Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. — Exodus 20:12 In this week’s reading, we encounter the giving of the Ten Commandments. The two tablets, each containing five commandments, divide the laws into two different categories. The first five commandments relate to a person’s relationship with God, while the second five commandments deal with a person’s relationship with other people. The two types of commandments divide quite neatly – with one exception. The fifth commandment directs us to “Honor your father and your mother.” Shouldn’t that be included with the other commandments dealing with our relationship with people? Why is it included with the commandments dealing with our relationship to God? The Sages explain that there are three partners involved in the creation of a baby — the mother, the father, and God. It takes all three to bring new life into the world. How a person treats two of the partners — his parents — is a good indicator of how he will treat the third, God. Whether or not a person’s parents are good and kind is not the point. The fact is our parents gave us the gift of life. In all likelihood, at some point in our lives, we were completely dependent on them and they took care of us. At one time, if not always, they were wiser than us. Honoring one’s parents is not about liking them or not; it’s about being grateful and respectful. If we treat our parents with gratitude and respect, we are on track for treating God in the same way. (devotional from Holy Land Moments)
Posted on: Wed, 15 Jan 2014 22:04:42 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015