Toldot 5787 - avec le Rav Elie Lemmel

The story moves forward, and here we have a birth, no, a double birth. Two brothers appear in this text, two brothers who will clash throughout the story. Jacob and Esau. But it's curious.

These two brothers, obviously, because they are twins, are born of the same mother and father, but they will be totally opposite. With not only different visions of existence, but such different characters. And the question, obviously, we have it : how is this possible? We have here a clue that will shed light on and greatly help us in the educational approach we try to have with our children.

A child arrives in the universe with already defined character elements, a certain form of tendency present within them. So, of course, the whole challenge of their life will be knowing how they will best use the characteristics that are theirs. But you can grow up in the house of the patriarchs and matriarchs, of Isaac and Rebecca, receive their love, receive their education, but you remain free. Remain free to become Jacob or to become Esau.

Remain free to take a path on one side or the other. This freedom is crucial to clearly show that an education is not conditioning. An education is a transmission through words, through shared experience. But the freedom to embrace the values or not remains with the individual.

And ultimately, that is where all their glory and all their greatness lies.