Question: Chanukah represents the fight against Greek influence and assimilation. How do we keep our children from being influenced today by Western culture?
Answer: By Rabbi Nachman Yosef Twersky, a renowned mechanech and mashpia at Mesivta Oholei Torah in Crown Heights
The secret to keeping our children rooted in Yiddishkeit and protected from outside influences is creating a strong, warm, and vibrant atmosphere of kedusha in the home.
It starts with Shabbos. A beautiful Shabbos table, delicious food, parents who are present and not distracted, niggunim, and uplifting stories—all these create a Yiddishe environment filled with light and warmth. When the light of Yiddishkeit shines brightly, it automatically pushes away the darkness.
It’s crucial that everything connected to kedusha is done with beauty and care. For example, setting up negel vasser by the bed teaches children from a young age the importance of purity and starting their day in a holy way. This habit becomes second nature and keeps them connected to Hashem. A Yid, by their very essence, wants to be close to Hashem. The yetzer hara works hard to trip us up, but when we make kedusha automatic, such as netilas yadayim the very first thing by the bed, it gives the neshama a natural advantage. Small but significant practices like netilas yadayim after using the restroom should also be emphasized. The Alter Rebbe emphasizes the importance of netilas yadayim, stating that even a talmid chacham is incomplete without it. These seemingly simple acts bring kedusha into daily life.
Mikvah is another cornerstone of kedusha. While not everyone goes daily, going to the mikvah before Shabbos or encouraging sons to go regularly after bar mitzvah is transformative. Tahara has an incredible power to protect against outside influences and instill yiras Shamayim and mentchlichkeit. I’ve seen boys with behavioral struggles completely change after starting to go to the mikvah. One mother described it as a miracle—it brought calm, respect, and light back into their home.
As Chassidim, we know the saying from R’ Aharon Karliner: “A mikvah is not a mitzvah, but what many mitzvos cannot accomplish, a mikvah can.” These are the inyanim of kedusha that safeguard our children.
The key is always adding light. Me’at ohr doche harbe choshech—a little light dispels much darkness. When we fill our homes and our children’s lives with the kedusha, light and warmth of Torah, Mitzvos, and Chassidishe chinuch, the influences of the outside world naturally fade away.
