When Your Children Ask a Jewish Theology
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Judaism recognizes children as spiritually complete beings whose questions and wonder catalyze communal religious growth - a perspective that sharply contrasts with Christian concepts of original sin. Through analysis of rabbinic sources, liturgical traditions, and contemporary applications, Jewish theological perspectives reveal children as essential participants in religious meaning-making rather than empty vessels awaiting instruction. The Passover Haggadah serves as a paradigmatic text demonstrating how Jewish tradition honors children's spiritual voices through ritual participation and narrative engagement. Drawing from Talmudic literature and midrash, the famous "four children" passage illustrates diverse spiritual temperaments and developmental stages, while medieval initiation rituals provide historical evidence of Judaism's consistent valuation of children's sacred experiences. The methodology incorporates textual exegesis of primary sources including Talmud, Mishnah, and liturgical texts, supplemented by contemporary applications in children's spiritual literature. This research demonstrates that authentic religious education emerges through dialogical relationships between children, community, and sacred narrative rather than through didactic instruction, offering significant implications for contemporary Jewish education and interfaith dialogue on childhood spirituality.

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Published 2001
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Sandy Sasso