Daat HaRav — The Shulchan Aruch HaRav on Siman שמ"ג

דִּין קָטָן בְּשַׁבָּת וּבוֹ י"א סְעִיפִים:

קָטָן הָעוֹבֵר עַל דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה לַהֲנָאָתוֹ, כְּגוֹן שֶׁאוֹכֵל נְבֵלוֹת, אוֹ שֶׁמְּחַלֵּל שַׁבָּת לְצָרְכּוֹ — אֵין בֵּית דִּין מְצֻוִּין לְהַפְרִישׁוֹ.

אֲבָל אִם עוֹשֶׂה בִּשְׁבִיל גָּדוֹל — צָרִיךְ לִמְחוֹת בְּיָדוֹ מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִמָּן של"ד.

וְאִם הוּא דָבָר הַמִּתְפַּרְסֵם לָרַבִּים וְיֵשׁ לָחוּשׁ שֶׁיִּטְעוּ הַשּׁוֹמְעִים לוֹמַר שֶׁדָּבָר זֶה מֻתָּר הוּא — צָרִיךְ לִמְחוֹת בּוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה לְדַעַת עַצְמוֹ, כְּגוֹן שֶׁתּוֹקֵעַ בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, שֶׁהַקּוֹל נִשְׁמָע לָרַבִּים וְיָבֹאוּ לִטְעוֹת וְלוֹמַר שֶׁתּוֹקְעִין גַּם כְּשֶׁחָל בְּשַׁבָּת:

The law concerning the minor (katan) on Shabbos — and it contains 11 seifim:

A minor who transgresses words of the Torah for his own pleasure — for example, that he eats neveilos (un-shechted carcasses), or that he desecrates Shabbos for his own need — the beis din is not commanded to separate him.

However, if he is acting on behalf of an adult, one must restrain him on the basis of the words of the Sofrim, as was explained in siman 334.

And if it is a matter that becomes publicly known and there is concern that those who hear will be mistaken into saying that this thing is permitted — one must restrain him even if he is acting on his own initiative, such as if he blows the shofar on Rosh Hashanah which falls on Shabbos, since the sound is heard by the public and they will come to err and say that one blows even when it falls on Shabbos:

וְכָל זֶה בַּאֲחֵרִים, אֲבָל אָבִיו, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּא מְצֻוֶּה מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים לְחַנֵּךְ אֶת בְּנוֹ אוֹ בִּתּוֹ אֲפִלּוּ בְּמִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה מִשֶּׁהִגִּיעוּ לְחִנּוּךְ — כָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁמְּחֻיָּב מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים לִגְעוֹר בָּהֶם וּלְהַפְרִישָׁם מִלַּעֲבוֹר עַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, וַאֲפִלּוּ עַל אִסּוּר שֶׁל דִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים.

וְאִם אֵינֶנּוּ מַפְרִישָׁם מֵאִסּוּר שֶׁל תּוֹרָה — צְרִיכִים הַבֵּית דִּין לִמְחוֹת בְּיָדוֹ. אֲבָל אִם אֵינוֹ מַפְרִישָׁם מֵאִסּוּר דִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים — אֵין צְרִיכִים לִמְחוֹת בְּיָדוֹ:

And all of this is regarding others; but his father, since he is commanded by the words of the Sofrim to educate his son or daughter even in positive commandments once they have reached the age of chinuch — all the more so he is obligated by the words of the Sofrim to rebuke them and to separate them from transgressing a lo sa'aseh (negative commandment), and even from an issur of the words of the Sofrim.

And if he does not separate them from a Torah-prohibition — the beis din must restrain him. But if he does not separate them from an issur of the words of the Sofrim — the beis din does not need to restrain him:

וְשִׁעוּר הַחִנּוּךְ בְּמִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה הוּא, בְּכָל תִּינוֹק לְפִי חֲרִיפוּתוֹ וִידִיעָתוֹ בְּכָל דָּבָר לְפִי עִנְיָנָיו, כְּגוֹן הַיּוֹדֵעַ מֵעִנְיַן שַׁבָּת — חַיָּב לִשְׁמוֹעַ קִדּוּשׁ וְהַבְדָּלָה, הַיּוֹדֵעַ לְהִתְעַטֵּף כַּהֲלָכָה — חַיָּב בְּצִיצִית, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִמָּן י"ז, וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָזֶה, בֵּין בְּמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל תּוֹרָה בֵּין בְּשֶׁל דִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים.

