“בָ רוּךְ פְ רִ י־בִ טְ נְ ךָ וּפְ רִ י אַ דְ מָ תְ ךָ וּפְ רִ י בְ הֶ מְ תֶ ךָ”
“Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your animals....” (Devarim 28:4)
In describing the berachos granted to one who adheres to the mitzvos, the Torah refers to children as “the fruit of your womb.” Why doesn’t the Torah use a simpler term, such as “children” or “offspring?” Furthermore, the pasuk lists this blessing along with having successful livestock and crops. Surely blessed offspring are far more precious. So why does the Torah juxtapose them?
Even the most fertile of fields and hardy livestock cannot thrive on their own. The farmer must be thoroughly involved in nurturing and protecting his assets to ensure their success. Likewise, our most precious “fruit,” our children, need our continuous care to thrive. The Torah is subtly teaching us that just as it takes time and effort to be blessed with material success, our children as well require our time and our effort, with Hashem’s blessing, to blossom and grow.
