At the Central “Golden Rose” Synagogue, another gathering of the “Avot uBanim” (“Fathers and Sons”) program of the Jewish Community of Dnipro took place, within which fathers together with their sons study Torah and the discourses of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, comprehending the foundations of the Jewish worldview and traditional education. This time, the class was dedicated to one of the most important mitzvos connected with relations between people – the prohibition of lashon hara, that is, evil speech.
The participants studied the Rebbe’s explanation connected with the story of the Patriarch Yitzchak and his son Esav. The Almighty did not reveal to Yitzchak Esav’s true behavior in order not to speak badly about him, even though because of this Yitzchak had to live many years in blindness. This example shows how seriously one should approach the prohibition of evil speech and how great is the value of a kind attitude toward a fellow Jew.
Special attention was given to the fact that even a person’s wrong deeds do not cancel their inner good essence. If the Almighty Himself so protected Esav from evil speech, then how much more careful must we be in our judgments about other people! This is precisely what the mitzvah of Shmirat HaLashon teaches – to guard one’s speech, to avoid unkind words, and to strive to see the good in every Jew.
After the conclusion of the shared study of Torah, a traditional raffle with wonderful prizes took place, which became a joyful conclusion to the gathering and an additional incentive for the young participants of the program.
“We invite all fathers to come to the ‘Avot uBanim’ classes together with their sons, since a very important role in education is played by regular, pre-planned family events, such as Shabbos meals, joint prayers, and the study of Torah. For when a child sees that the father specifically plans his schedule in order to set aside time for the classes, and even more so when they study together, this becomes an inseparable part of their life and a tradition that they will subsequently pass on to future generations,” noted Rabbi David Vaskovsky, director of the program. “It is especially important that children learn to see the good in every Jew and understand what enormous power our words have. When father and son study these mitzvos together, they lay the foundation of relationships built on respect, kindness, and true Ahavas Yisrael, and the education of the new generation in the spirit of these values is one of the most important tasks of the united and cohesive Jewish Community of Dnipro under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”