אֲבָל הַחִנּוּךְ בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, בֵּין שֶׁל תּוֹרָה בֵּין שֶׁל דִּבְרֵיהֶם, הוּא בְּכָל תִּינוֹק שֶׁהוּא בַּר הֲבָנָה שֶׁמֵּבִין כְּשֶׁאוֹמְרִים לוֹ שֶׁזֶּה אָסוּר לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹ לֶאֱכוֹל. אֲבָל תִּינוֹק שֶׁאֵינוֹ בַּר הֲבָנָה כְּלָל — אֵין אָבִיו מְצֻוֶּה לְמָנְעוֹ בְּעַל כָּרְחוֹ מִלֶּאֱכוֹל מַאֲכָלוֹת אֲסוּרוֹת, אוֹ מִלְּחַלֵּל שַׁבָּת אֲפִלּוּ בְּאִסּוּר שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֵבִין כְּלָל הָעִנְיָן מַה שֶּׁמּוֹנְעוֹ וּמַפְרִישׁוֹ.

וְכֵן אִם הוּא כֹּהֵן — אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְהוֹצִיאוֹ מִבַּיִת שֶׁהַטֻּמְאָה בְּתוֹכוֹ, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הוּא בַּר הֲבָנָה — אֲזַי אָבִיו מְצֻוֶּה לְהוֹצִיאוֹ:

And the measure of chinuch in positive commandments is: in each child according to his sharpness and his knowledge of each matter according to its particulars. Thus, one who knows of the matter of Shabbos is obligated to hear Kiddush and Havdalah; one who knows how to wrap himself properly is obligated in tzitzis, as was explained in siman 17; and so for all similar cases — whether in a Torah positive commandment or in one from the words of the Sofrim.

But chinuch in lo sa'aseh — whether Torah or rabbinic — is in every child who is a bar havanah (capable of understanding), who understands when one says to him that this is forbidden to do or to eat. But a child who is not a bar havanah at all — his father is not commanded to prevent him by force from eating forbidden foods, or from desecrating Shabbos, even with a Torah-prohibition, since he does not understand the matter at all of what one is preventing and separating him from.

And likewise, if he is a Kohen — there is no need to take him out of a house in which there is tumah, unless he is a bar havanah, in which case his father is commanded to take him out:

אֲבָל אִמּוֹ אֵין מְצֻוָּה עָלָיו כְּלָל, בֵּין בְּמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה בֵּין בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה:

But his mother is not commanded concerning him at all — neither for a positive commandment nor for a negative one:

וְכָל זֶה לְעִנְיַן לְהַפְרִישׁוֹ מֵאִסּוּר, אֲבָל לִסְפּוֹת לוֹ אִסּוּר בְּיָדַיִם — אָסוּר לְכָל אָדָם מִן הַתּוֹרָה אֲפִלּוּ אֵינוֹ בַּר הֲבָנָה כְּלָל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "לֹא תֹאכְלוּם", וּפֵרְשׁוּ חֲכָמִים "לֹא תַאֲכִילוּם" לִקְטַנִּים.

וַאֲפִלּוּ דְּבָרִים הָאֲסוּרִים מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים — אָסוּר לְהַאֲכִילוֹ, אֲפִלּוּ הוּא צָרִיךְ לְכָךְ, וַאֲפִלּוּ הוּא חוֹלֶה, כֹּל שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ סַכָּנָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָסוּר בְּגָדוֹל. וְכֵן אָסוּר לְהַרְגִּילוֹ בְּחִלּוּל שַׁבָּת וּמוֹעֵד אֲפִלּוּ בִּדְבָרִים הָאֲסוּרִים מִשּׁוּם שְׁבוּת.

וְנָכְרִי הַמַּאֲכִיל אִסּוּר לְתִינוֹק שֶׁאֵינוֹ בַּר הֲבָנָה — אֵין אָבִיו צָרִיךְ לִמְחוֹת בּוֹ. אֲבָל אָסוּר לְכָל אָדָם לוֹמַר לְנָכְרִי שֶׁיַּאֲכִילֶנּוּ, שֶׁהָאֲמִירָה לְנָכְרִי אֲסוּרָה בְּכָל הָאִסּוּרִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁאָסוּר לוֹמַר כֵּן לְהַתִּינוֹק.

