20 Aug EKEV: PACKAGING THE TORAH

Parashat Ekev includes the
second paragraph of Shema,
in which we find the
command to educate our
children: V’limad’tem Otam
Et B’neichem – “You shall
teach them [the words of Torah]

to your children” (11:19).
The adult generation bears the obligation to
ensure the perpetuation of Torah, that it is
successfully transmitted to the next
generation. The Torah is eternal, and must be
always preserved, and we therefore have the
obligation to teach it to our children.
As everybody knows, this mitzvah poses a
great challenge. Educating our children to
follow the path of Torah has always been
challenging, but it is especially so in our day
and age, when lures and distractions abound.
One of the important principles to keep in
mind when it comes to education is that while
the Torah never changes, the “packaging”
does – and must – change. The way we
transmit it, the tools and methods we use to
teach and inspire, must be tailored to the
specific needs of every generation.
One obvious example of “new packaging” is

the fact that thousands upon thousands of
Jews today learn Torah over digital platforms,
by hearing classes and reading printed Torah
material disseminated through apps and
websites. This is today’s “packaging” of the
Torah.
Another example is the founding of the
Hassidic movement in Eastern Europe in the
1700s. Many Jews in Ukraine and other
places were simply unable to connect to
Hashem through Gemara learning. They were
poor peasants who needed to start working
already as children, such that they never
received an education. Learning was not an
option. The Ba’al Shem Tov realized that the
Torah needed to be “repackaged” – not,
Heaven forbid, changed – to allow these
people to connect to it. And so he founded a
new movement, which emphasized things
like joy, prayer, singing, dancing, and the
notion that even a simple, unlearned Jew can
build a special relationship with Hashem.
In our times, we need to “package” the Torah
for our children the right way. Shoving it
down their throats with anger and threats is
not going to succeed. The pasuk says,
Deracheha Darchei No’am, Ve-chol
Netivoteha Shalom – “Its ways are ways are

pleasantness, and all its ways are
peace.” We need to show our children the
beauty of Torah life, and the joy of Torah
life. We need to try to make it fun and
engaging, something that they will be
attracted to.
Imagine somebody goes over to his
fellow who is struggling, hands him a
check, and says, “Look, I’m giving you
$1,000 because I see that you’re an abject
failure, you can’t make a living, you’re a
real hazit, and you never do anything right,
so you need help.” The person will
certainly accept the $1,000, but will
obviously not feel very good about it.
Now imagine the person going over to his
struggling fellow, handing him a check,
and saying, “Look, I know you’re going
through a rough time, working very hard but
not seeing much success. You’re a good guy
and I really respect you – so I wanted to help
you out.” Needless to say, the recipient would
warmly hug him and feel overjoyed.
In both scenarios, somebody gave another
person a valuable gift. But the “packaging”
was drastically different. In the first instance,
the “packaging” was unpleasant; in the
second, the “packaging” was beautiful. And

that makes all the difference in the world.
This is our challenge in setting out to fulfill
the mitzvah of V’limad’tem Otam Et
B’neichem. Torah is a beautiful, precious
gift. But when we give it to our children, we
must do so in a pleasant, enjoyable way, in a
manner of Deracheha Darchei No’am, which
leaves them with a good feeling. They will
then accept this gift lovingly and happily, and
then, please G-d, transmit it also to their
children, so that the beautiful chain of Torah
will continue for all time.