English translation — וירא א

Sicha page 61

A.

Regarding the obligation of education of minors,

It is stated in many places that "education is rabbinic"¹,

But from the Torah there is no obligation of education — and it requires explanation:

Since according to the Torah, the moment a minor becomes an adult he is immediately obligated in the fulfillment of all the commandments of the Torah,

if so, if there is no obligation from the Torah to prepare him for the time of his adulthood,

will he transgress the commandments of the Torah due to lack of knowledge and lack of preparation?

Simply put, one can say,

that this is included in the general commandment of Talmud Torah,

"It is a positive commandment from the Torah for a father to teach his minor son Torah..

as it is said²

And you shall teach them to your children to speak of them"³,

and as the Ramban explained on the verse⁴

"And you shall repeat them to your children",

"Since He commanded regarding the statute of an eternal statute for your generations⁵..

behold we are commanded that our children should know the commandments⁶,

and how will they know them if we do not teach them"⁷.

And according to this, there is from the Torah an obligation of chinuch as preparation for the fulfillment of the commandments in his adulthood,

and on the contrary,

this is the foundation of the general commandment of Talmud Torah for children,

as above.

But that from the Torah the commandment is "that they should know the commandments of our children,"

and the Rabbis came and instituted that there is also a commandment to educate the son in the fulfillment of the commandments,

and as the early authorities wrote,

that it is in order "to accustom the minor to the commandment..

so that he should be educated and accustomed to the commandments"<sup>8</sup>,

"to guide him so that he should be habituated after his custom when he grows up"<sup>9</sup>,

like the matter that is said<sup>10</sup>

"Train the youth according to his way, even when he grows old he will not depart from it"<sup>11</sup>.

But at first glance this is not sufficient<sup>12</sup>

: since<pg>62</pg>

That knowledge of the commandments itself is not enough that he will fulfill them in practice when he grows up,

and as is proven from this very thing that the Sages obligated to educate him in the fulfillment of the commandments in practice so that he will become accustomed to them,

behold,

that from the Torah,

when the minor grows up and reaches the age of thirteen years and one day,

there is lacking in his preparation and his complete training so that he will be able to fulfill in practice all the commandments properly when he grows up.

For if the minor becomes accustomed to conduct without the guarding of the Torah and the commandments,

behold even if he knows

(in his intellect and his thought)

the laws of all the commandments,

it is impossible that in one moment he will begin to fulfill them all in practice properly

(contrary to his nature and his previous custom).

2.

Seemingly one could say,

that indeed there is an obligation of education¹³

from the Torah¹⁴

[and not only in knowledge of the commandments]

— and with an introduction:

When the Torah obligates to fulfill some mitzvah,

for example laying tefillin,

it is simple that the obligation is not only for one who has before him a pair of tefillin that he is obligated to lay them,

but the mitzvah obligates him to do all that is necessary in order to obtain tefillin,

And if he did not exert himself and because of this did not lay them, he has nullified a positive commandment.

And likewise with several mitzvos,

that he is obligated from the Torah to do all that is necessary so that he can fulfill the mitzvah,

And in the language of the Rambam<sup>15</sup>

"There are positive commandments that a person is obligated to exert himself and pursue until he performs it, such as tefillin and sukkah and lulav and shofar."

And even though the essence of the obligation is only a specific action like laying tefillin and taking the lulav, nevertheless this obligation itself obligates him in all the preparations necessary so that he can fulfill

(the action)

of the mitzvah.

And furthermore,

that if he did not exert himself to learn and know how to fulfill the mitzvah,

and therefore did not fulfill it according to its law,

behold this too is considered a nullifier of a positive commandment.

And if so,

regarding a minor who becomes an adult,

that then he becomes obligated immediately from the Torah in the fulfillment of the entire Torah,

behold since it is impossible that he fulfill all that is incumbent upon him without prior preparation,

both learning and knowledge of the mitzvos,

and both his preparation and qualification that he become accustomed to fulfill them in practice

(which is similar to the exertion to obtain tefillin or lulav and the like),

if so this preparation is also,

apparently,

an obligation from the Torah<sup>16</sup>.

And since there is an obligation upon the minor to prepare himself for his adulthood except that a minor is not subject to obligation,

therefore there is room to say that this obligation passes to the father

[And similar to what the Rivash wrote<sup>17</sup>

regarding pidyon haben,

that "the essence of the mitzvah is upon himself except that in his minority it is impossible"<sup>18</sup>,

therefore it was imposed upon the father].

But nevertheless this obligation is not in the category of a commandment,

but rather only preparation and readiness alone,

in the manner and example of cutting wood to make charcoal to make iron

(scalpel for circumcision)¹⁹.

And this is what was added in the commandment of education that is rabbinic,

that there is in this a category of obligation<pg>63</pg>

the commandment.

