I thought I knew about the tooth fairy until I didn’t. This week, my daughter lost her first tooth. In speaking with other parents, I learned that there are different philosophies about how the tooth fairy works. Does the tooth fairy give more to the child for the first tooth and then decrease its payments, or does the payment start small and increase over time? Our tradition teaches, maalin bkodesh vlo moridin, we should go up in holiness and not down.
When a child loses baby teeth, there is a sense of loss. Yet, there is also an opportunity for a second chance. How will the new tooth grow in?
Our Torah teaches us that we are each given a second chance. We are given Pesach sheni, the second Passover. If one missed the chance to participate in the Passover offering on the 14th of Nissan, then 30 days later, on the 14th of Iyar, each individual receives a “make-up.” It did not matter whether one missed it intentionally or unintentionally. All that mattered was the prospect of a second chance.
I was once taught, “Fail, fail again, fail better.” In essence, keep trying. It is well worth it.
