Urgent Need
“I will only emphasize again, in summary, that insofar as the chinuch, education, of children is concerned, the sooner they are brought into a school of a better Torah education, the better it is, for the time element is highly important.”
The Rebbe
When deciding on a school, what is truly in the child’s best interests? Shouldn’t there be options — say, “time off” to explore? The Avner Institute presents the Rebbe’s dire warning to a parent wanting to put off yeshiva for a year – the dangers of secular education and environment, toxic friends and influences – and his final advice: Get thee to a place of Torah!
In loving memory of Hadassah bas Schneur Zalman
“Unknown and unforeseeable elements”
By the Grace of G-d
Rosh Chodesh Tammuz 5732
Brooklyn, NY
Dr. & Mrs. Avrohom Shmuel & Yehudis Luchins
53 Fordham Court
Albany, NY 12209
Greeting and Blessing:
This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 7th and 8th of June, in which you write about the question as to where your son Yosef should continue his studies for the next school term.
Needless to say, the suggestion that he should study in a yeshiva is the right one. It has always been the desire of Jewish parents to give their children the maximum Torah education. Certainly in our day and age this is an urgent need, all the more so since your son himself has expressed his desire and request that he be sent to a yeshiva.
I can well understand, of course, your feelings at seeing all your children learning away from your home. Yet, to consider the other alternative, namely postponing his going to yeshiva for a year – I do not think it is necessary to impress upon you, who have had a great deal of experience with youth, that the alternative would entail unknown and unforeseeable elements.
As you well know, children and teenagers in their formative years are very prone to be influenced by the atmosphere of the school which they attend and the students with whom they associate. And since such association involves many individuals, it is impossible to know what contacts a boy can make today or tomorrow. Nor does a contact necessarily produce an immediate effect, for the actual effects may not come to the surface for weeks or months, especially when it is a daily contact, though sometimes even a single encounter may have an impact.
Even in the present case where the postponement would mean attending the same class for another year, one should still consider the fact that there are usually newcomers every year, and even the previous students might have undergone changes as they grow older, and it is impossible to know in what direction the former schoolmates have changed.
Time Element
I do not wish to arouse any undue anxiety, G-d forbid, and will therefore not say any more on the subject. I will only emphasize again, in summary, that insofar as the chinuch, education, of children is concerned, the sooner they are brought into a school of a better Torah education, the better it is, for the time element is highly important.
As for the personal sacrifice involved in fulfilling the time-honored adage vecheveh golah lemakom Torah — may you wander to a place of Torah – may G-d grant that you should find it easier to accept, and easy to bear, knowing that since the Torah itself has recommended it, it is surely in the best interests of the student and, therefore, also of the parents, since parents desire the greatest happiness for their children.
Consider further that the principle of wandering to a place of Torah was practiced even in the time of the Mishnah, when Jewish children and adolescents were not exposed to adverse influences locally, and it was only a question of acquiring more knowledge of the Torah, which, unfortunately, is not the case in the present instance.
To conclude on an especially happy note, I extend herewith the blessing of mazel tov, mazel tov, to you and all the family on the occasion of the forthcoming marriage of your son Yirmiyahu Yeshayahu. May G-d grant that you should have true nachas, joy, which is Yiddish Torah nachas, from him and his chosen partner in life, as from all your children.
With the blessing of mazel tov, mazel tov,
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