"And all your children shall be taught of Hashem"
Rabbi Shimon explains here that when children are studying Torah, the Shechinah gives them strength and courage, and the Holy One assists them, this is the meaning of, "And all your children shall be taught of the Creator." But another meaning emerges as Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Chiya encounter a child who answers them with a prophecy. The child says that prophecy stems from the aspects of Netzach and Hod, but only for the children of Yisrael, not for other people.
The Light of the Shechinah shining here imbues the children of our world with courage and strength and a love of spirituality. And because all of us are children of our parents and children of the Light, we, too, are strengthened so that we have the boldness to reject the temptations of material existence and the wisdom to walk in the way of the Creator. The innocence of childhood blossoms in our souls. And the prophecy referring to the gems of wisdom that come out of the mouths of babes, emerges in our consciousness.
802. Another explanation of, "And all your children shall be taught of Hashem" (Yeshayah 54:13). FOR IT CAN BE ASKED, Are all the children of Yisrael taught Torah by the Holy One, blessed be He? HE SAYS, Yes, because when these children are studying Torah, the Shechinah comes and gives them strength and courage to study Torah. If not for the assistance of the Holy One, blessed be He, the children could not tolerate it.
802. ד"א וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי יְיָ.' וְכִי כָּל בְּנִין דְּאִינּוּן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, כֻּלְּהוּ אוֹלִיף לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אוֹרַיְיתָא. אִין. דְּהָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִינּוּן יַנוּקֵי לָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, שְׁכִינְתָּא אַתְיָא וְיָהִיב לוֹן חֵילָא וְתֻּקְפָּא לְמִלְעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּאִלְמָלֵא סִיּוּעָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לָא יַכְלִין אִינּוּן יַנוּקֵי לְמִסְבַּל.
803. Rabbi Shimon was at the gate of Lod one day, with Rabbi Chiya. A child came to him. Rabbi Shimon said, Surely the Holy One, blessed be He, will arouse in the world in a few days a great revolution, MEANING GREAT WARS, among the kings of the world, one with another. It is definite that while they are oppressing each other, the children of Yisrael will be peaceful.
803. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ יוֹמָא חַד גַּבֵּי פִּתְחָא דְלוּד, וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּהֲדֵיהּ, פָּגַע בֵּיהּ חַד יַנוּקָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וַדַּאי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְעַר בְּעָלְמָא הַשְׁתָּא לְיוֹמִין זְעִירִין, גִּלְגּוּלָא רַבָּא לְמַלְכֵי אַרְעָא אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין. וַדַּאי בְּעוֹד דְּאִינּוּן מְקַטְרְגִין אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין, יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוֹן גּוֹ רְוָוחָא.
804. That boy said, Behold, this awakening has started today, for much blood has been spilled today in the world. Rabbi Chiya asked, How does this boy know this? Rabbi Shimon said, Sometimes prophecy comes by the mouths of children, and they prophesy more then a prophet.
804. אָמַר הַהוּא יַנוּקָא, וְהָא בְּיוֹמָא דָּא שַׁאֲרִי אִתְּעָרוּתָא דָּא, דְּהָא בְּהַאי יוֹמָא דָּמִין סַגִּיאִין אוֹשְׁדִין בְּעָלְמָא. א"ל רַבִּי חִיָּיא, מְנָא לֵיהּ לְהַאי יַנוּקָא. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, לְזִמְנִין נְבוּאָה נָפִיל בְּפוּם יַנוּקָן, וּמִתְנַבְּאֵי יַתִּיר מֵחַד נְבִיאָה.
805. The boy said, Is it any wonder that children prophecy? There is a whole verse to support this. How do we know this? From the verse, "And all your children shall be taught of Hashem." Assuredly, they are "taught of Hashem," MEANING IN THE ASPECTS OF NETZACH AND HOD KNOWN AS "TAUGHT OF HASHEM," as prophecy stems from there. This is not so with the whole world but for the children of Yisrael alone, as it is written, "And all your children shall be taught of Hashem." Therefore, prophecy comes from them. Rabbi Shimon came and kissed him. He said, I have never heard this except just now.
805. אָמַר הַהוּא יַנוּקָא, וְכִי תַּוָוהָא אִיהוּ בְּיַנוּקֵי לְמֶהֱוֵי לוֹן נְבוּאָה, וְהָא קְרָא שְׁלִים אִיהוּ. מְנָלָן. דִּכְתִּיב וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי יְיָ.' אִינּוּן וַדַּאי לִמּוּדֵי יְיָ,' וּנְבוּאָה מִנְּהוֹן נָפְקָא, מַה דְּלֵית הָכִי לְכָל עָלְמָא, אֶלָּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, דִּכְתִּיב בְּהוּ וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי יְיָ,' וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ מִנְּהוֹן נָפְקָא נְבוּאָה. אָתָא רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ אָמַר מִיוּמָאִי לָא שְׁמַעְנָא דָּא, בַּר הַשְׁתָּא.