Thanks Poppa – I did mean insulated – typing fast and did not proofread!
Tzvi…while it is a good idea to have a musar sefer on the table – I believe the second part of your statement is even more important – to show our children from our actions how to treat others.
When you talk about your cleaning lady as the ‘shiksa’ or the ‘goyta’ instead of referring to her by her name – you imply disrespect – that she is not worthy of being called by her name due to her ‘lower status’. Treat others as you would like to be treated.
Whenever we took vacation – we paid our babysitter/cleaning lady for the week we were not there.
Friends were always so shocked – and I said – hey I am getting paid on my vacation – why shouldn’t she be paid.
My mother once worked with a lovely non jewish lady who was down on her luck – lost her job – lost her home. My parents welcomed her into the home for a few weeks until she could get back on her feet. It made my father a bit uncomfortable – but that did not stop them from doing chessed.
We had an open home to many frum people – and this was just an extension of what we constantly saw. We were taught to always treat others as we would want to be treated.
Now that I have my own home I see the pressures of keeping it open to others and respect my parents even more.
When our children are told stories about the evil Poretz – it makes them think that all the Goyim are evil.
Let’s face facts – of course I know that there is anti semitism around but B”H we don’t live in Europe – either pre-war or even now. There is no Poretz oppressing us and stealing from us in the U.S. – or E”Y.
We live in a wonderful country that has opened its borders and hearts to us – let us pay them back with Hakoras Hatov to all – and with Kiddush Hashem – not only because treating others is a Mitzvah – but because it should be natural to us to act nicely – that is what we should aspire to.
As has been said previously in this thread – we should be a light unto the nations!
We are the chosen nation of Hashem – let us strive to be the chosen nation of the world as well through our actions.