1)
The overall education of a child begins at birth; therefore they should
not suckle the milk of a gentile woman following the law cited in Shulchan Aruch:
“In any case, a child should not be allowed to suckle from an Egyptian
woman ... for the milk of an idolateress fouls the heart and engenders a
wicked nature in [the child]. Similarly, the wet nurse (even if she is
Jewish) must not eat forbidden foods, and so also the child himself, for
all this will cause him harm in his later life.” This is the child’s
training that the father and mother must be careful about — to take
care that his food and drink shall all be kosher.
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Lighting
an Additional
Shabbos Candle |
2)
Some have the custom to add an additional candle after a child is born;
[the purpose of this is] to illuminate everyone’s fortunes.
3)
Reciting Modeh Ani is
something that pertains to every individual, whether great or small;
even to an infant who cannot speak yet. It is the custom of women to
recite Modeh Ani on behalf of
(and with) the child.
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Making the Child’s Room
into a Mikdash Me’at |
4)
A suggestion, and a double entreaty to each one of the Jewish boys and
girls — that they make there room (their bed, their desk, etc.) into a
mikdash me’at,
a “house” of Torah, prayer, and charity: where they study torah each
day, recite a prayer to God, deposit charity in the charity box
(except on Shabbos or Yom Tov), etc. Each should have his own Siddur
for prayer, a Chumash (or
other Torah sefer) of his own,
and also his own charity box. On the page preceding the beginning of the
Siddur or other sefer, he
should write the words vtuknu .rtv wvk (“To God belongs the earth and all that fills
it”)
or at least the abbreviation uWvk,
and his name, in keeping with Jewish custom. If possible, [this should
be written] also on the charity box.
These
instructions pertain even to a very small child who has not yet begun to
speak, since he has a space of four cubits dedicated to him by his
parents (or his siblings) having hung near him the verses of Shir
HaMaalos
or the like (Torah), they study a Torah subject in his behalf, they pray
and recite blessings (in his Siddur)
in his behalf,
and they give charity for his merit (in his charity box).
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A Letter in a Torah Scroll |
5)
It is proper to see to it that every boy and girl member of Tzivos
HaShem — even the youngest — should have a letter in a Torah
scroll.
