For some people of the Jewish faith, at three years old, at the age Abraham recognized the existence of G-d, the creator of heaven and earth, the formal education of a child begins. What is the meaning of upshernish? Why wait three years to cut a boy's hair? At the age of three, the child is no longer considered a baby. Until three it is considered that his intellect starts to blossom, he can understand a story, think in full sentences, and starts to play an active role in his own education.
Yesterday was actually Tu b'shvat- the Rosh Hashana for the trees. The Torah compares man to a Tree- Ki HaAdam etz Hasadeh: For man is the tree of the field. Just like a tree will grow crookedly if it is not straightened when it is small, so too with man. Therefore it is believed that education must start when the child is small. for this reason they do not wait until 5 or 6.
There is a special mitzvah concerning trees. The Torah restricts people from enjoying the fruits of a new tree, during the first three years of life.
At the Upshernish the formal jewish education formally begins. When the hair is cut, some leave the Payot, the sidelocks the Torah commands Jewish people to wear. At this time, the child begins to wear a yarulke and tzitizis. These represent a reminder of a G-dly presence that is constantly above us. The Tzitzit are a constant reminder of the Torah and the 613 commandments that it contains.
At a child's upshernish it is celebrated that the chid's jewish education reaches a new level.
No comments:
Post a Comment