Why does the Torah place the Mitzvah of Kibud Av va'Eim here?
Ramban: After concluding the Mitzvos she'Bein Adam la'Makom, the Torah moves on to those that are Bein Adam la'Chavero, starting with Kibud Av - since Hashem is one's first Father, and the one who partners Hashem in bringing him into this world, his second father.
Seforno: Because it belongs to the group of Mitzvos that are connected with honoring Hashem.
Hadar Zekenim: Even though Hashem commanded to honor only Him (and not other gods), He wants us to honor our father and mother who brought us to into this world, and bestowed good upon us. Because if we honor our parents who brought us only into temporary life, all the more so will we honor Hashem, who did Chesed with us by bringing us both this world and the wor.
Maharal (Tiferes Yisrael 41): It is placed next to Shabbos, to teach us that, just as Shabbos demontrates that Hashem created the world, and it was not created by chance, so too, did your parents not bring you into the world by chance, but because Hashem decided that you should be born to them, and that, consequently, we are obligated to honor them.
Why does the Torah place "Av" before "Eim" here (in connection with Kavod), and "Eim" before "Av" in Kedoshim (in connection with Mora)?
Rashi (in Kedoshim Vayikra, 19:3): Because knowing that a person tends to honor his mother (who spoils him) more than his father, and to respect his father (who teaches him Torah) more than his mother, Hashem placed the mother first here and the father first there, to counter one's natural inclination - to honor one's father no less than his mother and to respect one's mother no less than his father. 1
Moshav Zekenim (in Vayikra 19:3): Kivud Av precedes Kivud Eim, because like oneself, one's mother, is commanded to honor one's father. 2 And in case one thinks that this applies even if his father tells him to dishonor his mother - the Torah, in Kedoshim, issues the command to fear one's mother and father - placing one's mother before one's father.
What are the words "Es Avicha ve'Es Imecha" coming to include?
Kesuvos 103a: "Es Avicha" comes to include one's father's wife (one's srepmother), and "Es Imecha", her husband (one's stepfather - whereas the 'Vav' in "ve'Es Imecha" includes one's older brother. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 86.
What is the significance of the fact that the Torah uses the same Lashon ("Kabeid Es Avicha ... ") as it does in Mishlei 3:9, with regard to Hashem "Kabeid Es Hashem me'Honecha ... ")?
Kidushin, 30b: It is to place Kibud Av va'Eim on a par with Kavod ha'Makom.
Kidushin, 32a: It teaches us that, like Kavod ha'Makom, 1 Kibud Av va'Eim applies even if it entails a loss of pocket. 2
Yerushalmi, Pe'ah, 1:5: Kibud Av va'Eim is greater than Kavod ha'Makom, since by Kavod ha'Makom the Torah writes "me'Honecha" - with whar Hashem has graced one (only if one has money), whereas the Torah places no such restrction on Kibud Av, in which case one is even obligated to go begging on behalf of one's parents. 3
What is the difference between the Mitzvah of Kibud Av va'Eim and Mora Av va'Eim?
Rashi (in Kedoshim Vayikra, 19:3): 'Kibud' entails serving them 1 food and drink, dressing them, putting on their shoes, accompanying them out and accompanying them in. 'Mora' entails not sitting or speaking in their place and not contradicting their words.
Ramban: 'Kibud' entails honoring them as one honors Hashem 2 - acknowledging that one's father is indeed his father and serving him, not for the anticipated inheritance or for some other ulterior motive, but because he is one's father. Nor may one mention one's parents' names in vain or swear by them in vain or falsely. And there are other things that are listed in Kidushin (31b). 3
What are the implications of "Lema'an Ya'arichun Yamecha ... "?
Rashi: It implies that someone who does not honor his parents will not live long. 1
Ramban #1: It implies that the reward for Kibud Av va'Eim is long life in Eretz Yisrael and in the World to Come. 2
Ramban #2 (based on the Pasuk in Va'eschanan): Long life and having it good on the land are two separate rewards - long life in the World to Come, and having it good in Eretz Yisrael in this world. 3
Seforno: It implies that the reward for all five of the above-mentioned Dibros is long life. 4
Hadar Zekenim: It you honor them, you will live a long life - because they will pray for you
Ibn Ezra and Or ha'Chayim: Since the Torah does not state that Hashem will give this reward, it implies that the Mitzvah itself is a Segulah for long life. 5
Mechilta: It teaches us that Beis-Din are not responsible to enforce its fulfilment, 6 as is the case by every Mitzvah in cinnection with which the Torah states the reward.
