1)

HONORING PARENTS (Yerushalmi Peah Halachah 1 Daf 3a)

ëéáåã àá åàí

(a)

(The Mishnah taught (daf 2(b)) that) honoring one's parents (is amongst those Mitzvos for which a person eats from their fruits (i.e. a small part of the reward) in this world and the principal (reward) is in the world to come.)

øáé àáåä áùí øáé éåçðï ùàìå àú ø"à òã äéëï ëéáåã àá åàí

(b)

(R. Avuhah citing R. Yochanan): They asked R. Eliezer - how far (reaching) is (the requirement to) honor one's parents?

àîø ìäí åìé àúí ùåàìéï ìëå åùàìå àú ãîä áï ðúéðä ãîä áï ðúéðä øàù ôèøáåìé äéä ôòí àçú äéúä àîå îñèøúå áôðé ëì áåìé ùìå åðôì ÷åøã÷ï ùìä îéãä åäåùéè ìä ùìà úöèòø

1.

(R. Eliezer): You are asking me? Go and ask Damah ben Nesinah! Damah ben Nesinah was the head of the army. Once, his mother hit him on the face with a shoe, in front of all of his soldiers. The shoe fell from her hand and he handed it back to her to prevent her from being upset.

àîø ø' çæ÷éä âåé àù÷ìåðé äéä åøàù ôèøáåìé äéä åàáï ùéùá àáéå òìé' ìà éùá òìé' îéîéå åëéåï ùîú àáéå òùä àåúä éøàä ùìå

2.

(R. Chizkiyah): He was a gentile from Ashkelon and head of the army. He never sat on the stone on which his father sat. When his father died, he made the stone his deity.

ôòí àçú àáãä éùôä ùì áðéîéï àîøå îàï ãàéú ìéä èáà ãëååúä àîøå àéú ìéä ìãîä áï ðúéðä àæìåï ìâáéä åôñ÷å òîéä áîàä ãéðø ñìé÷ åáòé îééúå ìäå åàùëç àáåä ãîéê àéú ãàîøéï îôúç ãúéáåúà äåä éúéá âå àöáòúéä ãàáåé [ãó å òîåã à (òåæ åäãø)] åàéú ãàîøéï øéâìåéä ãàáåä äååú ôùéèà òì úéáåúà ðçú ìâáåï àîø ìåï ìà éëéìéú îééúåúé' ìëåï àîøé ãéìîà ãå áòé ôøéèï èåáà àñ÷åðé' ìîàúéí àñ÷åðé' ìàìó ëéåï ãàéúòø àáåä îï ùéðúéä ñìé÷ åàééúåúé' ìåï áòåï îéúï ìéä (áñéô÷åìà)[ëãôñé÷é ìéä] àçøééà åìà ÷áéì òìåé àîø îä àðï îæáéï ìëåï àé÷øà ãàáäúé áôøéèéï àéðé ðäðä îëáåã àáåúé ëìåí

3.

Once, the Yashpeh stone of the tribe of Binyamin (used on the Kohen Gadol's breastplate) was lost. They asked who had such a stone and were told that Dama ben Nesinah had it. They went to him and settled on a price of 100 golden dinar. Dama went to get it and discovered that his father was sleeping. Some say that the key to its box was on his father's finger and some say that his leg was resting on the box. He returned to them and told them that he cannot get it. They said, "Perhaps he wants more money for it". They raised their offer to 200 dinar and eventually to 1000 dinar. When his father woke up, Dama went and brought them the stone. They tried to pay him (the full 1000 dinar) like the last offer they had made, but he did not accept it. He said, "Would I sell you my father's honor for money? I will not get any benefit from my father's honor!"

îä ôøò ìéä ä÷á"ä ùëø à"ø éåñé áé øáé áåï áå áìéìä éìãä ôøúå ôøä àãåîä åù÷ìå ìå ëì éùøàì îù÷ìä æäá åðèìåä

4.

How did Hash-m reward him? R. Yosi bei R. Bun said - That night, his cow gave birth to a red calf and all of the Jews paid him for it its weight in gold.

