Teaching the children work and craftsmanship.

The kid starts learning work and crafts at an early age. When he arrives at the twelfth year, the parents try to teach him something so he can support himself with respect. Usually every child learns the profession of his parents. The craftsman that takes a long time to learn is the silversmith (Jeweler). This profession (most of the time) the kids are working as an apprentice. He did not get money for his work. Only the second year did he get a little bit every week. When the kid gets to the level of a good professional, his master will negotiate with him for a salary for the market price. For the person who is to become a business man, he goes to the Market every Friday afternoon. They put a little box for him in the corner and he starts selling. In the beginning, the friends and family will buy from him. When he grows and has more experience, he rents a store and becomes an owner. The teaching of work and craftsmanship does not stop the kids from learning Torah. They stay in the morning and the night in the Beth Knesseth with the older man and studying.

The girl—who is not studying in the Heder—all of her education is done by the mother. Since she can sit down in front of the table, she learns the manners and customs of eating. When she grows up, she learns modesty like the Jewish Ladies. But sometimes it seems like they exaggerate but it makes sense—the exaggeration of modesty. When she turns five or six, she starts house work and they order her a special broom for her to sweep and after a while she does the dishes. When she gets older, she does embroidery (sowing ripped cloth) and at night she sits and learns how to do embroidery. Then she learns how to kasher the meat, bake, and cook. Because she is with her all day, she learns by looking. When she is ten, she already knows so many things. When she reaches twelve, she is ready to get married and is ready to function by herself. Usually a young couple lived with his parents. The bride joined the mother-in-law of the husband’s family. It is very important that she comes ready with knowledge with singing and poetry she learned from her friends. But especially from the professional music people that perform at family events—weddings, births, and poetry from the women that cry (Lamentations). The girls go in the after noon to their (married or not married) friends. Each one brings a basquet of needle and threads and sits down to talk and work. Each one does art and embroidery. Also, the older women are doing the same. They take the little girls with them. The girl listens to the discussion of the old ladies and learn how to behave and how kosher girls should be.

NEXT TIME : Games of children

EXCERPT FROM BAT MALKAH  (not Rabbi Qafahh) on Halakha for Jewish Women:

“בת מלך” – “Daughter of the King” (Chapter Nun, section Zion)

יז -A married women is liable in Torah law to cover her head, and it is forbidden to leave to the streets with hair exposed.

יח- A wig is not from the traditions of our modest mothers, and (we) do not obey this inferior minhog that is only here in our land. Therefore (for this reason) a women must cover her head with a Mitpahhta (kerchief) according to law. Although there are a few religious opinions that are lenient with going with a wig, in any event they also are not permitted (through a leniency) -- only simple sidecurl (wigs), according to (those that are) customary (acceptable) in (the) times. But sidecurls that are with great (much) expertise are not to be viewed at all if this is a wig, or if the hair is natural, all the more so side curls (wigs) that are made with promiscuity and licentiousness, like in our times, they are presumable not permitted (under heter) to go out into a public place. For this reason a women that fears G-D in front of her eyes (appearance), will not try to go after the leniencies, however (she will) return to the sources (of Torah Law) and go in a truthful holy way and cover her head according to law. And this is one of the trying difficulties of our generation, and a women that fears G-D is to be praised.

יט- The bride is required to cover the head from the time of Yihhud forward, as a law (for) all married women. And because it is hard to do this from this time, and that being the case… she is covering her head before the Hhupa. And it is forbidden to be transparent.

כ- Although under the law it is not forbidden for a married women to go with an uncovered head in her house alone, nevertheless it is appropriate for a modest women to be with a head covering also (while) in her house, and this is the tradition.

NURSING:

כא- A nursing women with a child, we do not nurse except in modesty, and she covers her breast with a Kerchief at the time of nursing.

- A nursing women with a child, we do not nurse except in modesty, and she covers her breast with a Kerchief at the time of nursing.

WASHING IN THE SEA

כג- It is totally forbidden to wash in a sea that is mixed –that does not have a separation between men and women, and even for someone healing.