The Children Are Watching

In this episode of The Voices of Emanu El, Rabbi Oren Hayon reflects on Parashat Emor and the doubled command to “speak” and to “say.” What looks like redundancy in the Torah becomes a profound teaching about how wisdom must be shared with adults and passed along to children. Rabbi Hayon lifts up the idea that almost all of us are Jewish teachers — parents, grandparents, educators, clergy, camp counselors, and caring adults — whenever we choose to show kids why Jewish life matters to us. He weaves in the teaching of Pesach Sheni, the “second Passover,” to remind us that it is never too late to begin living our Judaism in a way our children can see and learn from. Through stories, Torah, and heartfelt challenge, Rabbi Hayon invites us to notice how our words, priorities, and presence reveal what we value most to the kids who are always watching.