Bringing Up Children with Self Worth – Rehabilitating a Jewish Thief

In parasha / Torah Reading Mishpatim we learn

“When you acquire a Hebrew servant, six years he shall work and in the Seventh Year he shall go free…”

This is one of the first Commandments that the Jews receive after leaving Egypt.

It talks about a servant that was sold because he stole and couldn’t pay back the money of the object he stole.

The master is to treat him like a member of the family. If he has one pillow he gives it to the servant. If he has one bed he gives the bed to the servant. This is the way that we rehabilitate a Jewish Thief into society. We build up his self worth so that he recognizes his great value and will not stoop to stealing in the future.

The same is true with children. We teach them to self worth so that they will not fall prey to a low self-esteem and to crime or other vices.

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