The etrog, therefore, is a powerful symbol of abiding commitment, loyalty and continuity, which were the key features of the character of Abraham, the founder of our faith.
Continuity is a key theme of Simchat Torah, when we conclude the reading of the Torah and recommence it immediately.
We go to great lengths to ensure that our children enjoy the festivities. They sit atop our shoulders, as we sing and dance around the Sefer Torah. We offer them sweet treats to honour the words of King David in the Psalms that “the commandments of Hashem are sweeter than honey”.We invite them to take part in the beautiful custom of Kol Hane’arim when they gather under a large tallit, held above their heads for a very special aliyah, after which their parents offer the moving blessing, “May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac…”.
This is the blessing of Jewish continuity, that just as we have faithfully embarked on yet another cycle of reading the Torah, may this next generation similarly continue to embody the precepts and principles that were first handed down by Abraham to Isaac.
What a moving blessing for a parent to give: may your values be the values of our family and our forebears, stretching back thousands of years.
In reality, realising this aspiration is far from simple. The question of whether we will have Jewish grandchildren remains as pertinent now as it was when my predecessor, Rabbi Sacks, asked it in the ‘90s. There is no silver bullet.
Parents will always have to grapple with the challenge of how to ensure that their children take their place in the story of the Jewish people. However, I believe that the place to begin answering this question is in the lesson set for us by our patriarchs themselves.
Abraham’s deep-rooted faith inspired him to engage in enthusiastic, uncompromising commitment to God. Nothing could stop him from dispensing chesed, acts of loving kindness towards others, even when he was recovering from his brit milah.
Despite failing to convince God to save the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, he returned the very next day to connect with his Creator in the same place where he had always stood in prayer.
Walking in Abraham’s footsteps, Isaac was prepared to give his life in the service of God, when it appeared that was what He required. He would go on to provide a similarly powerful upbringing for his own son, Jacob. Despite his move to idolatrous Mesopotamia for 22 long years, Jacob remarkably remained totally committed to his heritage.
One generation later, Jacob’s son Joseph, would similarly incorporate the teachings of his parents into his leadership role in Egypt. Despite his wealth, power and influence, his allegiance was to God alone, proudly displaying his values and the beauty of his faith for all others to see and respect.
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein used to teach that children internalise values based on the example set by their parents. Children are astonishingly perceptive from a very young age.
Many people construct a particular persona for their professional, communal and social life, but when they arrive home, relax and drop their guard, their children learn who their parents really are. Are they sincere or insincere? Do they speak in a gentle, sensitive way or do they shout and rant? Do they maintain high standards of morality or not? When it comes to mitzvot, do they try to cut corners, or are they genuinely committed to Torah observance?
Our children are our mirror. Children who see their parents, teachers and other adult role models wholeheartedly embracing a life of Jewish values and celebrating a life of uncompromising commitment to Torah and mitzvot, are far more likely to live their own lives in a similar way.
If our children see us as an etrog, never disconnected from our roots, they will surely wish to set a similar example for their own children in turn.
This Simchat Torah, as we celebrate the continuity of Jewish life, may we find renewed inspiration to set the right example for our children for generations to come.
