Crushed to Illuminate (Tetzaveh)

“..They shall take to you, pure olive oil that is crushed, to illuminate…” (Exodus 27:20)

Teaching your child how to deal with challenges and difficulties is one of the most important and difficult things a parent has to do.  Our inclination is to rescue, but our responsibility is to guide and support.  A beautiful analogy that can help us understand the benefit of helping our children work through challenging times is the symbol of the olive.

In order for the olive to reveal its precious oil which can be a source of light and luminescence, the olive must be crushed.  Challenges are painful and we empathize with his experience. Yet, as parents, our responsibility is to help our child frame it as a call to respond from a deep place within his being. The goal of the “crushing” is to release the “oil” rooted deep in his soul and “illuminate”; to grow and share that newfound strength with others.