[Avodah] Rav Shloime Volbe: Don't Hit Kids Above the Age of... 3

[Prof. Levine]

 From http://revach.net/article.php?id=1535

Rav Volbe writes in Sefer Zriah u'Binyan b'Chinuch that even though 
the Gemara says that it is forbidden to hit a kid who is over sixteen 
or according to another opinion 24 years old, according to the way 
things are in our times, he says, one who hits a kid that is only 3 
years old transgresses li'Fnei Iver because the child, even at that 
age, will rebel against his father.

Once upon a time it was possible to hit a child without destroying 
the relationship between the father and the child, nowadays it is no 
longer possible.  Hitting a child will always destroy the 
relationship between the parents and the child. The Sefer Minchas 
Shmuel says in the name of Rav Chaim Volozhin that harsh words do not 
penetrate or make any positive impact and a parent should only speak 
softly and with kindness. If in the times of  Rav Chaim Volozhin this 
was the case, certainly it is true in our times and even more so with 
regards to children.

Times have changed.  Rivka was suitable for marriage at age 
three.  Our kids are old enough to rebel at age three.

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