à"ø ùáúé ëúéá (àéåá ìæ) åîùôè åøá öã÷ä ìà éòðä àéï ä÷á"ä îùäà îúï ùëø ùì òåùä îöåú áâåé

(c)

R. Shabsai: The pasuk states (Iyov 37, 23), "...With justice and great righteousness, he does not act strictly"- Hasham does not delay the reward for good deeds performed by gentiles.

àîå ùì ø' èøôåï éøãä ìèééì ìúåê çöéøä áùáú [ðôñ÷ ÷åøãéé÷åï ùìä] åäìê ø' èøôåï åäðéç ùúé éãéå úçú ôøñåúéä åäéúä îäìëú òìéäï òã ùäâéòä ìîéèúä

(d)

R. Tarfon's mother went to walk in her courtyard on Shabbos and her sandal broke. R. Tarfon went and placed his hands under her feet and she walked in this way until she reached her bed.

ôòí àçú çìä åðëðñå çëîéí ìá÷øå àîøä ìäï äúôììå òì èøôåï áðé ùäåà ðåäâ áé ëáåã éåúø îãàé àîøå ìä îä òáéã ìéê åúðééú ìäåï òåáãà àîøå ìä àôéìå òåùä ëï àìó àìôéí òãééï ìçöé ëáåã ùàîøä äúåøä ìà äâéò

(e)

The Chachamim once went to visit R. Tarfon who had become sick and his mother said to them, "Pray for my son Tarfon as he is honoring me too much! They asked her what he does for her and she told them the story. They told her, "Even if he would do this a million times, it would not reach even half the honor commanded by the Torah."

àîå ùì ø' éùîòàì áàä å÷éáìú òìåé ìøáåúéðå àîøä ìäï âéòøå áéùîòàì áðé ùàéðå ðåäâ áé áëáåã áàåúä ùòä ðúëøëîå ôðéäí ùì øáåúéðå àîø àéôùø ø' éùîòàì ìà ðäâ áëáåã àáåúéå àîøå ìä îä òáéã ìéê àîøä ëã ãå ðô÷ îáéú ååòãä àðà áòé îùðæ øéâìåé åîéùúé îéäï åìà ùáé÷ ìé àîøå ìå äåàéì åäåà øöåðä äåà ëáåãä

(f)

R. Yishmael's mother came and complained about him to the Rabbis. She told them to rebuke her son Yishmael as he does not honor her. When the Rabbis heard this, they were shocked. They said, "Could it be that R. Yishmael does not honor his parents?" They asked her what he had done to her and she said, "When he returns from the study hall, I wish to wash his feet and give him water to drink, but he does not allow it. The Rabbis told R. Yishmael, "Since this is her will, you must allow her to do it."

àîø ø' îðà éàåú àéìéï èçåðééà àîøéï ëì áø ðù åáø ðù æëåúéä âå ÷åôúéä àéîéä ãø' èøôåï àîøä ìåï àëéï åàâéáåðä àéï àéîéä ãøáé éùîòàì àîøä ìåï àëéï åàâéáåðéä àëéï ø"æ äåä îöèòø åàîø äìåàé äéä ìé àáà åàéîà ãàé÷øéðåï ãðéøú âï òãï ëã ùîò àéìéï úøúéï àåìôðéà àîø áøéê øçîðà ãìéú ìé ìà àáà åàéîà ìà ëøáé èøôåï äååú éëéìðà ìîòáã åìà ëø' éùîòàì äåéðà î÷áìä òìåé

(g)

(R. Mana): The grinders have a good saying -'every person has his merits in his box' (meaning that whether a person produces a lot of wheat or not is according to his Mazal and merit). R. Tarfon's mother told the Sages that he is honoring her too much. They replied that he hasn't even reached half of what the Torah requires. R. Yishmael's mother told this to the Sages and they replied that this is her honor. R. Zeira was upset that he didn't have parents to honor and inherit Gan Eden. When he heard these two Baraisos (about R. Tarfon and R. Yishmael), he said, "Baruch Hash-m that I don't have a father or mother - I couldn't do like R. Tarfon nor accept upon myself that which R. Yishmael accepts.

àîø øáé àáåï ôèåø àðé îëéáåã àá åàí àîøå ëã òáøéú ìéä àéîéä îéú àáåé ëã éìãúéä îéú àéîéä

(h)

R. Avun: I am exempt from honoring my parents, as my father died when my mother was pregnant with me and my mother died in childbirth.

