To those who are keeping Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement): Have an easy fast.
The following is not meant to be persuasive, but merely a reflection, so please feel free to continue in your religion of choice, or non-religion as may be.
The ideal father is interested in the growth of his children into all they can be. Sure in real life, a lot of fathers fall short of the ideal, but we are looking at this ideal. This father goes beyond providing food, shelter, and clothing. When child tries to walk, he is not so concerned about his child stumbling, as much as he wishes the child to stand back up and try to walk again. To be a successful father, he has two different hats that he wears as need.
The first hat is that of Disciplinarian. Children need very clear rules that are consistently enforced. The ideal father doesn't just punish, he makes sure that the child understand why they are being punished; his objective is not to express his anger, but to teach the child.
The second hat is that of the Nurturing Father. This father expresses joy in the triumphs of their children, offers encouragement when things are rough, and most importantly, forgives childhood transgressions.
When we human beings think of G-d, it is very difficult for us to imagine Him wearing both hats at the same time. I have often heard people say that
The following is not meant to be persuasive, but merely a reflection, so please feel free to continue in your religion of choice, or non-religion as may be.
The ideal father is interested in the growth of his children into all they can be. Sure in real life, a lot of fathers fall short of the ideal, but we are looking at this ideal. This father goes beyond providing food, shelter, and clothing. When child tries to walk, he is not so concerned about his child stumbling, as much as he wishes the child to stand back up and try to walk again. To be a successful father, he has two different hats that he wears as need.
The first hat is that of Disciplinarian. Children need very clear rules that are consistently enforced. The ideal father doesn't just punish, he makes sure that the child understand why they are being punished; his objective is not to express his anger, but to teach the child.
The second hat is that of the Nurturing Father. This father expresses joy in the triumphs of their children, offers encouragement when things are rough, and most importantly, forgives childhood transgressions.
When we human beings think of G-d, it is very difficult for us to imagine Him wearing both hats at the same time. I have often heard people say that