Page 48 - HaMizrachi Pesach 5782 USA

Not Just a

Spoonful of Sugar

Rabbi Reuven
Brand

esach is an important time to treats to keep them involved in the stage, we earn our place in olam haba
ask ourselves why. The text Seder – although his suggestion of nuts through our performance of mitzvot
of the haggadah formulates as an attractive motivator may need to in this life. It would follow, then, that
P a series of familiar “why” be updated for our time. Our children what we do matters more than why
questions: Why do we eat matzah first engage with the Seder because it’s we do it; the goal is to accrue merits.
and maror? Why do we lean while fun, sweet and instantly rewarding. In this vein, we often incentivize
drinking four cups of wine? Though The prominent role of incentives for observance with the promise of olam
we ask these questions at the Seder, we haba, a more noble and lofty reward
already know their answers. children on Seder night mirrors the than treats, money or honor, but an
place of incentives in our broader incentive nonetheless.
As we prepare for this singular night, educational and spiritual approach to
we have an opportunity to ask a deeper life. We encourage people to lean in We must recognize that these
question: Why are we having a Seder in to Judaism with a variety of “carrots” incentive-based approaches to Torah
the first place? This is not the general that the Rabbis categorize as א ּ ֶ ׁש life have drawbacks and even dangers.
ֹל
question of why the Seder exists. It is ּ ה ָמ ְ ׁש ִל, “motivated by other reasons”, When we create extrinsic incentives
ְ
ֹל
the personal question of why am I with the hope that it will ultimately emphasizing ּ ה ָמ ְ ׁש ִל א ָּ ב ּ ה ָמ ְ ׁש ִל א ּ ֶ ׁש ךֹו ּ ת ִמ,
choosing to conduct a Seder? Why am I lead to an inspired and committed “from a different motivation we will
choosing to observe the mitzvot of Seder life of ּ ה ָמ ְ ׁש ִל, of being “motivated come to the right motivation”, we
night? Why are we committed to a life by the right reasons”. Accordingly, demonstrate the value of the activity
of Torah and mitzvot generally? Maimonides delineates various stages by investing in it. But at the very same
of incentives that parallel a person’s time, we also run the risk of devaluing
The Seder is a microcosm of Jewish the practice we are trying to reinforce.
life. It is an evening of faith, mitzvot, development: we reward children with
Torah learning, celebration, family candy, adolescents with clothing and My childhood Disney memories
adults with honor (Commentary on
and tradition. Our goal is to convey illustrate this well. In the iconic Mary
all of this to the next generation, and the Mishnah, Sanhedrin, Perek Cheilek). Poppins song, A Spoonful of Sugar,
we are equipped with the Seder – an Though they are not the most noble Michael and Jane, two boisterous
integrated experiential project that reason to perform mitzvot, incentives British youth, clean their nursery to
engages the mind, heart and palate. are acceptable and even encouraged. this fabled tune. Mary Poppins uses
The Rabbis structured the Seder so we Why should we choose to do mitzvot? extrinsic rewards to motivate the
may engage our children in its lessons Because we receive an attractive children to clean the nursery. Though
by asking questions, telling stories and reward. This is understandable. incentives like these are effective
and appropriate for housework, the
by providing treats and incentives.
If, as the Mishnah in Pirkei Avot application of this model to our Torah
Maimonides (Chametz U’Matzah 7:3) teaches, this world is like an entry lives is problematic. It implies that a
teaches that we should give children hall and the world to come is the main life of Torah observance is akin to

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