Oznayim la'Torah: It teaches us that someone who honors his parents thereby lengthening their lives actually ends-up lengthening his own life, 7 as the Mishnah says in Iduyos, 2:9 'ha'Av (ve'ha'Eim) Zocheh le'Ben ... u've'Shanim' (Arichas ha'Yamim - Bartenura).
As the Torah's words are subject to inference - negative from the positive and positive from the negative (Rashi).
Because Kibud Av va'Eim is one of the Mitzvos which is mainly rewarded in Olam ha'Ba, but the fruit of which is rewarded in Olam ha'Zeh (Kidushin, 40a).
The Gemara there, on Daf 39b however, maintains that long life refers specifically to long life in the World to Come - and that there is no basic reward for Mitzvos in this world (See Torah Temimah, Devarim (5:15, note 5) and Ba'al ha'Turim.
Since they are all manifestations of Hashem's Kavod (Bein Adam la'Makom) in thought, word and deed, which earn a person longevity in Eretz Yisrael (See Seforno). Refer also to 20:12:1:1*. And this is why they are all contained on the first Lu'ach. The Ramban on Pasuk 13 - Refer to 20:13:5:1 - agrees in principle that Kibud Av va'Eim belongs to the Mitzvos bein Adam la'Makom on the first Lu'ach. Refer also to 12:12:1:1.
Michtav me'Eliyahu (5, p. 424): Every person has his share in revealing Kavod Hashem. Sometimes revelations of relatives must be joined. Kivud Av va'Eim mandates extra years to teach us this.
See Torah Temimah citing Tosfos in Bava Basra.
See Oznayim la'Torah citing Midrash Rabah.
What is the significance of "al ha'Adamah ... "?
Ramban: Refer to 20:12:4:2* and to 20:12:4:3*
Seforno: Longevity in Eretz Yisrael is the reward that is due for keeping the five Dibros. 1
Oznayim la'Torah: Living in Eretz Yisrael is dependent upon keeping the Mitzvos, which in turn, is dependent upon learning Torah. And it is incumbent upon the fathers to teach their children Torah. 2
On the other hand, keeping the remaining five Dibros - which entail not harming one's fellow-Jew, bodily, in his self-esteem or monetarily, in deed, in speech or in thought (Bein Adam la'Chavero) shield one against punishment in both worlds (Seforno).
Oznayim la'Torah: As the Torah writes in the second Parshah of the Sh'ma "Velimadtem Osam es Beneichem ... Lema'an Yirbu Yemeichem ... ". See Oznayim la'Torah.
Why is Kibud va'Eim placed on the first Lu'ach, together with the Mitzvos bein adam la'Makom?
Kidushin, 31a: Because it is the basis of honoring Hashem. 1
Oznayim la'Torah: Because it is the basis of Sh'miras Shabbos, since it is the parents who instil Shabbos into the hearts of their children. 2
Rashi in Vayikra 19:3 -writes that one may not contradict the words of one's parents'. But we find that Rebbi and R. Elazar b'Rebbi Shimon contradicted their fathers?
Moshav Zekenim: They disagreed respectfully - 'So my father said...' 1
Moshav Zekenim: This is difficult, since the Gemara in Kidushin 30b states that a father and son engaging in Torah become enemies - they do not disagree respectfully! This is only when they engage together. At other times, one may not disagree (like an enemy).
In Bava Kama (54b), R. Chanina ben Agil asked why "Tov" is mentioned in the second Luchos, but not in the first, and R. Chiya bar Aba was unsure whether 'good' was said. Did he not know the Pasuk? And the Gemara concludes that it is in case 'good' cease from Yisrael, since the first Luchos would be broken. Why is there no concern that "Ya'arichun Yamecha (your days will be lengthened)" cease?
Divrei Eliyahu: He asked why the first Luchos did not allude to this world. "Ya'arichun Yamecha" refers to the world to come, and "Yitav Lach", which is only in the second, refers to this world. R. Chiya was unsure whether there is any promise of this world in the Torah, like R. Ya'akov - in Kidushin 39b - who maintains that everything for the world to come. And the Gemara replies that "Yitav Lach" refers to this world. Had it been in the first Luchos, no good would remain in this world. However, Arichus Yamim in the world to come remains, because the letters flew off the Luchos, but they remained in their place above.
The Gemara in Sanhedrin, 88b, asks that perhaps one is liable only for cursing both parents together. Why did it not ask if Kibud Av va'Eim applies only when they are together?
