Moses expresses the gentleness with which God cared for the Children of Israel in the desert, comparing the Almighty to an eagle waking its young.

Rashi, citing the Sifrei, explains that when an eagle comes to its nest while its chicks are sleeping, it doesn’t fly straight into the nest, which would overwhelm and frighten them. Rather it patiently hovers over the nest to wake its young slowly and gently. This analogy is used to describe God’s love and concern for people as He brought them into the wilderness and gave them the Torah.

It is impossible to ignore the educational message allegorically conveyed by our sages in this passage. When we seek to stir our youngsters, inspire them with religious devotion and draw them into the service of the Almighty, we need to proceed slowly, tenderly and patiently. If we come at them too swiftly or too directly, we will overwhelm them.

Therefore, our sages here urge us to follow the example of the eagle, which patiently gives its young a chance to awaken slowly, at a pace which is appropriate for them and without intimidating or overwhelming them.

Furthermore, in describing the eagle’s tender method of waking its young, Rashi writes that as it hovers over the nest, it touches the chicks ever so gently, barely making contact, in order not to frighten them.

In education, too, we must employ the method of delicately balancing the child’s need for close attention with their need for personal space. Just as the eagle exercises patience with its young, caring for them gently and tenderly, so must we give our young people the space, patience and sensitivity they need to “awaken” in a way that is fitting for them.

On the surface this verse seems unusual and irrelevant to us. However, if we peak beneath the surface it provides us with critical education pointers which, if implemented, could be transformative in our community.