Ilustration Credit: Rivka Tsinman
אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ
וְאֶת שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ
אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם:
You shall fear your mother and your father,
and keep My Shabbatot
I am God your Lord.
- What do you notice? What do you wonder about in this pasuk?
- Back in Parashat Yitro, we looked at commandment #5 of the עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת (Aseret Ha-Dibrot, Ten Commandments), which said we have to כַּבֵּד (kabed, honor) our parents. What is the difference between honoring parents and fearing parents? What different things is the Torah asking us to do? What are some ways a person could express fear (or awe or respect) for their parents?
- Why do you think the Torah is so concerned with how we relate to our parents? Why is it important?
- Can you think of a connection between the first line in the pasuk and the second line? What does fearing parents have to do with keeping Shabbat?
- What does the ending, “I am God your Lord,” add to this pasuk?
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