וְאִם הַתִּינוֹק צָרִיךְ לְכָךְ, כְּגוֹן שֶׁהוּא קְצָת חוֹלֶה — מֻתָּר לוֹמַר לְנָכְרִי לְהַאֲכִילוֹ, שֶׁצָּרְכֵי קָטָן דִּינָם כְּחוֹלֶה שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ סַכָּנָה שֶׁהִתִּירוּ בּוֹ אֲמִירָה לְנָכְרִי אֲפִלּוּ בְּאִסּוּרֵי תוֹרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִמָּן שכ"ח.

וְכֵן אִם צָרִיךְ לִשְׁתִיַּת יַיִן, וְאֵין שָׁם יֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא סְתָם יֵינָם שֶׁל נָכְרִים, וְאֵין הַיַּיִן חָזָק כָּל כָּךְ שֶׁיַּכְשִׁירֶנּוּ עַל יְדֵי מְזִיגַת שִׁשָּׁה חֲלָקִים מַיִם וְאֶחָד יַיִן כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּיוֹרֶה דֵעָה סִמָּן קל"ד — מֻתָּר לוֹמַר לְנָכְרִי לְהַשְׁקוֹתוֹ לוֹ:

And all of this is regarding separating him from an issur; but to feed him an issur directly by hand (lispos lo issur be-yadayim) — this is forbidden to every person by the Torah, even if he is not a bar havanah at all, as it is stated "lo sochlum" — and the Sages explained "lo sa'akhilum" — do not cause the minors to eat them.

And even with things forbidden by the words of the Sofrim — it is forbidden to feed him, even if he needs it, and even if he is sick — so long as there is no danger to life (sakanah) — as it is forbidden for an adult. Likewise it is forbidden to accustom him to the desecration of Shabbos or Yom Tov even in matters forbidden as a shevus.

And a non-Jew who feeds an issur to a child who is not a bar havanah — his father does not need to restrain him. But it is forbidden for any person to tell a non-Jew that he should feed him — for amirah le-nochri is forbidden for all the prohibitions of the Torah; and all the more so, it is forbidden to say such a thing to the child himself.

And if the child needs it — for example, if he is somewhat sick — it is permitted to tell a non-Jew to feed him, since the needs of a minor have the status of a sick person who is not in mortal danger, regarding whom they permitted amirah le-nochri even for Torah-prohibitions, as was explained in siman 328.

And likewise if he needs to drink wine, and there is no Jewish wine available but only stam yeinam of non-Jews, and the wine is not strong enough that it could be rendered fit by being mixed with six parts water and one wine, as will be explained in Yoreh De'ah siman 134 — it is permitted to say to a non-Jew to give him to drink:

וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁכֹּל שֶׁהוּא לְצָרְכּוֹ שֶׁל תִּינוֹק, כְּגוֹן אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה — לֹא גָזְרוּ בּוֹ חֲכָמִים כְּלָל, וּמֻתָּר לְהַאֲכִילוֹ בְּיָדַיִם כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין אִסּוּרוֹ אֶלָּא מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים אִם צָרִיךְ לְכָךְ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְחִנּוּךְ. אֲבָל אִם אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְכָךְ — אָסוּר לְהַאֲכִילוֹ אֲפִלּוּ אֵינוֹ בַּר הֲבָנָה (וְאָבִיו צָרִיךְ לִמְחוֹת בּוֹ אִם הוּא בַּר הֲבָנָה) אֲפִלּוּ בְּאִסּוּר דִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָסוּר לְהַנִיקוֹ חֲלֵב אִמּוֹ אַחַר כ"ד חֹדֶשׁ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין אִסּוּר חֲלֵב אִשָּׁה אֶלָּא מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים, הוֹאִיל וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לוֹ אַחַר כ"ד. וְיֵשׁ לִסְמוֹךְ עַל דִּבְרֵיהֶם לְהָקֵל בְּדִבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים, אִם הוּא צָרִיךְ לְכָךְ וְאֵין שָׁם נָכְרִי לְהַאֲכִילוֹ עַל יָדוֹ.

