My kids and I decided that our first Shaloch Manos should be given to the principal of their day school (he lives around the corner from us). As my son and daughter (the baby stayed at home) were walking, my daughter said, “I can’t wait to see to Rabbi (name withheld). I want to pick a prize”.
The principal happens to be a very speical person. Not only does he give the kids money to put into a pushka in his home, but he also takes a picture with each kid that comes to see him, and lets them pick a small prize. My 4 1/2 yr old daughter remembered getting a prize last year.
As my daughter said the above sentence to me, I reminded her that the mitzvah is to give Shaloch Manos, not to get Shaloch Manos or prizes from others.
The ikar is to give.
Several links I enjoyed:
LIfe in Israel: Video of the Hazon Ish
A Simple Jew: Disturbing Rabbi Yisrael Salanter During Hisbodedus
Cross-Currents: Wiki-Orthodoxy and the Undervaluing of Torah
Modern Uberdox
“I write not because I have the strength to write, but because I do not have the strength to remain silent.” -Rav Avraham Yitzchok Kook zt’l
Always good to teach a lesosn whenever possible.
PS cool podcast message
good point
Our local rabbi says that if you give and don’t get, that’s the mitzvah. No need to reciprocate
I posted on the positive experience we had giving this year. Hope my oldest picked up.
Kids get this. I love the picture part the most.
Speaking of learning lessons from everyday life for the kids, check out this post of mine:
http://dixieyid.blogspot.com/2007/02/real-life-lessons-when-were-late-for.html
Thanks for your comment on the Imrei Yosef story about davening for our children.
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-Dixie Yid