- A Child’s Credibility in Matters of Chinuch[1]
When a child claims that he has already performed a mitzvah—for example, that he has already davened—it raises the question of whether the father may rely on the child’s word and thereby fulfill his obligation of chinuch. From a strict halachic perspective, there is room to grant the child some level of credibility, since his obligation in mitzvos is Rabbinic and depends on his own actions. In such cases, one could accept his statement that he fulfilled the mitzvah. However, in practice, this cannot become a general approach. If a father habitually relies on the child’s word, it may lead the child to say that he performed the mitzvah even when he did not, and this would undermine the entire purpose of chinuch. Therefore, there is no fixed rule in this matter. Everything depends on the situation and the judgment of the father. He must assess whether the child can be trusted in that particular case or whether he needs to ensure personally that the mitzvah is done properly.
[1] See Chasan Sofer 37; Admur 432:10; 437:5; M”A 437:8; Toras Hakatan [Rubinovitch] Chapter 11:16