8492 —ללמד ילדים על נסים ואחריות המחנכים

B"H, Bein HaMetzarim, 5722. May they be transformed to joy and gladness.

Moshe.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I received your letter with the enclosure, in which you ask—in connection with the educational publications of "Merkaz LeInyanei Chinuch"—whether it is advisable to educate and teach children to believe in miracles. You express your negative stance and ask if you have the right to criticize those who disagree with you on this matter.

First of all, I must say—and I hope you will forgive me for this—that it does not occur to me that you do not believe in miracles. For even if there were times when it was possible not to believe in miracles, in our time, for a Jew to say he does not believe in the supernatural is simply self-delusion. Not only Jews who survived the concentration camps have clearly seen miracles; rather, anyone who understands what has happened and is happening—if he only opens his eyes and does not let himself be influenced by false beliefs—does not need to "believe" in miracles; he sees them even with physical eyes.

From this, the answer to your questions is self-evident. Even regarding adults who have a critical mind and approach, one must always adhere to truth in word and description. All the more so must we be careful about the principle of "distance yourself from falsehood" regarding children, who have complete trust in their parents and especially their teachers. It is understood that no one has the right to criticize a teacher or educator for this approach, because doing so would undermine the child's trust in his educator.

You ask: If one tells a child about a miracle and the miracle he awaits does not occur, isn't this harmful for the child? Firstly, according to what was said above, this is no justification for withholding truth from a child. Secondly, your question is generally unfounded in connection with our discussion. For when one tells a child or student about a miracle that happened once or even just a minute ago and does not hide it from him, this is not connected with any guarantee that such a miracle will happen tomorrow as well. For example: when we say that when one prays to the Almighty (Oibershter), He can help supernaturally—and indeed He has helped one person or another or many—no one says thereby that He must answer every prayer in every case and all hundred times; we only say there is a possibility, and the more heartfelt the prayer and more meritorious the supplicant, the greater this possibility.

You begin your letter by stating that you were once a teacher at an Arbeiter Ring school as justification for your stance toward belief in miracles. However, I do not think this is justification because many educators and leaders of Arbeiter Ring schools do believe in miracles—to an extent that affects their daily lives—and surely you know of more cases than I do.

Finally, I consider it my duty—and also my privilege—to touch on another point connected with your writing that you were a teacher. This shows you have abilities in education and influence. I want to emphasize that anyone endowed with certain abilities also has an obligation—they are required to use their abilities not only for themselves but also for all those around them, to the fullest extent possible. Considering that all parts of the world are closely interconnected and interdependent, failing to use one's abilities—or not using them fully—is not merely one's "private business," as they say here; rather it impedes the functioning of everyone around him.

According to our Sages' custom (of blessed memory), they encapsulated what was written above into a brief statement as formulated by our great teacher Rambam (Hilchot Teshuvah 3:4): Every person should see himself throughout the entire year as if half meritorious and half guilty; likewise, all the world is half meritorious and half guilty. If he commits one sin he tips himself and all the world toward guilt and causes destruction; if he performs one mitzvah he tips himself and all the world toward merit and brings salvation and deliverance.

With respect and hoping for good news.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that belief in miracles should be instilled honestly from childhood since miracles are evident even today. Educators bear responsibility both for truthful teaching and for using their talents fully for communal benefit.