How do We Transmit Emunah? Maximizing the Pesach Seder

ew things are as important in Judaism as faith in G-d. Our religion is not only Ilana Turetsky, Ed.D. Fone of behavior but also of belief. Faculty, Azrieli Graduate School Though there exist extensive debates surrounding the status and particulars of specific elements of our faith, all Rishonim affirm the critical role and (Sefer HaKuzari 1:25-27). He suggests generation, all based on insights into value of emunah.1 that while creation of the world is the unique experience of seder night. While faith in G-d is clearly of utmost obviously fundamental to our faith, importance all year long, it may have it is the public miracles surrounding Approach # 1: Value increased value on Pesach night, our leaving Egypt that serve as more Questions the anniversary of our Exodus from concrete testimony to the validity and Egypt. Indeed, the Torah (Shemot accuracy of our faith. Rabbi Yehuda Much of the content discussed on 20:2) links belief in Hashem to HaLevi maintains that our belief in Pesach night is acquired through leaving Mitzrayim, and a variety of G-d is, in part, predicated upon the questions and answers. A highlight Rishonim offer suggestions as to why public miracles performed in front of the Pesach seder is certainly the our leaving Mitzrayim is so significant of an entire nation while we were in Mah Nishtanah, the four questions in shaping our emunah. Egypt and then the desert, ultimately asked by a child at the beginning culminating in the receiving of the of the seder. The seder could have Ramban (Shemot 13:16) explains Torah. easily been structured in a way that that so many of our mitzvot are With this background in mind, we proactively provides answers to these intended to remind us of Hashem’s questions, eliminating the need to active involvement in this world. turn to an important question. Pesach night is one in which Jewish education even raise the questions. That Chazal The mitzvot help crystalize for us chose to have children ask the initial Hashem’s continued role in impacting plays a primary role. So many of the activities that take place during question reflects an understanding world events — rejecting the that questions are often a critical erroneous belief that Hashem created the seder revolve around engaging the next generation, ensuring educational tool. Questions directly the world, but has now abandoned engage the minds of students and it and left it to run on its own.Sefer their continued connection to our wonderful tradition. How does one help them feel more invested. In HaChinuch (mitzvah 25) similarly structuring the seder around children’s writes that the Exodus from Egypt transmit faith to the next generation? Pesach may be the holiday that, in questions, Chazal help ensure that the demonstrates G-d’s providence, children realize that their questions clarifying that certain events did not a certain sense, is most intrinsically linked with the cultivation of have value and that their voice will be occur as happenstance but as intended included in the seder. results of G-d’s actions.2 emunah. How can emunah in Hashem be effectively transmitted to our A similar concept is found slightly An alternate explanation for the children? later on in the Haggadah when we critical role of yetziat Mitzrayim is relate to the four sons. The fourth offered by Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi What follows are three general ideas regarding fostering emunah in the next son is the “she’aino yode’ah lishol,”

