TORAH PORTION AMERICAN CHRONICLES AV of Norman Xockwell The Wicked Child And Parents' Sins Shabbat Chol Hamoed Passover: Exodus 33:12-34:26; Numbers 28:19- 25; Ezekiel 37:1-14. Efrat, Israel children" is often far greater than that of "divorced parents;" to their ne of the more fascinating dying day, children of alcoholics aspects of the Haggadah is or sexual deviants bear the burden the eternal tale of the Four of their parents' frailty and — to a Children. No matter how often we lesser degree — many of us carry come across these four archetypes, the scars of a wrong word or deed there is always an addi- expressed by a parent at a tional layer of meaning to critical phase of our lives. discover. Indeed, the Jews in exile Granted, the words were born in a strange attributed to the wicked land, forced to suffer an child are condescending alien fate, because their and exclusionary, setting parents and/or grand- up a situation in which he parents sinned and were — the child — is on the deemed culpable of being outside, judging, almost cast off from the land of mocking those who are on their fathers. Rabbi Shlomo the inside, those who feel If a child around the Ris kin connected to the aspira- seder table declares with Specia I to the tions of the festival. "Why a challenge rather than Jewish News are `you' going through asks with a will to under- all of this hard work," stand, if he/she refers to the wicked child seems to imply, the ritual as "work" and excludes critical of the entire process. The him/herself from the congregation wicked child's words are preceded of Israel, if — in effect — his/her with: "When your children say to teeth remain sourly set on edge in you; what is this service to you" critique of the entire religious and (Exodus 12:26). In other words, the familial establishment, then you, the wise child asks his/her parents; the parents, must consider that it was wicked child tells them! possibly "you who set his teeth on If our purpose is to bring some- edge" because of the sour message one from the "outside" closer to the which you projected as a parent and "inside," striking or castigating him as a representative of the Jewish is hardly the way to accomplish that. chain of being. It would seem to me that the leader Perhaps you did not listen to your of the seder must remove this child's child carefully enough, engage him/ sharply expressed self-exclusion by her in the religious process often means of the warmth and even pas- enough, grant him/her time enough. sion of familial love and acceptance. Those whose teeth are sour must From a psychological and histori- be showered with the kind of love cal point of view, life situations that which draws them into the collective we all live through bear testimony to reality of Klal Yisrael so that they the awesome degree to which chil- can experience, with the rest of us, dren suffer for the weaknesses and the pain of the Egyptian servitude failings of their parents, even to the and the freedom of the Exodus as if point of God seemingly "... visiting they had lived through them them- the iniquity of the fathers upon the selves, intimately linking them to children, and upon the children's the nation's heart. H children, unto the third and unto the fourth generation." [Exodus 34:7] Shlomo Riskin is chancellor of Ohr Torah After all, the pain of "divorced Stone and chief rabbi of Efrat, Israel. 0 Revel in Itckwell EXPERIENCE THE WORKS OF AN ICONIC AMERICAN STORYTELLER. MARCH 8 -MAY 31 For tickets visit dia.org or the DIA Box Office. Members receive FREE tickets. Join today! 313.833.7971 DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS -ed.C9'Wt4e.q r - 5200 WOODWARD AVE. 313.833.7900 Norman Rockwell. American; Artist Facing plank Convas (The Deadline) (detail).1938; oil on canvas. Cover illustration for The Saturday Evening Post. October 8,1938. Trom the permanent collection of Norman Rockwell Museum. ©1938 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN. American Chronicles:TheArt of Norman Rockwell has been organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts American Chronicles has been made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. American Masterpieces Program. In Detroit, support has been provided by the Michigan Councll for Arts and Cutturat Affairs and the City of Detroit. Publication support has been provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Media sponsorship has been provided by the Curtis Publishing Company and by the Norman Rockvvell Estate Licensing Company. E A lie 1456890 The Staff of Gateway Travel Wish Our Friends A Happy, Healthy Passover! Gateway Travel klirr President Rochelle Lieberman 28470 B Mile Road a Just East of Northwestern Highway 248-432-8600 Call us for all your travel needs or visit vv- mcgatewaytryl.corn 1494830 2009 CAP & GOWN AD DEADLINE: MAY 13, 2009 ISSUE: MAY 21, 2009 Visit JNonline.us to submit your ad April 9 ® 2009 B9