Parshas Nitzavim

In the end of this week's parsha, the Torah tells us "Re'eh nasati lifonecha hayom es hachayim v'es hatov, v'es hamavas v'es hara." Several pesukim later, the Torah finishes off by saying:"ubacharta bachayim, l'maan tichyeh atah v'zarecha" - and you should choose life, so that you and your children will live. Why does the Torah say "atah v'zarecha" - you and your children? Wouldn't it have been enough merely to say what the benefit will be for the person himself who is mekayem the mitzvos?

R' Moshe Feinstein, zatza"l, says that the Torah is hinting to us how to ensure that we are able to successfully pass on our Jewish legacy to future generations. The Torah tells us "ubacharta bachayim" - that we should choose to do the mitzvos with life and joy, so that "l'maan tichyeh atah v'zarecha" - not only will you thrive from it, but your children will as well.

Indeed, R' Moshe points out, years ago there were many Yidden in America who were moser nefesh for Shabbos, looking for a new job every week because they would not work on Shabbos - and yet, many of their children ended up abandoning Yiddishkeit, rachmana litzlan. How could such a paradox come about? Says R' Moshe, because there was one saying that was very popular among them, which practically destroyed Yiddishkeit: "Es iz shver tzu zein ah Yid" - it is difficult to be a Jew. Even though those precious Yidden were willing to make great sacrifices for Hashem, many of them did not do so with joy, and they were therefore not able to pass on the same level of dedication to Yiddishkeit to their children.

That is why the Torah mentions "v'zarecha", to remind us what an important role the proper attitude plays in instilling the beauty of Yiddishkeit into our children. If we go about our mitzvah observance in a dry, unfeeling manner, then our children will pick up on those sentiments, and will not be enthusiastic about leading a Torah lifestyle. But if we do the mitzvos "bachayim", with life and with enthusiasm, then b'ezras Hashem we will be zoche to raise children who love Hashem and His Torah, and who will follow in our footsteps in serving Hashem.