Kabbalah and Education
Kabbalists resolutely object to systems that coerce any kind of moral principals on man, especially on children. The reason is that Kabbalah maintains that the development is always personal and internal, defined by the individual himself. The result of it is that man changes for the better outwardly as well and has a positive affect on society.
It would be wrong to leave our children completely unattended to, because they are still in the general environment that builds them, and not in the right environment, that can give them the right atmosphere for inner-spiritual development.
Rabbi Baruch Ashlag wrote that one should stay away from any kind of extreme societies, or he will absorb their extreme views and ideas on life.
Because it is impossible to avoid any kind of influence, we must begin educating our children at an early age, in a traditional framework. Such a framework would:
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Protect them from extreme religious or otherwise secular views.
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Give the child the perspective of Kabbalah, and its approach to life, to our everyday actions and the knowledge of the meaning of our lives.
Many parents ask me for help. They do not know what to do with their children. The most difficult problem is drugs. It is prevalent in youth from the ages of 14-15 and up, and it is constantly getting worse. A high percentage of high school students are on drugs today.
From the point of view of Kabbalah it is best to:
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Send the children to high-level schools, where they can get a good matriculation certificate.
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Distance the children from a bad influence of a social environment, such as one infected with drugs and other critical perversions.
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The child should feel an inner freedom of choice, yet on the outside he should still feel the limits of public opinion and the strength of his parents.