May 23, 2015
How do we create children? Not as obvious as you might think.
Numbers 3 opens with this, "These are the generations of Aaron and Moses on the day that Adonai spoke to Moses on Mt. Sinai."
The chapter proceeds to list only the children of Aaron, not of Moses. Was this a mistake, since Moses is also prominently mentioned in the verse?
Commenting on this in the Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 19b, Rabbi Shmuel bar Nahmani said in Rabbi Yonatan's name, "Anyone who teaches Torah to his friend's son, the Torah credits him as though he gave birth to him." Then quoting our verse, the midrash concludes, "Aaron sired and Moses taught [them], therefore they were called by Moses' name."
Whom have you raised or greatly influenced? Whose life have you changed for the good, that was not your own biological child? The Rabbis credit the major influence in a child's life as being the parent.
Explaining this, Torah Temimah teaches, "They are thought of also as his children, and this is taught in Parashat v'Ethanan [the Shema] 'And teach them diligently to your children:' these are your students." And because of this the instructing rabbi is called "father," as [the prophet] Elisha called [the prophet] Elijah, "my father my father." (II Kings 2)
See also in Sanhedrin 99b, "Reish Lakish said, 'Anyone who teaches his friend's child, the Torah credits him as though he created him,' as it is said, 'The souls they created in Haran,' that Abraham would convert men and Sarah would convert women...'"
Abraham and Sarah are credited with creating the people whom they converted to the new religion. Whom have you converted to a new thought that influenced their lives on a fundamental level? Perhaps that should be a goal, to touch lives in a positive and overwhelming fashion.
In 1992 I wrote to my 3rd grade Hebrew teacher, who taught me to read Hebrew letters, and to my 8th grade English teacher, who gave me a C in English but taught me to diagram sentences, which changed my writing life after college. I was not a natural writer, and am still not. But I have written a huge amount in my life, and that teacher changed the course of my life.
Others had the opportunity, but chose not to take it. My gym teachers could have improved my health, since I was asthmatic, but were interested only in the good, natural athletes. But my senior year English teacher, Mr. Johnson, gave me an essay, the Myth of the Birth of the Hero, by Otto Rank, that changed my life. That small act sent my academic career in a new direction. He took an authentic interest in a student, and changed the direction of my life with one essay. He took a chance, and thought about what might interest me. It wasn't guaranteed to work, but it did.
Numbers 3 opens with this, "These are the generations of Aaron and Moses on the day that Adonai spoke to Moses on Mt. Sinai."
The chapter proceeds to list only the children of Aaron, not of Moses. Was this a mistake, since Moses is also prominently mentioned in the verse?
Commenting on this in the Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 19b, Rabbi Shmuel bar Nahmani said in Rabbi Yonatan's name, "Anyone who teaches Torah to his friend's son, the Torah credits him as though he gave birth to him." Then quoting our verse, the midrash concludes, "Aaron sired and Moses taught [them], therefore they were called by Moses' name."
Whom have you raised or greatly influenced? Whose life have you changed for the good, that was not your own biological child? The Rabbis credit the major influence in a child's life as being the parent.
Explaining this, Torah Temimah teaches, "They are thought of also as his children, and this is taught in Parashat v'Ethanan [the Shema] 'And teach them diligently to your children:' these are your students." And because of this the instructing rabbi is called "father," as [the prophet] Elisha called [the prophet] Elijah, "my father my father." (II Kings 2)
See also in Sanhedrin 99b, "Reish Lakish said, 'Anyone who teaches his friend's child, the Torah credits him as though he created him,' as it is said, 'The souls they created in Haran,' that Abraham would convert men and Sarah would convert women...'"
Abraham and Sarah are credited with creating the people whom they converted to the new religion. Whom have you converted to a new thought that influenced their lives on a fundamental level? Perhaps that should be a goal, to touch lives in a positive and overwhelming fashion.
In 1992 I wrote to my 3rd grade Hebrew teacher, who taught me to read Hebrew letters, and to my 8th grade English teacher, who gave me a C in English but taught me to diagram sentences, which changed my writing life after college. I was not a natural writer, and am still not. But I have written a huge amount in my life, and that teacher changed the course of my life.
Others had the opportunity, but chose not to take it. My gym teachers could have improved my health, since I was asthmatic, but were interested only in the good, natural athletes. But my senior year English teacher, Mr. Johnson, gave me an essay, the Myth of the Birth of the Hero, by Otto Rank, that changed my life. That small act sent my academic career in a new direction. He took an authentic interest in a student, and changed the direction of my life with one essay. He took a chance, and thought about what might interest me. It wasn't guaranteed to work, but it did.
Who might be called by your name, because you helped to create her soul? You may not share DNA, but perhaps you have formed another person's soul.
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