34 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5776 the son unable to even ask his own Approach # 2: Commitment involves adults performing mitzvot. question. Our response is very telling. and Behaviors We understand that to impart We do not satisfy ourselves by merely values to the next generation, more informing him of the most critical Recent research on education has important than talking about faith is facts relevant to yetziat Mitzrayim, revealed a fascinating and possibly living faith; more fundamental than offering a crash course to ensure that counterintuitive perspective on how complex theological discussions may he has acquired, at minimum, the beliefs are transmitted from parents be the simple acts of careful ritual basic pieces of information. Instead, to children. One might have expected observance. we are told “ ,” that our that children’s beliefs would likely at petach lo It is possible to extend this idea responsibility toward him is to open correlate with those of their parents. further. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks offers him up. We are instructed to do our Yet recent research3 has shown that a beautiful and critically important best to engage him and make him an the relationship between parents’ insight into the observance of Pesach, active learner, to ensure that he, too, is and children’s beliefs is not that one that highlights the specific form seeking, questioning, and uncovering straightforward. Rather than beliefs of behaviors found on Pesach and to the best of his ability. being transmitted from parent to one that clarifies for us a common child in a linear fashion, children Indeed, many elements of the Pesach misconception about transmitting our view their parents’ behaviors and night experience have the explicit tradition to the next generation:4 intuit their parents’ beliefs based on goal of prompting the children to the actions that they witness. It is Throughout a century of reflection ask questions. Chazal (Pesachim those perceived parental beliefs that on how to sustain Jewish identity in 114) explain that we eat karpas at correlate most strongly with the creed an open, secular society, the case has the beginning of the seder so that the of the children. In other words, the often been made that we need to make children will ask about this unusual ultimate influence on the children’s Judaism easier. Why make the barriers practice. According to R’ Moshe beliefs is not what the parents actually so high, the demands so steep, the laws Soloveitchik, the custom for certain believe, but what children perceive so rigorous and demanding? So, one by people to wear a kittel at the seder is, their parents as believing based on one, the demands were lowered. Shabbat, likewise, for the sake of piquing the parental actions. In essence, what best kashrut and conversion were all made children’s curiosity. predicts the degree to which children easier. As for the laws of taharat ha- Both the explicit questions in the internalize principles of faith is less mishpacha, in many circles outside text of the Haggadah, as well as the what their parents believe, and more Orthodoxy they fell into abeyance practices that implicitly attempt to how their parents behave. altogether. The assumption was that the prompt the children to articulate less demanding Judaism is to keep, the It is possible that this insight is questions, clearly point toward a very more Jews will stay Jewish. reflected in the manner in which we specific goal. During the night of structure the Pesach seder. True, a To show that this is a fallacy, I once Pesach, when we are trying to transmit primary goal of the seder is to impart asked a mixed group of observant and our faith to the next generation, we messages onto the next generation, to non-observant Jews to list the festivals are taught to make sure the children share with them our most cherished in order of difficulty. Everyone agreed are active participants in exploring ideals and our collective history. Yet, that Pesach was the hardest, Shavuot and understanding our traditions. the seder bears little resemblance to the easiest, and Sukkot somewhere in When children’s questions become a the typical classroom. We certainly between. I then asked, which festivals focal point of the seder, we convey our impart information, and, as noted are kept by the greatest number of Jews. confidence that we are transmitting above, questions and answers are Again, everyone agreed: Pesach was something of value, that we are explored. However, many of the kept by most, Shavuot by the least, with not scared of a close examination most impactful parts of the seder Sukkot in between. There was a pause of our tradition, and that we value involve behaviors, rather than explicit as the group slowly realised what it had and cherish our children’s cognitive statements of beliefs. From the just said. It was counterintuitive but engagement in the religious sphere. eating of the matzah to the drinking undeniable: the harder a festival is, the of the four cups, much of the seder more people will keep it. The proof is

35 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5776 Yom Kippur, by far the most demanding The first two approaches highlight our children to feel confident and day of all, and by far the best attended in different pathways for transmitting comfortable adopting the doctrines of synagogue. faith. The first addresses the role of our tradition. We do not try to ensure our beliefs questions, while the second speaks are passed on to the next generation of exposure to figures who model Approach # 3: Build by lowering standards or by expecting commitment and high levels of Relationships less. Instead, we expose our children observance. to the challenges of ritual observance, Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, in his own As noted above, exposure to parental to the need to sacrifice for our unique way, relates to both of the beliefs can play an important role in tradition. Ultimately, it is those aforementioned ideas in an important the transmission of faith from one communities that have continued article about his own faith:5 generation to the next. An additional to be ambitious and meticulous in component to the transmission of What I received from all my mentors, their mitzvah observance that have belief focuses less on questions and at home or in yeshiva, was the key to found more success in transmitting behavior, and more on emotional confronting life, particularly modern their religious values. Indeed, Ritva connectedness. Recent research has life, in all its complexity: the recognition (Sukkah 2b) writes that the mitzvah highlighted the critical role of warm that it was not so necessary to have all of chinuch, of educating our children, and positive relationships between the answers as to learn to live with the demands that children perform parents and children, specifically as it questions. Regardless of what issues — mitzvot in a halachically acceptable relates to transmission of values. When moral, theological, textual or historical way. We do not educate children children perceive their relationship — vexed me, I was confident that they by having them pretend to observe with their parents as warm and caring, had been raised by masters far sharper mitzvot, but by having them actually their religious beliefs are more likely and wiser than myself; and if they had engage in proper and authentic to be aligned with those of their remained impregnably steadfast in their mitzvah observance, modeling our parents (Barni, Ranieri, Scabini, commitment, so should and could I. I 6 uncompromising ambition with Rosnati, 2011; Okagaki & Bevis, intuited that, his categorical formulations 7 regard to mitzvah performance. 1999 ). Humans are social beings, and and imperial certitude notwithstanding, the role of the social context in the Pesach is a time when children not Rav Hutner had surely confronted process of learning and development only witness their parents’ ritual whatever questions occurred to me. Later, is quite significant. Though seemingly observance. They also see the I felt virtually certain the Rav had, so that distinct from the cognitive realm, close commitment, the dedication, and at the depth and intensity of their service of relationships are incredibly effective times, the challenges surrounding G-d was doubly reassuring. vehicles for transmitting values and the observance of the holiday. The coupling of the willingness beliefs to others. However, perhaps our children’s to confront questions, with the internalization of our system of belief The Biblical requirement of korban presence of positive, supportive, and happens because of, rather than Pesach, the sacrifice that is to be honest role models who themselves in spite of, parents’ ambitious and eaten on Pesach night, underscores exhibit unwavering commitment can uncompromising commitment to the this value. In general, two kinds of play a critical role in empowering details of religious observance. sacrifices exist. There are sacrifices

