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Home and Family
Teaching Love of Torah

by Tzvia Ehrlich-Klein

Part IV of a series leading up to Mattan Torah

We discussed 1) Working at trying to connect what is happening to thoughts about Torah, good middos and Hashem, i.e. relating to Torah in our daily lives; 2) Showing love of Torah in various ways.

3. Pay Attention When Others are Speaking in Torah

* Never talk while someone is speaking Torah -- even if you do not understand the content or the language in which they are speaking. Always listen, unless there is a real emergency. This includes listening at Bar Mitzva, Bris and Sheva Brochos celebrations, Yeshiva fund raising dinners etc.

Children learn from what they see, and how can they ever really believe you love Torah and think it is important when every time someone starts talking in Torah you either begin whispering to a neighbor or leave the room?

* Don't clear away dishes or serve food when someone is speaking Torah at the table. In fact, try not to leave the table at all while words of Torah are being spoken. Sit and at least act as if you are paying attention. Do all the serving, clearing, cleaning etc. during the singing or a lull in conversation.

* Don't allow giggling, talking, whining etc. during Kiddish or a dvar Torah. It is preferable to excuse children from the table during the latter, even if they will be wandering around the room. No one imbibes love of Torah by being forced to sit quietly while dying of boredom. And it is not even healthy for those sitting at the table to see that someone else is not enjoying Torah. Being effected by one's surroundings does not only refer to a street in the downtown area of the city.

Try to get all the adults to work a little harder at making meal time a Torah-interesting and fun time for everyone (school age and up). If the menfolk get heated over some intricate lomdus, ask them to bring it to the general level for all to appreciate or suggest they pursue it properly, with texts, after the meal.

Encourage sons and husbands to use coming home by bus, car or foot as time for thinking about relevant points from the parsha or short interesting Torah topics.

Make it a rule to have some dvar Torah even at EACH weekday meal, preferably before bentching. It can be prepared on a rotation basis, with everyone responsible for something at some time, even kindergarten children!

To be continued...

 

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