a tremendous advantage in raising them. Our children can receive the best of everything if we ask Hashem to provide it. A rabbi from Israel shared a story about a nurse who had no understanding of what it meant to be a religious Jew. One day, everything changed for her, and eventually, she became fully observant. People were curious about how such a transformation happened. She explained that once, she cared for an elderly woman with a very painful illness. The woman required frequent injections, yet she was always holding a siddur and praying happily. While most people with her condition lost the will to live, this woman radiated joy. One day, the nurse asked her about the secret to her happiness. The woman replied that it was all in her siddur. She constantly thanked Hashem for everything He gave her and then prayed for things she had yet to receive. The nurse admitted, "I see how happy you are when you pray. I also want to pray, but that book is far too overwhelming for me. Could you photocopy just a few pages for me?" The woman photocopied the Birkot HaShachar and explained the meaning behind each blessing. Included on the photocopy were the Birkot Hatorah, which the nurse began saying daily. The nurse continued: "My second daughter was very difficult to control. She was outspoken, headstrong, and paid no attention to anything I said. However, over time, I noticed a transformation in her. Her bad traits were disappearing, and she was becoming a kind and respectful person. Eventually, she became religious and asked to attend seminary. She later married a deeply religious young man. Seeing the love and respect they have for each other fills me with so much joy. I wanted to be more like them, and that's how I became religious as well. At first, I couldn't understand how my daughter changed without being exposed to Torah. But now that I am observant, I fully understand it. Every day, when I recited the words ונהיה אנחנו וצאצאינו וצאצאי עמך בית ישראל כולנו יודעי שמך , I was praying for her." The power of tefilla on behalf of our children is truly remarkable. Rabbi Yechiel Michel Stern shared another story about an outstanding student who invited him to his engagement party. When the rabbi arrived, he was surprised to see that the bride's family were very simple people. Rabbi Stern had expected the boy—one of the top students in the yeshiva—to marry into a family of great talmidei chachamim. Someone explained to Rabbi Stern that the bride's grandmother had been a neighbor of the Chazon Ish. Years earlier, when the Chazon Ish's wife was unwell, this grandmother had gone out of her way to help her. On one occasion, the Chazon Ish gave her a beracha, saying that one day her family would merit an outstanding talmid chacham. This beracha enabled her granddaughter to marry such an exceptional boy, something completely out of the ordinary for a family like theirs. Our tefillot for our children can work wonders. We should utilize every opportunity to pray, helping give them the siyata dishmaya they need to become the great people they are capable of becoming.