Honor your father and mother

Parasha:  Yitro – Jethro
Torah:  Shemot 18:1 – 20:26

These words appear in this week’s parsha. We are blessed to witness just how this commandment is supposed to be executed two chapters before it’s actual appearance. Before we get into the Scriptures, I want to point out that Moshe is applying this commandment to his father in law which helps us to understand the depth of every Torah command.

5  And Yitro, Moshe’s father in law, came with his sons and his wife to Moshe into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of Elohim: 6  And he said to Moshe, I your father in law Yitro am come to you, and your wife, and her two sons with her. 7 And Moshe went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. 8  And Moshe told his father in law all that Avinu had done to Paro and to the Mitzryimians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come on them by the way, and how Avinu delivered them. 9  And Yitro rejoiced for all the goodness which Avinu had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Mitzryimians. 10  And Yitro said, Blessed be Avinu, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Mitzryimians, and out of the hand of Paro, who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Mitzryimians. (Shemot 18:5-10)

When we see the word “obeisance” it usually is translated “worship”.   The concept in this verse is that Moshe went out of his way to show a deep respect to his wife’s father. From this we learn that the commandment  should be extended beyond our parents to everyone who  holds a position of authority over us.

As we are growing up from infancy, we are being trained into submitting to authority.  This should be the forerunner  to our relationship with Avinu.

For Avinu commanded, saying, Honor your father and mother: and, He that curses father or mother, let him die the death. (Mt 15:4)

How are you applying this commandment in your life? 

Here is what our apostolic fathers teach:

Submit yourselves therefore to Avinu. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (Jas 4:7 )

Likewise, you younger, submit yourselves to the elder. Yes, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for Avinu resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. (1Pe 5:5 )

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? (Heb 12:9)