Secret of our nation and children's survival expressed in upbringing of first Jewish boy; Sacrifice for Chinuch from youngest age.
By the Grace of G-d
Fifth day of p. Vayyera
5731. Brooklyn, N.Y.
To All Participants in the Dedication Ceremonies of the New Home of Achei Tmimim and Beth Chanah New Haven, Conn.
G-d bless you all -
Greeting and Blessing:
...This significant event, taking place on the day after the reading of the weekly Sedra of Vayyera, is indeed related to the concluding highlights of the Sedra, namely, the birth and upbringing of the first Jewish child, Yitzchok, born of the first Jewish parents, Abraham and Sarah.
The Torah tells us that Abraham made a “great feast” (when Yitzchok was two years old), at which the leading dignitaries of the age were present (Rashi, quoting Midrash). Some of those present thought the celebration unrealistic, seeing no future for a single Jewish child surrounded by a hostile world. Yet G-d promised that this child would be the father of a great and holy nation; a nation which, though overwhelmingly outnumbered, would not only outlive its enemies, but would be a leader and a guiding light to the rest of mankind.
The cue to the fulfilment of the Divine promise is to be found in the passage immediately following the above narrative, where the Torah tells us of Sarah’s heartfelt concern for Yitzchok’s upbringing and proper atmosphere even at that early age.
Thus the Torah sets the pattern for Jewish education. It teaches us that regardless of the odds, the future of the Jewish child, as of the Jewish people as a whole, is assured by Divine promise, provided the parents fulfil their responsibilities, even to the point of Mesiras Nefesh if necessary. Not least, it teaches us that in matters of Torah and Kedushah, even “a small beginning flourishes exceedingly in the end.” ...
With esteem and blessing,
M. Schneerson