éù ùäåà îàëéì àú àáéå ôèåîåú åéåøù âéäðí åéù ùäåà ëåãðå áøçééí åéåøù âï òãï

(i)

A person could feed his father fattened bird and still inherit Gehinnom. A person could have his father grind with a millstone and still inherit Gan Eden.

ëéöã îàëéì àú àáéå ôèåîåú åéåøù âéäðí çã áø ðù äåä îééëéì àú àáéå úøðâåìéí ôèåîéí çã æîï àîø ìéä àáéå áøé àéìéï îðï ìéê àîø ìéä ñáà ñáà àëåì åàãéù ãëìáéï àëìéï åàãùéï åðîöà îàëéì àú àáéå ôèåîéï åéåøù âéäðí

1.

How could he feed his father fattened bird and still inherit Gehinnom? A person was once feeding his father fattened bird. His father asked him where he obtained the bird. His son replied, "Old man, old man; eat and be quiet like a dog."

ëéöã ëåãðå áøéçééí åéåøù âï òãï çã áø ðù àéèçéï áøéçééí àúéú îöååú' ìèéçðééà [ãó å òîåã á (òåæ åäãø)] à"ì àáà òåì èçåï úçúé àéï îèú îáæééà èá ìé àðà åìà àú àéï îèú îéì÷é èá ìé àðà åìà àú ðîöà ëåãðå áøéçééà åéåøù âï òãï

2.

How could he have his father grind with a millstone and he still inherit Gan Eden? A person was once grinding with a millstone and the order came that his father must grind in service of the king. The man said to his father, "Come and grind here in my place and don't go and grind for the king. It is better that they disgrace me rather than you and it is better that they hit me rather than you."

ðàîø (åé÷øà éè) àéù àîå åàáéå úéøàå åðàîø (ãáøéí å) àú ä' àìäéê úéøà åàúå úòáåã ä÷éù îåøà àá åàí ìîåøà ùîéí

(j)

The pasuk states (Vayikra 19:3), "Every man shall fear his mother and his father"; and the pasuk states (Devarim 6:13), "You shall fear Hash-m your G-d and to Him you shall serve". The Torah compares fear of one's parents to fear of Hash-m.

ðàîø (ùîåú ë) ëáã àú àáéê åàú àîê åðàîø (îùìé â) ëáã àú ä' îäåðê ä÷éù ëéáåã àá åàí ìëéáåã äî÷åí

1.

The pasuk states (Shemos 20:12), "Honor your father and your mother" and it says (Mishlei 3:9), "Honor Hash-m from your wealth". The Torah compares honoring one's parents to honoring Hash-m.

ðàîø (ùîåú ëà) åî÷ìì àáéå åàîå îåú éåîú åðàîø (åé÷øà ëã) àéù àéù ëé é÷ìì àìäéå åðùà çèàå ä÷éù ÷ììú àá åàí ì÷ììú äî÷åí

2.

The pasuk states (Shemos 21:17), "One who curses his father or mother shall be put to death"; and the pasuk states (Vayikra 24:15), "If a person shall curse his G-d, he shall bear his sin". The Torah compares cursing one's parents with cursing G-d.

àáì à"à ìåîø îëä ëìôé îòìä åëï áãéï ùùìùúï ùåúôéï áå

3.

However, the Torah could not have referred to hitting G-d; but it is logical to compare them in reference to honor and fear, since they were partners (with G-d) in their son's creation.

àéæä îåøà ìà éùá áî÷åîå åìà îãáø áî÷åîå åìà éñúéø ãáøéå àéæä ëéáåã îàëéì åîù÷ä îìáéù åîðòéì îëðéñ åîåöéà

(k)

What is fear? Don't sit in his place; don't give a public Torah class in a place that he usually speaks; don't contradict him. What is honor? Feed him, give him to drink, clothe him, give him shoes, bring him in (to town), send him off.

îï ãîàï

(l)

Question: Who pays for all of these services (the father or the son)?