וְאַף אִם אֵין הַתִּינוֹק צָרִיךְ לְכָךְ, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַגָּדוֹל צָרִיךְ לְכָךְ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה לוֹ תִּינוֹק אֵיזֶה דָבָר הָאָסוּר מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים — אֵין אִסּוּר לְפִי סְבָרָא זוֹ לִתְּנוֹ לוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲשֵׂהוּ לוֹ, אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁנּוֹתְנוֹ לוֹ בִּקְבִיעוּת תָּדִיר, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָחוּשׁ שֶׁמָּא יִתְרַגֵּל הַתִּינוֹק וְיִסָּרֵךְ בַּעֲשִׂיַּת דָּבָר זֶה וְיָבֹא לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ אַף כְּשֶׁיַּגְדִּיל, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁנּוֹתְנוֹ לוֹ בְּאַקְרַאי בְּעָלְמָא — אֵין לָחוּשׁ לְכָךְ, רַק שֶׁיְּהֵא בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ אִסּוּר מַה שֶּׁעוֹשֶׂה בִּשְׁבִילוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִמָּן של"ד, כְּגוֹן לְצֹרֶךְ מִצְוָה.

לְפִיכָךְ, מֻתָּר לְהַטְעִים לְתִינוֹק שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְחִנּוּךְ מִכּוֹס שֶׁל קִדּוּשׁ שֶׁמְּקַדְּשִׁין בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַתִּינוֹק אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ כְּלָל לִטְעִימָה זוֹ וְיָכוֹל הוּא לְהַמְתִּין מִלִּטְעוֹם עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁמַע הַקִּדּוּשׁ שֶׁבִּמְקוֹם סְעֻדָּה בְּבֵית אָבִיו הַמְחַנְּכוֹ לְזֶה, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן כֵּיוָן שֶׁאִסּוּר הַטְּעִימָה קֹדֶם הַקִּדּוּשׁ הוּא מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים וְיֵשׁ לָנוּ צֹרֶךְ בִּטְעִימָה זוֹ, וְאֵין לְאָסְרָהּ אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם שֶׁמָּא יִסָּרֵךְ בָּהּ הַתִּינוֹק, וְזֶה אֵין לָחוּשׁ בְּקִדּוּשׁ שֶׁבְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, שֶׁאֵין מַטְעִימִים לְהַתִּינוֹקוֹת בִּקְבִיעוּת בְּכָל שַׁבָּת וְשַׁבָּת, שֶׁלִּפְעָמִים יֵשׁ אוֹרְחִים הַשּׁוֹבְתִים וְאוֹכְלִים בְּחַדְרֵי בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְשׁוֹמְעִים הַקִּדּוּשׁ מִשָּׁם, וְאָז אֵין צָרִיךְ כְּלָל לְהַטְעִים לְתִינוֹקוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִמָּן רס"ט:

And there are those who say that anything that is for the need of the child himself, such as eating and drinking — the Sages did not decree concerning it at all; and it is permitted to feed him directly anything whose prohibition is only from the words of the Sofrim if he needs it — even if he has reached the age of chinuch. But if he does not need it — it is forbidden to feed him, even if he is not a bar havanah (and his father must restrain him if he is a bar havanah), even with an issur of the words of the Sofrim — for it is forbidden to nurse him from his mother's milk after twenty-four months, even though the issur of a woman's milk is only from the words of the Sofrim — since he no longer needs it after twenty-four months. And one may rely on their words to be lenient in the words of the Sofrim, if he needs it and there is no non-Jew available to feed him through him.

And even if the child does not need it, but rather the adult needs the child to do for him some matter forbidden by the words of the Sofrim — according to this opinion there is no prohibition to give it to him to do for him — except when one gives it to him in a fixed and regular way, in which case there is concern that the child will become accustomed and habituated to doing this thing, and will come to do it even when he grows up. But when one gives it to him be-akrai be-alma (purely incidentally) — there is no such concern, provided that it is in a manner where there is no issur in what he does on his behalf, as was explained in siman 334 — for instance, for the need of a mitzvah.

Therefore, it is permitted to let a child who has reached the age of chinuch taste from the cup of Kiddush which is recited in the synagogue, even though the child has no need for this taste and can wait to taste from hearing Kiddush be-makom seudah at the house of his father who is educating him to this. Nevertheless, since the issur of tasting before Kiddush is from the words of the Sofrim, and we have a need for this taste, and one would only forbid it lest the child become habituated to it — and this concern does not apply to the Kiddush in the synagogue, since one does not regularly let the children taste every single Shabbos, because sometimes there are guests who keep Shabbos and eat in the chambers of the synagogue and hear the Kiddush from there — and then there is no need at all to let the children taste, as was explained in siman 269:

