Have you encountered those people from an earlier generation who might make a comment like “I don’t envy you raising children these days”?
Bless their hearts. They mean well but they don’t really get it.
We are raising the greatest generation, ever!
Yes, I’m one of those with rose colored glasses who see the uniqueness of the younger generation as a coming of days, a sign that we are on the cusp of transformation.
Let me tell you why.
Our Divine mandate as articulated by this week’s Torah portion is to make a home for G-d on this earth. Both the physical Mishkan that accompanied the Jews in the desert and Bais Hamikdash I and II that were in Jerusalem as well as the spiritual home as in “build for me a holy place and I will dwell within them – in each and every one of us”.
How do we do this? We look at all the specific artifacts that were used in the physical structures and apply their relevance in our lives.
For example, and my favorite; We take acacia wood and use it to build the walls of the Mishkan. Acacia wood in Hebrew is Shitim same root as the word Shtus or folly or foolishness.
Who do we consider a fool? The one who doesn’t follow societies norms.
When we don’t follow societies norms and instead are comfortable standing proud of our Jewishness and living Jewishly we have successfully built a Mishkan ( Temple) out of whatever it is that we are doing.
Today’s generation is doing this work. They have rebelled against every norm that has existed before. This is an amazing power that we can learn from and harness to create real lasting transformation in our world for the good.
So, as far as I’m concerned, I couldn’t be more honored and privileged to be raising children in 2022, these kids are awesome!
Have a great Shabbos!
Rabbi Mendel Schusterman
Thanks to my brother, Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman, of Chabad Intown, Atlanta, for sharing the above thought.
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