Nightmares are real. One parent approached me on Sunday and said, “Could you please do something with my daughter. Tell her something that Judaism says about nightmares. Touch her forehead. Anything. Just make her go to sleep.”

I could hear her frustration so I took the challenge head on. I asked ALL the kids if any of them had had a nightmare. They ALL said yes. Even the adults. Then I asked them what they do about them. Some check under the bed. Some go get their mothers or fathers, sisters or brothers. Some leave a light on. Some keep a bottle of spray water next to their bed to ward off monsters. Some sing. Some say the Sh’ma. Most of them said that having some company is comforting.

I explained to them that the rabbis were scared of the night too. They added an extra prayer just for nighttime. Ufros Aleinu Sukkat Shlomecha. Spread over us the shelter, the sukkah of Your peace. Four simple words. Those words make me feel better at night.  Perhaps there won’t be any less nightmares but now our children will have a uniquely Jewish tool to help cope.

One of those things that can go bump in the night is the tooth fairy. Not very scary but still on the minds of our kids, particularly the 1st and 2nd grade class. They are so proud when they lose a tooth. So again on Sunday I was asked, “Is there a blessing for a tooth?” To paraphrase Fiddler on the Roof, “Is there a blessing for a tooth? Of course!” In Judaism there is a blessing for everything. On RitualWell.org there is an entire ceremony for losing a first tooth. http://www.ritualwell.org/ritual/tooth-losing-ceremony

It suggests using this blessing usually used for seeing unusual creatures:

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu, Melech Ha’olam me’shaneh habriot.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the world who gives teeth to creatures.

This is not the literal translation which is more like, “who makes varied creatures.” But there is a pun in the Hebrew. M’shaneh, who changes, varies, has the same root as shain, tooth. This is the same word that shows up in the V’ahavta, “V’sheinantam l’vanecha”, to teach our children diligently. More accurately, to set their teeth on edge. Isn’t that what we are doing when we teach our children how to cope with nightmares and how to celebrate losing a tooth.

Teaching our children diligently, passing down the wisdom, the traditions, the prayers of our ancient tradition to the next generation is thrilling. Watching a child “get it.” it fun and inspiring. Watching them take these tools and apply them to live today in the 21st century with all its complexities is inspiring. In the process, they teach me much.