Judaism gives us a different perspective on how to raise children. By sanctifying the most basic aspects of daily life, it teaches us that there is greatness not only in spectacular and glorious achievements, but also in our small actions and efforts each day. There are three fundamental principles of Jewish life: moderation, celebration, and sanctification. We must continually study, learn, and teach these principles.

The principle of moderation teaches us to do two seemingly incompatible things at the same time: passionately embrace the material world that God created, “and God saw that it was good” (Breishit 1), and exercise self-discipline. Judaism clarifies for us the correct way to engage with the world: we must not copy animals, who act on instinct, nor pagans who worship nature and the sensorial, nor angels who long for nothing, nor ascetics who avoid earthly pleasures. It was on purpose that God created us with this double condition: the intense desire for material things and the freedom to decide with self-discipline. It is up to us to use these attributes for good or evil.

Moderation leads us to celebration. We are obliged to acknowledge what we have received from God in a moderate but enthusiastic way. In other words, we are obliged to give thanks but also to celebrate it. There are different ways to give thanks; the Jewish liturgy helps us with blessings for food, for seeing a rainbow, for receiving new clothes, for having escaped from danger, for a day of rest, for doing something for the first time, etc. And the act of celebrating can be easily accomplished through the annual cycle of Jewish holidays. Celebration and thanksgiving are two fundamental principles in Judaism and in the Jewish way of raising children.

Sanctification, the third principle, is the process of recognizing the sacredness in the actions and events that happen every day. After the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, the most sacred place is not the synagogue but our home. They call it “mikdash meat,” our little holy place. Our table with our children is like an altar. It can become the most sacred place on the planet. Jewish tradition teaches us to sanctify our daily activities. From the way we treat our partner, our children, the people who work in our house, to our pets and animals. There are rules for reprimanding, for praising, for greeting in the morning, for going to bed at night, since each of these actions is sacred in Judaism.

Moderating, celebrating and sanctifying in the Jewish way is the way to turn our children into men and women of integrity who appreciate the most sacred gift that God has given us: the small moments of life.

By Marcos Gojman

Bibliography: The Blessing of a Skinned Knee by Wendy Mogel.