My son is nine years old and, boruch Hashem, davens very nicely. He comes to shul eagerly and sits near me with respect. I know that the panel has dealt with several questions about young boys in shul, but I believe this question is different, especially as it pertains to Rosh Hashanah.

My question is, if tefillah is avodah shebelev, what do we gain by bringing children to shul and having them say the words, which is really just a shell of the mitzvah? Why aren’t we mechanech them regarding the actual essence of the mitzvah, either by waiting until they are much older and able to perceive the truth themselves, or by having them speak in their own language, for their own needs, at their own pace? Wouldn’t that be a better jump-start to a lifetime of tefillah?