וְכָל זֶה כְּשֶׁמַּאֲכִילִים אִסּוּר לְתִינוֹק לְצָרְכֵּנוּ, וְכֵן אִם אוֹמְרִים לוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת לָנוּ אֵיזֶה דָבָר הָאָסוּר אֲפִלּוּ מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים. אֲבָל כֹּל שֶׁהוּא צָרְכּוֹ שֶׁל תִּינוֹק וְתַקָּנָתוֹ — לֹא חָשְׁשׁוּ בּוֹ שֶׁמָּא יִסָּרֵךְ בְּכָךְ וְיַעֲשֶׂה כֵּן לִכְשֶׁיִּגְדַּל, לְפִי שֶׁיָּדוּעַ לוֹ שֶׁבְּשְׁבִיל שֶׁהוּא קָטָן מַתִּירִין לוֹ צְרָכָיו, וְלֹא יִטְעֶה מִזֶּה לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן כְּשֶׁיִּגְדַּל. וְלָכֵן מֻתָּר לְהַאֲכִילוֹ קֹדֶם קִדּוּשׁ אִם הוּא רוֹצֶה לֶאֱכוֹל, וְכֵן לִשְׁתּוֹת, וְאָסוּר לְעַנּוֹתוֹ, וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָזֶה בִּשְׁאָר כָּל אִסּוּרֵי דִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים:

And all of this is when one feeds an issur to a child for our need, or likewise when one tells him to do for us something which is forbidden even from the words of the Sofrim. But anything which is for the need and benefit of the child himself — they did not fear that he would become habituated and do likewise once he grows up, since he knows that it is because he is a minor that they permit him his needs, and he will not err from this to do so when he grows up. Therefore, it is permitted to feed him before Kiddush if he wishes to eat — and likewise to drink — and it is forbidden to deprive him; and so too for all similar matters in all the rest of the issurim of the words of the Sofrim:

כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא מִשּׁוּם חִנּוּךְ מִצְוָה — מֻתָּר לִסְפּוֹת לוֹ אִסּוּר בְּיָדַיִם, כְּגוֹן לְהַאֲכִיל פֶּסַח לְקָטָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְחִנּוּךְ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נִמְנָה עָלָיו, וְאֵין הַפֶּסַח נֶאֱכָל אֶלָּא לִמְנוּיָיו, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן כֵּיוָן שֶׁמִּתְכַּוֵּן לְחַנְּכוֹ בְּמִצְוֹת — מֻתָּר.

אֲבָל מִצְוָה שֶׁלֹּא שַׁיָּךְ בָּהּ חִנּוּךְ, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ כְּשֶׁיִּגְדַּל, שֶׁזֶּהוּ עִקַּר טַעַם הַחִנּוּךְ, כְּגוֹן לְהַטְעִימוֹ מִכּוֹס שֶׁל מִילָה בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תְהֵא הַבְּרָכָה נִרְאֵית לְבַטָּלָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁזֶּהוּ צֹרֶךְ מִצְוָה, מִכָּל מָקוֹם כֵּיוָן שֶׁכְּשֶׁיִּגְדַּל יֶאֱסוֹר לוֹ — לָכֵן גַּם עַכְשָׁו אָסוּר, מִשּׁוּם שֶׁמָּא יִסָּרֵךְ בְּכָךְ וְיִטְעוֹם מִמֶּנּוּ גַּם כְּשֶׁיִּגְדַּל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִמָּן תרכ"א.

וְלָכֵן כָּל שְׁבוּת שֶׁמֻּתָּר לַעֲשׂוֹתָן עַל יְדֵי נָכְרִי לְצֹרֶךְ מִצְוָה — אָסוּר לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ עַל יְדֵי קָטָן, מִשּׁוּם שֶׁמָּא יִסָּרֵךְ בְּכָךְ, אִם לֹא בְּאַקְרַאי בְּעָלְמָא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר לְמַעְלָה:

Any matter that is for the sake of chinuch to a mitzvah — it is permitted to feed him an issur directly, such as feeding Pesach to a minor who has reached the age of chinuch, even though he was not enrolled among its minuyim, and the Pesach offering is eaten only by those enrolled in it. Nevertheless, since one intends to educate him in the mitzvos — it is permitted.

But a mitzvah to which chinuch does not apply — that is, one which he will not be able to perform when he grows up (which is the essential reason for chinuch) — such as letting him taste from the cup of the Bris Milah on Yom Kippur, so that the blessing not appear to be in vain — even though this is a need of a mitzvah, nevertheless, since when he grows up it will be forbidden to him — therefore it is also forbidden now, lest he become habituated to it and taste from it even when he grows up, as will be explained in siman 621.