And it may be said,

that from the aspect of the obligation from the Torah, the minor's own action is not in the category of fulfilling a commandment,

but rather action in order that he become accustomed,

while rabbinically the minor's action is in the category of a commandment,

and therefore from the Torah the fulfillment of the commandment that the minor does does not need to be in all the details,

in complete fitness,

because from the aspect of preparation there is no difference so much in the manner of his doing,

but unlike this, from the aspect of the rabbinic commandment of education, the minor needs to fulfill the commandments in all the details like an adult²⁰.

3.

And we find something similar in the commentary of Rabbeinu Manoach on what the Rambam wrote in Hilchos Shevisas Asor²¹,

"A minor of nine years and ten years, we train them for hours. How so? If he was accustomed to eat at two hours into the day, we feed him at three; if he was accustomed at three, we feed him at four. According to the child's strength we add to afflict him in hours. An eleven-year-old, whether male or female, fasts and completes [the fast] by rabbinic decree in order to train him in the commandments."

And Rabbeinu Manoach wrote about this: "And what the Rav wrote here 'in order to train him in the commandments' and above also wrote 'we train them for hours' comes to inform us that there are two types of training, as we say in the Gemara²²

Rabbah said: There are two types of training, one for affliction and one for completion,

and the training of hours is not an obligation by rabbinic decree, but rather an obligation incumbent upon every person on his own to teach and accustom his children to walk in the paths of uprightness, as it is written: 'Train a youth according to his way' etc., and in order to bring them under the wings of the Shechinah..

But regarding the second training, i.e., when they are eleven years old that they are obligated to complete [the fast] by rabbinic decree, a boy and a girl are equal in it..

And this is what the Rav wrote here: 'fasts and completes [the fast] by rabbinic decree,' and above he wrote 'we train them' and did not write 'we train them for hours by rabbinic decree' because the training of hours is not at all by rabbinic decree, for there is no obligation of training by rabbinic decree without completion, i.e., that he perform the commandment properly and in its fullness,"

end of his words.

And from his words it appears that there is a general obligation

(as we learn from the verse "Train the youth")

to educate his children that they should go in the way of the Torah and the commandments&lt;sup&gt;23&lt;/sup&gt;,

And this obligation, since it is only to accustom them to the commandments, does not require that the commandments be fulfilled in their proper form and according to their halacha.

And in addition to this, the Sages obligated that the minor should perform each and every commandment according to its law and in all its details like the performance of an adult.

&lt;pg&gt;64&lt;/pg&gt;

And one could say,

that what Rabbeinu Manoach wrote there that "the education of the hours is not an obligation from the Rabbis but an obligation incumbent upon every person from himself etc.",

means that the responsibility of the father to educate his son

(in a general manner)

is proven from logic,

and a person is obligated in it from himself without there being a specific command and obligation for this.

That is: Since according to the Torah every person is obligated from the time he reaches the age of thirteen years and one day to fulfill the entire Torah and commandments,

it is understood and simple that every Jewish man will educate and accustom his sons "to walk in the path of uprightness",

the way of the Torah and the commandment,

just as it is simple that every upright person guides and educates his children in the good and upright path without having a command about this,

because this is the nature of a father,

and in the language of the verse²⁴

regarding Abraham "he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord to do righteousness and justice".

And based on this, one can say that there is in this a category of Torah law²⁵,

and as explained in many places in the Talmud that a matter that is proven from logic is from the Torah²⁶

[and the verse in the Writings "Train a youth etc." is merely a revelation of the matter].

4.

However, at first glance it is a great novelty to say that there is an obligation of education from the Torah²⁷,

and this is not mentioned in the poskim,

rather all of them held that the obligation of education is only from the words of the Scribes,

and as explicit in the language of the Alter Rebbe in his Shulchan at the beginning of Hilchos Talmud Torah mentioned above "that a minor is exempt from all the commandments and also his father is not obligated to educate him in the commandments from the Torah, only from the words of the Scribes etc."²⁸.

And based on this, since from the Torah, the moment a minor becomes an adult he is immediately obligated in the fulfillment of the entire Torah,

and if he was not educated and accustomed to the commandments beforehand, it is impossible that he will be able to be careful as required in all positive and negative commandments immediately when he grows up,

then how can it be said that there is no obligation from the Torah to prepare him and make him ready for the time of his adulthood, lest he transgress the commandments of the Torah due to

(lack of knowledge and)

lack of preparation²⁹.

And furthermore,

according to what was explained above, that from the aspect of the obligation of the commandments that will take effect immediately when he grows up, there is an obligation of preparation that at the moment he be-<pg>65</pg>

He will be able to fulfill them,

And behold, this obligation exists and stands, except that it is impossible for it to take effect upon the minor who is not of sound mind,

And why did the Torah not transfer the obligation to the father or the court,

And as above.