We understand that to impart values to the next generation, more important than talking about faith is living faith; more fundamental than complex theological discussions may be the simple acts of careful ritual observance.

36 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5776 offered by individuals, be it for Conclusion 7. Okagaki, L. & Bevis, C. (1999). atonement or other reasons. A second Transmission of religious values: Relations kind of sacrifice is offered on behalf The transmission of faith from one between parents’ and daughters’ beliefs. The Journal of Genetic Psychology: Research and of the entire nation, such as the twice generation to the next can be a Theory on Human Development. 160(3), 303- daily tamid offering. Korban Pesach, significant challenge, but it is also of 318. however, appears to be unique. It is paramount importance. The Pesach not offered by individuals nor by the seder offers a number of deep and collective nation. Indeed, a degree insightful strategies for effectively of ambiguity exists regarding the transmitting our belief system to In the introduction to the best way to categorize this korban. It the next generation. Whether by section about the Four seems that korban Pesach is the only celebrating our children’s questions Sons, we use the name sacrifice that is offered by a unit that is and intellectual curiosity, modeling Makom, the Omnipresent, somewhere in between the individual unwavering commitment, or and the nation, namely by family nurturing warm and supportive to refer to God — Baruch members who join together to offer family relationships, we hope and HaMakom. Why do we use the korban. pray that our children will appreciate this specific name? Rabbi the depth of our care for them and Pesach celebrates the birth of our Yosef Dov Soloveitchik the authenticity of our commitment nation, and it may offer us the key to suggests that we use the to our tradition. With the help of its continued survival. The korban name Makom to indicate G-d, may our efforts yield the next Pesach, the first sacrifice offered as link in the chain of “ma’aminim bnei that God transcends time a nation, underscores the need to ma’aminim,” — Believers who are the and space. He is present and create and nurture close familial children of believers. ready to help us even when relationships. Faith exists in the intellectual realm, but it comes alive Notes we might think otherwise. in community, when families unite 1. See, for example, Rambam (Sefer This is why we invoke around common causes. Perhaps that HaMitzvot, Pos. Mitzvah no. 1) and Ramban HaMakom when greeting a is why one of the most important (ad loc). mourner. We indicate to the things families can do on Pesach 2. For more on the impact of yetziat mourner that even in times Mitzrayim, see Maharal, Netzach Yisrael Chap. night, both when the actual korban of suffering and loss, God is Pesach was offered as well as in our 30. contemporary model of Pesach seder, 3. Gniewosz, B., & Noack, P. (2012). really with us. Similarly, at is come together. What you see is what you get: The role the seder, as we are about to of early adolescents’ perceptions in the introduce the Four Sons, we It is important, though, to offer a intergenerational transmission of academic qualification. It is true that faith is values. Contemporary Educational Psychology, might think that it is only often established through community, 37(1), 70-79. possible to properly convey through positive and supportive 4. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, “What does this the message of the seder to relationships. However, those Avodah Mean to you?,” Torah To Go, Pesach the Wise Son. Therefore, we relationships are not meant to be 5774, available at http://download.yutorah. org/2014/1053/Pesach_To_Go_-_5774_ invoke HaMakom to indicate exclusive. We begin the seder by Rabbi_Sacks.pdf. inviting all those who are alone to that God will help transmit 5. Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, “The Source of the story and values of the come join us at our table. We are not Faith is Faith Itself.” The Jewish Action Reader- looking to establish relationships in Volume 1. seder to all of our children, which some are in and some are out. 6. Barni, D., Ranieri, S., Scabini, E., & Rosnati, regardless of their intellect or Instead, we want to build inclusive R. (2011). Value transmission in the family: disposition. communities where all are afforded Do adolescents accept the values their parents the opportunity to benefit from the want to transmit? Journal of Moral Education, Harerei Kedem Vol. II pg. 215 incredible value of relationships. (40)1, 105-121.

37 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Pesach 5776