God, in his infinite wisdom, created a system of perfection for the world. All physical entities were pure pleasure and unblemished. Food and sexuality had no flaws. It was called Gan Eden, the proverbial Garden of Eden. Once man sinned, however, and imbibed from the Tree of Knowledge, he caused a new reality. All material phenomena would contain an admixture of good and evil, pain and pleasure, and all other "opposites." The quest of mankind is to extract the spark of good and beneficial in these entities while discarding the dark and pernicious. Not an easy task at all.

The Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto - 18th century Italian scholar and philospher), asserted that the ultimate good is to bask in the light of God's holiness. When one lives an existence in harmony with a Higher Source and purpose, all actions can be consecrated for the sake of Heaven and enhance one's life. His definition of happiness is simply to make a connection with your Creator and seek ways to emulate His ways.

That brings us back to children. There is perhaps no way in which we demonstrate our imitatio dei (Emulation of God) more, than by having children and bestowing them with love and care to raise them as worthy members of planet earth. When they, and we, are "hitting on all cylinders" promoting God's Will in the world, children can be the more delightful than the most pleasurable French wine and cuisine. When there are flaws in the transmission of values and character traits, or even abuse in the relationship, children can behave in ways that make Dante's Inferno a desired retreat! The adage of "whatever you sow, so shall you reap" is so apparent in this regard that it need not be mentioned.