The Rebe and football

What follows is part of a talk by the Rebbe on Shabbat parashat Shmini 5740 (1980).

30. In simple terms:

When a child has studied Torah and wants to go outside to play ball, and actually goes out to play ball, the way is not to beat him until he no longer wants to go play ball.

Rather, the way is, as the Rambam (who is the “Guide for the Perplexed”) says, that we must “educate the child according to his way,” and it must be “the right way brings him near,” indeed with force, but “the right way brings him near,” and as the Rambam explains, the child is given nuts and money, etc., so that he will study Torah better.

The same applies to playing ball: since the child naturally wants to play ball, we must explain and influence him so that his playing ball is "for the sake of heaven".

And the explanation of what we tell the child is that in order for him to be able to study Torah better later on, there must be physical activity.

That's why the idea of playing ball isn't denied, but rather it must be explained how that same thing should be "for the sake of heaven," because just as the doctor said that for reasons of physical health one must have physical activity, that's why we do it.

And we explain to the parents that this is like a pill; when someone needs it, we don't deny it to them, but rather give it to them. And along with that, we tell them that this isn't for a healthy person.

The same applies to the child playing ball:

The intention is indeed for the child to sit and study.,

Recreation contributes to a child's health, which ultimately gives them a greater capacity to study Torah. Playing ball is like taking a pill. When someone is sick, they need to take pills to regain their health. Is taking a pill good? In this context, yes. Similarly, is playing soccer good? Since it contributes to Torah study, yes. The purpose of a Jewish child's life is to study Torah and fulfill mitzvot. Playing ball can also contribute to this goal.

Moreover, the game itself contains a lesson. When a Jew plays ball with a non-Jew, the non-Jewish child seeks personal victory. On the other hand, the Jewish child seeks the victory of Judaism. He wears his tzitzit, eats kosher food, and prays before playing ball. This helps him play better. If he wins, he thanks God for his victory.

This lesson can help the child influence his parents. They, too, face competition, for example, in business. An adult might think that instead of following the prescribed pattern of "from synagogue to school and then to the business," it would be more profitable to go directly to the business and minimize study and prayer time. The child can teach him: "In my limited sphere—before my Bar Mitzvah—I know that prayers and mitzvot will bring me closer to success. If I leave out a line in the prayer, or if, in the middle of the prayer, I think about a ball, I won't succeed. Just as my success depends on Torah and prayer, so does yours.".

Since the ball is being mentioned in a Farbrenguen, there are probably those who are starting to whisper among themselves: how can one talk about football in a Farbrenguen? And particularly on Shabbat, when it is “forbidden to play ball.”.

We can learn a lesson from the ball. The Jerusalem Talmud (Avodah Zarah 3:1 and commentaries) tells us that an eagle carried Alexander the Great to the heavens. From there, the world appeared to him like a ball. Similarly, the Zohar comments, “The whole world revolves in circles like a ball.”.

In soccer, the objective of the game is to get the ball through a goal. Similarly, the ball, that is, the world, was given to every Jew with the same intention. The Mishnah says, “Every individual is obligated to say, 'The world was created for me.'” The world is given to each individual for the purpose of passing it through “the gates of the King.” There are many obstacles and difficulties that must be overcome. In soccer, the members of the opposing team try to prevent a goal from being scored. Moreover, they try to put the ball into the goal, “the gates of Gehenna.” We all have similar challenges in life: these challenges awaken within us the attribute of victory, a quality that activates the essence of the soul. In soccer, the presence of the opposing team causes one to run and jump, not in a slow, step-by-step progression. Furthermore, the game is won through the effort of the feet, symbolizing action, rather than the head. Of course, the game must be played with thought. However, the most important aspect is action. Similarly, there are parallels to this concept.

These ideas are not intended to distract a person from their studies and send them out to play ball. That would be ridiculous. However, since there are children who, not yet fully understanding the value of Torah, still want to play ball, they should be able to do so "for the sake of Heaven." By "training up a child in the way he should go"—that is, by taking something like soccer, which he enjoys, and showing him that he can do it "for the sake of Heaven"—we ensure that "even when he grows old, he will not depart from it.".

(Furthermore, even those who have not played soccer "for the sake of Heaven" can, as many in the past have done, become God-fearing students and even Hasidim. This is achieved through the service of Teshuvah.) By explaining to the child the lessons they can learn from playing soccer, he will understand that the purpose of playing the game and the purpose of his entire life is to progress in the service of Torah and Mitzvot.