5.

And it appears,

That what was stated above

(Section 2),

That since as soon as the minor grew up, he is obligated in all the commandments entirely,

Therefore, if he did not fulfill them or transgressed them due to lack of prior knowledge and preparation, it is considered as one who neglects a positive commandment and as one who transgresses a negative commandment — this is not necessary.

And with the preface:

When the Torah obligates in some mitzvah,

it is simple that the obligation applies only in a way that it can be fulfilled in a natural manner,

for the Torah was not given to ministering angels³⁰,

and if its fulfillment requires a passage of time, he does not transgress the obligation for the entire duration of that time.

And for example,

in the mitzvah of removing chametz,

behold, all the time that he is occupied with its removal until it is actually removed, he does not transgress the mitzvah of "tashbitu".

For this is the definition of the mitzvah — to do what is in his ability to remove the chametz,

and if he is occupied with this, he is engaged in the fulfillment of the mitzvah.

And in the language of the Alter Rebbe³¹

"From the beginning of the seventh hour..

every moment that chametz is found in his domain and he is not occupied with removing it, he transgresses a positive commandment of the Torah",

but when he is occupied with its removal, behold the occupation is part of the fulfillment of the mitzvah

(namely, the occupation with the preparation of the removal,

and not only the occupation with the actual removal).

And this is not related to the law of ones — "Rachmana patrei"

(that it is said,

that from that moment of finding the chametz he transgresses the mitzvah of hashbata,

except that all the time required to remove it is considered as ones,

and "Rachmana patrei"),

for this applies only if the obligation has already taken effect and he is forced by an external factor that prevents its fulfillment,

but if from the very nature of things it is impossible to fulfill the obligation without a passage of time or prior preparation and qualification, then this is part of the obligation.

And behold, regarding mitzvos whose fulfillment is at specific times,

if the fulfillment of the mitzvah requires preparation and qualification,

such as shofar blowing, which requires practice and training in order to be able to blow,

or if prior effort is needed to obtain the objects of the mitzvah, like the four species and the like,

it is understood obviously that the obligation of preparation begins before the time of the fulfillment of the mitzvah, so that when its time arrives he can fulfill it properly³².

And to note, the obligation to fulfill the entire Torah in its entirety is a constant obligation,

and also mitzvos<pg>66</pg>

That the essence of their existence must be at a specific time,

Nevertheless, the obligation that they be fulfilled in their time is constant.

And therefore, one who was lazy to obtain the Four Species before the holiday,

And therefore could not fulfill the mitzvah of taking them in its time,

Is considered as one who nullifies a positive commandment³³.

However, regarding a minor who grew up,

Since a minor is exempt from the entire Torah,

And there does not apply to him

(When he was a minor)

Any trace of obligation from the Torah³⁴,

And the beginning of<pg>67</pg>

The entire reality of obligation is only after he has grown up,

therefore if from the nature of things a time of study and preparation is necessary until he can fulfill all the commandments,

then this time of preparation

(from the Torah)

begins only after he has grown up,

and then it is impossible that he transgress any commandment until the time of the preparation required for the fulfillment of that commandment passes.

And although this is a great novelty in halachah,

nevertheless it seems that from logic it is necessary,

for how can any obligation apply in a way that by its very nature it is impossible to fulfill it,

and since the possibility of fulfilling the commandment properly is only through a preparation of study and education that requires a specific time,

therefore it must be that all this is included in the essence of the obligation.

And therefore there is no logic that the Torah would obligate to educate him while he is still in his minority so that he can fulfill all the commandments when he grows up,

and on the contrary,

the beginning of the application of the obligation is only at the moment he has grown up,

and if a time of education and training is needed,

then this is included in the essence of the application of the obligations that apply after he has grown up³⁵.

6.

And a proof for this reasoning can be brought from a convert who comes to convert,

for we have a rule that we inform him

(only)

some of the light commandments and some of the severe commandments

[and this too only so that he might withdraw,

as it is stated in the Gemara]³⁶.

And the Rambam³⁷

added "and we inform him of the fundamentals of the religion, which are the unity of the Name and the prohibition of idolatry, and we elaborate on this matter, and we inform him of some of the commandments...

And we do not elaborate on this matter."

And it is simple that if he was not taught and educated in the performance of all the commandments before his conversion,

he will not be able to fulfill them immediately after the conversion³⁸,

and if so, why do we not teach him all the commandments and all their details,

and on the contrary — "we do not elaborate on this matter."

And therefore it must be said as above regarding a minor,

that since the entire essence of the obligation in Torah and commandments applies only after the conversion,

therefore also the obligation of preparation and study begins only then,

and if he would require a period of preparation and habituation until he can fulfill certain commandments according to their law,

then during all that time he does not transgress these commandments.

