(יח) רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, עַל שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, עַל הַדִּין וְעַל הָאֱמֶת וְעַל הַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (זכריה ח, טז) אֱמֶת וּמִשְׁפַּט שָׁלוֹם שִׁפְטוּ בְּשַׁעֲרֵיכֶם:
(18) Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: On three things the world stands: on judgment, and on truth, and on peace, as it is said (Zachariah 8:16): “Truth and the justice of peace judge in your gates.”
The Midrash relates that before G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish people, he requested guarantors who would ensure that the people would indeed study Torah and fulfill the mitzvot.
Why did G-d demand guarantors before giving the Torah? Weren’t the Jewish people the Chosen Nation? Yet G-d knew that a time would come when the people would become preoccupied with work, with worldly cares and burdens. For various reasons the Jewish people would eventually lose their sense of the importance of Torah and the preciousness of mitzvot. In that state, G-d forbid, it is possible that the Torah would be abandoned.
Therefore, G-d asked the people for guarantors. He wanted to be assured that His precious gift, the Torah, would be treated with the respect and dignity it deserved, and would never be forsaken.
At first the people offered their elders. “Our forefathers will be our guarantors.” The elderly are no longer employed, do not have the burden of earning a livelihood. They have plenty of free time. They can be the guarantors.
However, G-d did not accept this suggestion.
Next the Jewish people offered their rabbis, their spiritual leaders. “The prophets will be our guarantors.” Take the rabbis, they study Torah all the time! Who could be a better guarantor than that?
But G-d did not agree to this either. He wanted an assurance that ALL Jews would study Torah, not just those with an abundance of free time, or those whose exclusive occupation was to study Torah. Everyone, even those who were occupied with other matters, even those who find it difficult to study. It’s not enough that your grandfather or your rabbi is learned and fulfills mitzvot. G-d wanted this from every single Jew.
Therefore, He asked for other guarantors. Finally, the Jewish people offered their own children. They promised that the children would study Torah and safeguard it for generations. And to this G-d agreed. The children are the ideal guarantors.
When a child is taught Torah from an early age, he acquires a taste for it, a love of study that accompanies him throughout his life. He will study Torah in adulthood, and in turn pass it on to his own children.
Furthermore, when a child studies Torah he repeats what he learned to his family members, and so creates an environment of Torah in the home.
On Shavuot it is customary to bring the small children to synagogue to hear the 10 commandments being read. They are our guarantors – we must make sure they are there in person to accept this great honor and responsibility.
(based on an address of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Likutei Sichot vo. 2, p. 572-573)