Therefore, every shevus which is permitted to do through a non-Jew for the sake of a mitzvah — is forbidden to do through a minor, lest he become habituated to it — except be-akrai be-alma (purely incidentally), as was explained above:

אָסוּר לִתֵּן לְתִינוֹק חָגָב חַי טָמֵא לִשְׂחוֹק בּוֹ, שֶׁמָּא יָמוּת וְיֹאכְלֶנּוּ, וְנִמְצָא מַאֲכִילוֹ אִסּוּר בְּיָדַיִם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּא נָתַן לוֹ הָאִסּוּר, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן דָּבָר הָאָסוּר הָרָאוּי לְאָכְלוֹ כָּךְ.

וַאֲפִלּוּ דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ אִסּוּר אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם "בַּל תְּשַׁקְּצוּ" — אָסוּר לִתֵּן לוֹ אִם יֵשׁ לָחוּשׁ שֶׁיֹּאכְלֶנּוּ.

אֲבָל מֻתָּר לִתֵּן לוֹ עוֹף טָמֵא לִשְׂחוֹק בּוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאַף כְּשֶׁיָּמוּת אֵינוֹ רָאוּי לַאֲכִילָה כָּךְ:

It is forbidden to give to a minor a live impure grasshopper (chagav chai tamei) to play with, lest it die and he eat it — and it would turn out that one has fed him an issur directly by hand, since he gave him the object of the issur. And all the more so a forbidden thing which is fit to be eaten as is.

And even a matter whose issur is only on account of "bal teshakketzu" — it is forbidden to give it to him if there is concern that he will eat it.

But it is permitted to give him an impure bird to play with, since even when it dies it is not fit for eating as is:

(וְכָל זֶה בְּאִסּוּרֵי מַאֲכָלוֹת, וַאֲפִלּוּ הוּא אִסּוּר שֶׁהַזְּמַן גּוֹרֵם), אֲבָל מֻתָּר לִתֵּן לְתִינוֹק בְּשַׁבָּת חֲפָצִים שֶׁיָּכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּהֶם מְלָאכָה לְעַצְמוֹ, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם יָדוּעַ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה בָּהֶם, כְּגוֹן לִתֵּן לְתִינוֹק עוּגָה שֶׁכְּתוּבִים עָלֶיהָ אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁאָסוּר לְאָכְלָהּ בְּשַׁבָּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִמָּן ש"מ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַתִּינוֹק יֹאכְלֶנָּה בְּוַדַּאי, כֵּיוָן שֶׁמִּתְכַּוֵּן הוּא לַהֲנָאַת עַצְמוֹ — אֵין צָרִיךְ לְהַפְרִישׁוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר לְמַעְלָה. רַק שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן גָּדוֹל לְתוֹךְ פִּיו שֶׁל תִּינוֹק:

(And all of this is in food-issurim, even an issur which depends on time as its cause), but it is permitted to give a minor on Shabbos objects with which he can do a melachah for himself, and even if it is known that he will do so — for example, to give a minor a cake on which letters are written, which it is forbidden to eat on Shabbos, as was explained in siman 340 — even though the minor will certainly eat it: since he intends for his own pleasure — there is no need to separate him, as was explained above. Only that an adult should not place [the cake] into the mouth of the minor:

קָטָן שֶׁהִכָּה אָבִיו, אוֹ עָבַר שְׁאָר עֲבֵרוֹת בְּקַטְנוּתוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ תְּשׁוּבָה כְּשֶׁיִּגְדַּל, מִכָּל מָקוֹם טוֹב לוֹ שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עַל עַצְמוֹ אֵיזֶה דָבָר לִתְשׁוּבָה וּלְכַפָּרָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעָבַר קֹדֶם שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בַּר עֹנָשִׁין.

וּלְעִנְיַן דָּבָר שֶׁבְּמָמוֹן — יִתְבָּאֵר בְּחֹשֶׁן מִשְׁפָּט סִמָּן שנ"ט:

A minor who struck his father, or transgressed other sins in his minority — even though he does not need to do teshuvah when he grows up — nevertheless it is good for him to accept upon himself something as teshuvah and atonement, even though he transgressed before becoming a bar onashin (subject to punishment).

And concerning monetary matters — that will be explained in Choshen Mishpat siman 359: