The Torah in this week’s portion narrates the monumental event where G-d proclaimed the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai in the presence of the entire Jewish nation.
The Ten Commandments are:
- To believe in G-d. 2. Not to worship idols. 3. Not to swear by G-d’s name in vain. 4. To remember and observe the holy day of Shabbos. 5. To honor your father and mother. 6. Not to kill. 7. Not to commit adultery. 8. Not to steal. 9. Not to bear false witness. 10. Not to covet that which belongs to someone else.
Forty days after G-d’s Revelation, Moshe descended from the Heavens with two stone tablets that had the Ten Commandment carved on them. When Moshe descended and saw some of the Jews reveling around the golden calf, he shattered these tablets.
Eighty days after the shattering of the tablets Moshe descended from the Heavens with the second set of tablets.
G-d commanded that both the shattered pieces of the first tablets and the second tablets that were whole should be placed in the Ark of Testimony which was placed in the area of the Temple called the Holy of Holies.
Each of the Tablets contained five commandments. Our Sages tell us that the commandments on the first tablet concern man’s Mitzvos to G-d. Whereas the five commandments listed on the second tablet address man’s relationship concerning his fellow.
Why is the Mitzvah of honoring one’s parents in the category of commandments dealing with the responsibility between man and G-d?
An answer offered is as follows:
The Talmud teaches us that there are three partners in the creation of a human being; one’s father and mother, and G-d.
The Talmud delineates the features of the human body that are attributed to each of the three partners. A father contributes the bones, veins, nails, brain, and iris of the eye. A mother contributes to the skin, tissue, blood, hair and the pupil of the eye. G-d infuses the child with a spirit, soul, facial features, sight, hearing, speech, ability to walk, wisdom, insight and discernment.
Since parents share a partnership with G-d in the creation of a child, when one honors their parents, one is essentially honoring G-d.
Because of the G-dly element in honoring parents, it is placed on the Tablet dealing with our responsibilities to G-d. See how awesome is the Mitzvah of honoring parents!
I came across another penetrating insight addressing why the status of honoring parents is likened to our responsibilities towards G-d.
Every Mitzvah that we are given towards our fellow works reciprocally. I cannot steal or charge interest on a loan from my fellow, nor can I speak Lashon Harah – ill about him. He too, has the same responsibility towards me. I have a Mitzvah to give Tzadakah and to perform Chesed for another in need, and that person would have the same requirement if the tables were turned.
However, when it comes to Mitzvah requirements towards G-d, such as, to observe the Shabbos, to affix a Mezzuza, to recite Prayers, to believe in G-d, to keep a kosher diet etc., these laws are not reciprocal. G-d does not have a responsibility to reciprocate towards our performance. Of course He does and will reward us for our devotion – but they do not operate the same way as the Mitzvos to our fellow.
The Mitzvah for children to honor and to have reverence for their parents operates like our responsibilities towards G-d. While a child is commanded to honor and revere his parents, a parent has no such reciprocal command or responsibility towards their children. Of course, a parent inherently loves, cares and does whatever they can do for their child, but in regards to honor and reverence, it is one sided; it is the children’s distinct Mitzvah towards their parents.
For this reason, G-d placed the fifth commandment of honoring parents on the same tablet as the laws that are one directional towards G-d.
It is no surprise that the awesome mitzvah of honoring parents, comes along with a special guarantee from G-d that children will be handsomely rewarded for honoring their parents!
