The Rebbe and Children in this generation

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Forum -> Chinuch, Education & Schooling

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proudmom ↓

Mon, Sep 13 2004, 10:41 pm

How do you respond to a situation as follows;

A while back my three year old daughter wanted to see the video of the Rebbe of the Twelve Pesokim, so I sat her down to watch it, after a while she looked at me and my husband and said "Can we go see the Rebbe later?" we looked at her in shock and question and did not know what to say.

What would you have said?

zuncompany

Tue, Sep 14 2004, 10:28 am

I would have told her that next time we are in NY we can go to the ohel and visit the Rebbe. We just took Zu for the first time and my husband brought him in cause it was like 2am and nobody was there. My husband said for the first time ever he was quiet and just stayed in his arms. After a while he motioned to go down and just walked around once and than motioned to get back up. My husband said he didn't say a word till they came back to the car and met up with me. This is a kid who doesn't stop moving and babbles/talks non-stop.
Sara

Rochel Leah

Tue, Sep 14 2004, 11:44 am

this is a tough one. zun that is beautiful that yourson was quiet the whole time- but how much of 'passing away ' does a young child understand- when they go to the ohel, do they understand this is the burial site of the rebbe and f'r.

maybe if she understands abt having a neshama ( we say moidah ani- thank Hashem for our neshama) explain that we cannot see rebbe in a body, but his neshama is listining and if you want to ask for a bracha- or say a passuk for him , you can wherever you want to (except th bathroom ofcourse)

ona simelar note- when my 8 yr old brother was 3-4 years old , he once wet his bed during the night. so I told him that if he feels like going he should wake up and go( I said this not knowing that some kids arent in control at that time etc....) he said to me he can't because hes dead. I said c'v your not dead your just sleeping, why do u say your dead? he replied: " cuz Hashem took away my neshama only gives it back to me in the morning"

Ozmom

Wed, Sep 15 2004, 1:42 am

My kid also asks hard questions about the Rebbe and about Hashem. Its hard because at that age they don't have much of an understanding of 'Neshama' and things you can't see. In fact she is always arguing about that with me. Then again some kids at that age just accept it but don't understand

Last edited by Ozmom on Sat, Aug 06 2005, 6:28 am; edited 1 time in total

Motek

Mon, Sep 20 2004, 1:42 pm

some comments on the previous responses:

if the child asked whether she could see the Rebbe later, I don't see how telling her about the Ohel or taking her there, is a response to her request to SEE the Rebbe

a possible response could be:

Child: Can we see the Rebbe later?
Parent: I hope so! We want to see him very soon!

about Hashem not wanting her to have a boo-boo, well ... apparently He did, since she had one ...

perhaps a better response to "Is Hashem going to take my boo-boo away" could be:

Im yirtzeh Hashem (lit. if G-d wants to) - let's daven so Hashem makes you better

RachelSteph

Mon, Sep 20 2004, 1:49 pm

Very interesting, I didn't think about that, thanks for the insight!

↑ proudmom

Mon, Sep 20 2004, 1:58 pm

Motek, a very good way in putting it. It sounds really good.

Tue, Sep 21 2004, 11:38 pm

I goofed big time when my child asked me a question about the Rebbe - I didn't know we weren't supposed to say he was dead (I know, how stupid could I be). My son was destroyed and my husband explained a better way of expressing it. I married into Lubavitch, after the Rebbe passed away, and didn't quite understand the whole thing.

Now I deal with the problem of two of my kids being taught by people who don't believe the Rebbe passed away - it's a very interesting balance of upholding what they're learning and trying to explain things in a different way. So many adults fight about the different viewpoints - it must be so confusing to a little child.

macg5

Wed, Sep 22 2004, 11:39 am

I really cant agree, I know the Rebbe said etc but how can it possibly hurt my kids psyche to hug a teddy bear. Plus jewish books are so expensive in England so we get non jewish there is always the cute cuddly bear, etc I cant imagine how it will harm her, never hurt me.

mommy2

Wed, Sep 22 2004, 7:57 pm

It won't hurt her psyche, just the more kedusha the better! Just think what a real bear is!!

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