- Laws applicable if the child is above the age of Chinuch:
Once a child has reached the age of chinuch, as will be explained in Halacha 5, it becomes obligatory upon the father to educate him or her in the observance of mitzvot. From that point onward, the father is likewise obligated to protest and prevent his son—or daughter—from transgressing prohibitions, as explained at length in Chapter One. This obligation applies specifically to the father of the child, and not to the mother or to other individuals. Nevertheless, as discussed extensively in Chapter One, there are circumstances in which others are also obligated, or at least encouraged, to protest a child’s transgression, as explained there. It is self‑evident that all prohibitions, restrictions, and limitations that apply even to a child below the age of chinuch—such as the prohibition against feeding a child a forbidden item or actively causing him to transgress—apply with even greater force once the child has reached the age of chinuch.
💬 Example: Turning on the Light
During a Shabbos meal, the dining room suddenly became dark. An adult jokingly remarked, “I wish somebody would turn on the light.” A six-year-old child immediately ran to the switch.
Several guests smiled and were prepared to let him do so. The child’s father stopped him at once. Although the child was young, and perhaps even below the full age of chinuch, once the act is being done for the benefit of adults, everyone present has an obligation to object.
This illustrates a common error. A child’s exemption from mitzvos may never be used as a means for an adult to benefit from a prohibition.
The Basic Ages of Chinuch
| Child Status | Positive Mitzvos | Negative Mitzvos |
| Below age of chinuch | No obligation to educate | No obligation to stop or reprimand |
| Above age of chinuch | Father must educate | Father must stop and reprimand |
| Any age | Forbidden to actively cause transgression | Forbidden to feed prohibited items |