And analogous to a minor who has grown up

(and a convert who has converted)

happened to our forefathers at the time of the Giving of the Torah, when they were obligated for the first time in Torah and commandments³⁹,

and certainly a time of study and preparation was required until they were able to fulfill the commandments⁴⁰,

and likewise until they were able to prepare the objects of the commandments, such as tzitzis and tefillin⁴¹,

<pg>68</pg>

And it is simple that one cannot say that all that time that they were occupied with preparation they were nullifying a positive commandment

(and they were exempt only because of the principle that the Merciful One exempts one forced),

but rather since then the entire essence of the obligation began,

therefore it took effect in a manner that they could fulfill them,

namely with the preparation of all the necessary preparations,

including also the training and habituation.

And so it is with every minor who has grown up

(and likewise a convert who converted),

that all his obligation in Torah and commandments begins only upon his reaching majority,

therefore all the time that he needs to occupy himself with study and preparation and training until he can fulfill some commandment properly or be careful about some transgression,

he is not nullifying that positive commandment and he is not transgressing that negative commandment,

and on the contrary he is occupied with their fulfillment⁴²,

and therefore there is no obligation of training while he is a minor from the Torah⁴³.

7.

Based on the above, we must explain a puzzling matter in connection with our father Abraham:

In the verse⁴⁴

"And Abraham was old, advanced in days," our Sages, of blessed memory, said⁴⁵

that our father Abraham performed his service throughout all the days of his life,

so that all his days were "complete days"⁴⁶.

And at first glance, this requires explanation: How can it be said that all of Abraham's days were in completeness,

when the first three years of his service were lacking,

as our Sages, of blessed memory, said⁴⁷

"At the age of three years Abraham recognized his Creator, as it is said⁴⁸

Because Abraham hearkened to My voice,

its numerical value is one hundred and seventy-two years."

And all the more so according to the opinions that at the age of forty years he recognized his Creator,

or at forty-eight⁴⁹,

it requires explanation how it can be said of him "advanced in days,"

that not even one day was lacking for him,

and even to the extent that our Sages, of blessed memory, said⁵⁰

(regarding Sarah,

from which it is apparently understood that so it is with Abraham)

"all of them are equal for good"?

And according to the above,

that the matter of preparation and qualification for a mitzvah is a result and detail of the essence of the obligation,

one can say in this manner also regarding Avraham Avinu:

This that Avraham recognized his Creator at the age of three years came through his preparation and qualification in the time prior to this,

to investigate and seek out God,

and in the language of the Rambam⁵¹

"he began to roam in his mind..

<pg>69</pg>

And he was astonished how it is possible that this sphere should always conduct itself and not have a leader,

and who would cause it to revolve,

and his heart roamed and understood until he grasped the way of truth etc."

And since during all the three years&lt;sup&gt;52&lt;/sup&gt;

he was occupied with preparation and readiness for knowing his Creator,

it is appropriate to say that they were "complete days",

also in the years before he knew his Creator,

and also regarding the first three years.

But nevertheless this is not included in "Avraham listened to my voice" all the time that he did not actually know his Creator,

and nevertheless there is no deficiency in that he did not yet know his Creator then,

for so it is necessary in the nature of things,

that it required a time of preparation and readiness.

[Regarding the above,

That a thirteen-year-old and one day old cannot immediately begin to fulfill the commandment in its completeness,

This does not mean that there is a deficiency in him regarding the fulfillment of the commandment and only that he is not punished because he is in the category of "ones" (forced) from which the Merciful One exempts,

But rather that from the outset it is so conditioned in the essence of the obligation,

That at first he engages in preparation and qualification etc. and afterwards fulfills in practice and in completeness etc.].

8.

And behold, all the above is from the Torah,

But from the words of the Scribes there is a full command and obligation in the education of a minor,

And on the contrary — the words of the Scribes are more stringent and beloved than the words of the Torah⁵³.

And one should add,

that the entirety of the matter of the fulfillment of the commandments during the time of exile is a matter of "training" regarding the fulfillment of the commandments after the redemption,

as it is stated in the Sifri⁵⁴

"Even though I am exiling you from the land to outside the land,

be distinguished in commandments,

so that when you return they will not be new to you..

Set up⁵⁵

for yourself markers",

indeed,

"the essence of all the commandments is for those who dwell in the land of the L-rd"⁵⁶.

And through the fulfillment of the commandments during the time of exile,

they hasten and expedite the time of the fulfillment of the commandments in perfect completeness,

as the commandment of Your will⁵⁷,

in the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach,

speedily in our very days.

(From the talks of the night of the seventh day of Pesach and Shabbat Parshat Shemini 5747; Shabbat Parshat Vayeira 5748)