[Avodah] Leading Children to Faithfully Observe the Torah

[Yitzchok Levine]

RSRH writes the following in his commentary on Shemos 13

8 And then you shall tell your child on that day: 
It is because of this that God acted for me when I came out from Egypt.

As already noted at the outset (v. 3), Pesach is the festival that is to
mark the upbuilding of the Jewish home, an upbuilding to be continually
renewed on the basis of the redemption from Egypt. Here, in
commanding us in regard to the festival, Scripture also delineates the
task of Jewish education:

Not through unthinking habit, nor through mere moralizing, should
our children be led to faithfully observe the Torah’s commandments;
those methods will not suffice. Rather, we must show them the way by
our own enthusiastic example, and at the same time awaken their hearts
and minds by explaining to them what it is we are doing, so that they
learn to practice the mitzvos with intelligence and awareness, and become
excited about and fascinated by the task of Judaism.

B'avoor ze — because of these practices, and because of all such practices
that you see me perform. When I went forth from slavery to freedom,
my sole contribution toward the attainment of this freedom was
my commitment to observe these commandments as an obligation for
all time. This commitment was the sole reason for my deliverance, and
my fulfillment of the commitment was the sole purpose of my redemption.
Everything else, God did for me. From this you can understand
the incalculable significance of these practices. It is on them that our
whole existence, based on God and dependent upon Him, rests. 
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