(6) Educate a child according to his own path, and even when he grows old he will not stray from it.
ולא חנכו [And not dedicated it} — i.e. has not yet dwelt in it. The term חנך denotes beginning a thing (here, it means beginning to live in it; cf. Rashi on Genesis 14:14).
(14) When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he mustered his chanichav, born into his household, numbering three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
חניכיו HIS TRAINED SERVANTS — The word is written without a י (after the כ) so it may be read חניכו “his trained one”, referring to Eliezer whom he had trained to the observance of religious duties. The word חנך signifies the initial entry of a
person or an object into a trade or path that is his destiny. It has a similar sense in (Proverbs 22:6) “Train up (חנוך) a child”, and in (Numbers 7:84) חנוכת המזבח “the dedication of the altar”, and (Psalms 30:1) “The dedication (חנוכת) of the house” In old French enseigner; English: to teach, instruct.
R. Kalonymous Kalman Shapira, Chovot Hatalmidim (A Student's Obligation), (1889-1943) trans. Micha Odenheimer
Rashi is precise in writing of, "the initial entry of a person or object...which is his destiny," because the word chinuch refers not to a trade or skill. but to the potential, the predilection, and capability that a person might possess, which makes him suited for a particular task...The word chinuch is a special word that implies the realization of the already inherent capacity of the person or object, the actualization of a potential. This potential will remain hidden unless we bring it out. Our task is to cause the potential to emerge, to accomplish the chinuch that will transform the person into a skilled artisan, will cause the house or vessels to fulfill their functions, each room according to what it is best suited for, every vessel or instrument according to the task for which it was designed and prepared. When referring to the education of children, therefore, chinuch means stimulating the growth and development of what each child is suited for by his very nature. This quality or potential may be found in him in only very small measure, in total hiddenness, the task of the educator is to uncover it.
