A few weeks ago we discussed the children who said things that had not been said even in the times of Yehoshua bin Nun, Aleph beis aleph bina etc .

In our shiur we quoted a sefer that said as follows:

The Gemara (Megilah 3) says that when Yehoshua was encamping with the Jewish people, a Malach came to rebuke him for not learning Torah at night and for not doing the Tamid of the afternoon. When the Malach was asked for which of one the two was he sent, he said Ata Bosi - for the lack of not learning Torah now, when they were preparing for war with Yericho.

Preparing for war is an act of Chesed - preparing sustenance for Klal Yisrael. But Yehoshua did not realize that Torah was more important, prompting him to ask the question. The children knew this - they said Aleph Beis - the learning comes first, followed by Gimel Dales - Gomlei Chasodim and good deeds.