The Purpose of the Blessing for Children

Healing

I Samuel 1

וַתִּדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר וַתֹּאמַ֗ר יְהוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת אִם־רָאֹ֥ה תִרְאֶ֣ה ׀ בָּעֳנִ֣י אֲמָתֶ֗ךָ וּזְכַרְתַּ֙נִי֙ וְלֹֽא־תִשְׁכַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ וְנָתַתָּ֥ה לַאֲמָתְךָ֖ זֶ֣רַע אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וּנְתַתִּ֤יו לַֽיהוָה֙ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֔יו וּמוֹרָ֖ה לֹא־יַעֲלֶ֥ה עַל־רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃

And she made this vow: “O LORD of Hosts, if You will look upon the suffering of Your maidservant and will remember me and not forget Your maidservant, and if You will grant Your maidservant a male child, I will dedicate him to the LORD for all the days of his life; and no razor shall ever touch his head.”

Imagine the woman who is not blessed with children. Imagine her husband. Perhaps it's you... In fact, every woman - before giving birth, is in exactly the same position. She must pray that all will go well when it comes to falling pregnant. It may seem like nature - but there's really so much more of a miracle that must occur before a child is conceived.

Chanah, the to-be mother of the prophet Shmuel well-knew the pain involved. And yes, there is pain involved for those who are not blessed with children at the click of a finger. The physical process of conception is far from the reality of a soul entering a body - something completely dependant on God's will. Chanah knew the pain - though nobody around her could perceive it. It is quite similar to the feelings of many today - who lack the sensitivity to see the pain of those who have difficulty in conceiving a child.

But Chanah knew something greater. She knew why she wanted a child. A child born into this world is here to fulfil the will of God. A child is not just a plaything of sorts to bring into the world only to discard at some point in time when the time is right. In fact, the child is to grow up in the service of the Creator of the world. This includes its involvement in the study of Torah and fulfilment of the Mitzvot - for a Jew - and for following the 7 Laws of Bnei Noach (the Noachide laws) for the rest of the world. Here, it is for a child to grow to do good for others and to progress in their own growth. To succeed for themselves, bond with God, to do good wherever it goes.

The pain of Chanah was to be blessed with a child who would be devoted completely to the service of God. It was to this end that she prayed and cried to God. She would give him over completely - if only she could be blessed with children.

This is a message for us all. To value what it means to bring a child into the world and to give it the education it needs so that it will achieve for itself, for others and for God. Our yearning for children should reflect the pain of Chanah. And when the blessing happens, the happiness that abounds should be directed towards the purpose for which the crying was directed.