The Importance of Dad

In honor of Father’s Day, Jewish Treats presents this classic Treat on the importance of a father.

Where does a child learn to be a mentsch (a decent person)? From his/her parents! Indeed, in the Talmud (Sukkot 56b) it even notes that a child repeats in the streets what he/she hears at home.

According to Dr. David Pelcovitz (author of Balanced Parenting), research studies have found that the active involvement of both parents in a child’s moral education is the strongest predictor of children’s moral reasoning and empathy as they grow older.

In the traditional family model, in which mom tends to have the central role in parenting (i.e. spends a lot more time with the kids), it is important to note that these studies have found particular importance in dad’s involvement.

The father is often seen as the enforcer of the rules laid down by the mother. However, far more important than being involved in discipline, is dad’s actual involvement in teaching his child(ren) how to live a Jewish life (i.e. being a mentsch), which has an incredibly positive influence on the child’s future. As King Solomon wrote in Proverbs (22:6), “Educate a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

According to the sages of the Talmud, after circumcision and Pidyon Ha’ben (redemption of the first-born son), a father’s primary responsibilities are to teach the child Torah, to find him/her a spouse and to teach the child a trade. Some say to teach him/her to swim too (Kiddushin 29a). At the bare minimum, fatherly obligations are to make certain that the basic necessities of child-rearing are attended to (by a third party, if necessary). But the best child-rearing includes dad sharing his time, knowledge and wisdom, thus truly leaving a lasting and meaningful impression on his children.