rebbe yochanan states that one who is born an orphan- father dies during pregnancy and mother dies at childbirth, is fortunate in that he is relieved of the obligation of kibud av v' em. rashi says that this obligation goes so far that no one can really fulfill it and thus will be punished.
But we know that " lo nitna torah le'malachai hashares" and humans cannot be expected to this much. How are these reconciled?
shammai elozor forster, new york, usa
It is physically possible to fulfill one's obligation. However, it is merely unlikely that one will actually do even what can be expected of him.
D. Zupnik
sorry, but I don't understand your answer. Would you please elaborate.
thanks
There is a difference between a command that is impossible to fulfill, and a Mitzvah that is very difficult to fulfill such that it is rarely fulfilled properly. The Mitzvah of Kibud Av v'Em is physically possible for a person to fulfill properly, albeit very difficult because of the extent of the obligation. Certainly, a person fulfills the Mitzvah every time that he does an act of honoring a parent. Nevertheless, there are so many opportunities at which the obligation of the Mitzvah arises that it is nearly impossible to fulfill each one (and to fulfill each one to the extent required), but it is possible.
Y. Shaw