Rabbi Howard Morrison

In antiquity, when children were introduced to Torah study, they started with Vayikra and not with the stories of Bereishit and Shmot. Why? Children are pure, and sacrifices are pure. Let those who are pure immerse themselves with matters of purity.

This is a season of children coming first. In a little over a week from now, we will celebrate Pesach. The term Haggadah is based on the Torah expression, "V'Higadta L'Vincha - You shall tell your child."

At the Seder table, much of our purpose is to stimulate children. The child recites the four questions; we read a text about four kinds of children; the songs at the end are meant to involve children; children hide or find the Afikoman, and more.

Now is the time for adults to consider other creative strategies for making Pesach relevant for the next generation. For many Jews, their fondest Jewish memories are Passover Seder ones. What memories will we try to create for our children to have and to pass down to the next generation?

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Howard Morrison