editorial February 2017 1

LESSONS FROM THE REBBETZIN ABOUT RAISING CHILDREN CHILDREN MUST HAVE JOBS IN THE HOUSE ON EREV RABBI YEHUDA CLAPMAN SPEAKS: SHABBOS We had been making Chanukah candles for the Rebbetzin for a number of years and my daugh- RISHE DEITSCH ter Miriam, then about nine years old, asked the Rebbetzin if it would be okay if she also made her Shabbos candles every week. The Rebbetzin replied, “Will you still be able to do your Erev Shabbos household jobs?” Miriam replied, “Yes. I can do both.” But this wasn’t enough for the Rebbetzin, who replied, “Let’s ask your mother.” 2 nsheichabadnewsletter.com

EVEN NEWBORN BABIES NEED TO HEAR CHASSIDUS

Mrs. Esther Sternberg the , of the effect of spoke at the recent (Nov. every sound and smell an 18, 2016) Shabbaton held infant is exposed to (even by The Beis Medrash Wom- before birth), it made per- en’s Circle of Crown Heights. fect sense to me. Who can She told many beautiful and measure the beneficial, valuable stories from her own even life-changing, effect life. My favorite was... of hearing the nosi hador It was 20 Av in the speak? year 5741 (1981). The It is not enough to be care- Rebbe was going to far- ful with what our children breng that night in honor are or are not exposed to. of his father, Reb Levik’s, We need to be proactive and Mrs. Esther Sternberg gave birth to yahrzeit. deliberately, thoughtfully, baby Rochel in 1981. The baby grew up I was in my hospital expose our children, even to become Rebbetzin Rochel Edelman, room recovering from a babies, to the proper words, shluchah to Luxembourg. C-section, with my new- music, songs, and atmosphere Rabbi Yehuda Clapman, Mrs. Tzippy born baby Rochel in a crib These are just two lessons Clapman, and Miriam, who is now Mrs. right near me. The phone in chinuch from our beloved Miriam Gordon of Encino, CA. rang; it was the Rebbetzin Rebbetzin whose 29th yahr- calling to check up on zeit takes place on 22 Shvat. me. And then she had a question: “Do you have a way to hear the in the My wife Tzippy was there, so the Rebbetzin turned hospital?” to her and asked, “What do you say?” I replied that I had a Tzippy replied, “If Miriam says she can do both, hookup number to call, I believe she can.” and I could do that from Miriam began making Shabbos candles for the the hospital. The Reb- Rebbetzin and delivering them each Friday. As sug- betzin was so happy to gested by Rabbi Elye Gross (a of mine), if hear that, and replied, she couldn’t make candles one week, she would bring “That’s wonderful! So then you can take the baby into Mrs. Esther Stern- bought candles, so the Rebbetzin knew she could berg speaking at WC rely on her. your bed with you and Shabbaton. What I love about this story: First, the obvious lesson, place the phone between that children must have jobs in the house on Erev Shab- both of you, because it is bos. And that their parents shouldn’t let them off the hook important for even very even for the loftiest excuse. young babies to hear Also, I loved how the Rebbetzin had no problem differ- Chassidus.” entiating between adults and children (something that is My baby needs to hear considered non-politically-correct today, when teachers call Chassidus? I couldn’t students “friends” and children call parents by their first understand what the Reb- names). Even though Miriam said she could do both the betzin wanted from me. candles and the Shabbos jobs, the Rebbetzin said to check But as the years passed with her mother. The child’s own word wasn’t sufficient. and we became more and Because children are children, and adults are adults. Hurray! more aware, thanks to