- Laws applicable if the child is below the age of Chinuch:[1]
Education in fulfillment of Mitzvos:[2] A child who has yet to reach the age of education, as will be defined in Halacha 4, is not required to be educated by his father, or any other individual, in fulfilling positive commandments. However, as will be explained there, this age of education is unique to each commandment. Hence, once the child has reached the level of understanding appropriate for a specific mitzvah, he becomes obligated to be educated in that specific Mitzvah, but is yet to be obligated to be educated in other Mitzvos for which he remains of immature age. [With that said, and as explained in Halacha 2, this does not mean that there is any restriction against educating a child in mitzvot prior to his reaching the formal age of education for a given commandment. On the contrary, there are many mitzvot in which it is customary and praiseworthy for a child to be educated from the youngest of ages, even before he has officially reached the age of chinuch. This early education serves to familiarize the child with the performance of mitzvot and to instill proper habits, as will be explained in the forthcoming chapters by each individual Mitzvah.]
[1] See Admur 343:2-3; Mishneh Berura 343:3
[2] Admur 343:2 “He is obligated by rabbinic decree to educate his son or daughter even in positive commandments once they reach the age of education.”