äåðà áø çééà àîø îùì æ÷ï åàéú ãáòé îéîø îùìå åìà ëï àîø øáé àáäå áùí øáé éåñé áø çðéðà îðééï àôéìå àîø ìéä àáéå äùìê àú äàøð÷é ìéí ùéùîò ìå áääéà ãàéú ìéä çåøï åáòåùä ðçú øåç ìàáéå:

(m)

Answer (Huna bar Chiya): The father. And some say - the son. Didn't R. Abahu say in the name of R. Yosi bar Chanina - from where do we know that even if his father told him to throw his money pouch into the sea, the son should listen to him?

àçã äàéù åàçã äàùä àìà ùäàéù ñôé÷ä áéãå åäàùä àéï ñôé÷ä áéãä îôðé ùøùåú àçøéí òìéä ðúàøîìä àå ðúâøùä ëîé ùäéà ñôé÷ä áéãå äéà

(n)

Both a man and a woman are obligated in honoring their parents, but a man has the capability to do so and a woman does not, because she is in the domain of others (i.e. her husband). If she was widowed or divorced, it is as if she is capable.

îéìúéä ãø' çééà áø ååà ôìéâà ãå àîø úðé øáé éåãï áï ãåãúé ãøùá"é äéà ãúðé øùá"é àåîø âãåì äéà ëéáåã àá åàí ùäòãéôå ä÷ãåù áøåê äåà éåúø îëáåãå ðàîø (ùîåú ë) ëáã àú àáéê åàú àîê åðàîø (îùìé â) ëáã àú ä' îäåðê îîä àú îëáãå îîä ùéçððê îôøéù ì÷è ùëçä ôéàä îôøéù úøåîä åîòùø øàùåï åîòùø ùðé åîòùø òðé åçìä åòåùä ñåëä åìåìá åùåôø åúôéìéï åöéöéú åîàëéì àú äòðééí åàú äøòáéí åîù÷ä àú äöîàéí

(o)

R. Chiya bar Vava disagrees (with comparing the honor of parents with the honor of Hash-m), as R. Yudan, his cousin, taught a Baraisa from R. Shimon bar Yochai - so great is the Mitzvah of honoring parents, that Hash-m preferred it over his own honor, as the pasuk states (Shemos 20:12), "Honor your father and your mother" and it says (Mishlei 3:9), "Honor Hash-m from your wealth" - with what should you honor Him? With that which He graced you...Separate Leket, Shichecha and Peah; separate Terumah, Maaser Rishon, Maaser Sheni, Maaser Ani, Challah, make a Succah, a Lulav, perform the Mitzvos of Shofar, Tefillin, Tzitzis, feed the poor and the hungry and give the thirsty to drink.

àí éù ìê àúä çééá áëåìï åàí àéï ìê àéï àúä çééá áàçú îäï àáì ëùäåà áà àöì ëéáåã àá åàí áéï ùéù ìê äåï áéï ùàéï ìê äåï ëáã àú àáéê åàú àîê åàôéìå àúä îñáá òì äôúçéí

1.

If you have (produce/ possessions/ fields) you are obligated in these Mitzvos. But whether one has wealth or not and even if one collects charity from door to door, one is obligated in the Mitzvah of honoring one's parents. (The beginning of this Baraisa clearly shows that honoring parents is preferable to, rather than comparable to honoring Hash-m.)

[ãó æ òîåã à (òåæ åäãø)] øáé àçà áùí øáé àáà áø ëäðä ëúéá (îùìé ä) àåøç çééí ôï úôìñ ðòå îòâìåúéä ìà úãò èéìèì ä÷á"ä îúï ùëøï ùì òåùé îöåú ëãé ùéäéå òåùéï àåúï áàîåðä

(p)

(R. Acha citing R. Aba bar Kahanah): The pasuk states (Mishlei 5:6), "Lest you weigh the path of life, her paths have wandered off and you shall not know." Hash-m did not reveal the reward for Mitzvos in the next world, so that people would serve Him faithfully.

ø' àçà áùí ø' éöç÷ ëúéá (îùìé ã) îëì îùîø ðöåø ìáê ëé îîðå úåöàú çééí îëì îä ùðàîø ìê áúåøä äùîø ùàéï àúä éåãò îàéæä îäï éåöà ìê çééí

(q)

(R. Acha citing R. Yitzchak): The pasuk states (Mishlei 4:23), "From every prohibition guard your heart, because the matters of life (come) out of it" - from whatever was said to you in the Torah, guard yourselves, because you do not know from which of them life will come to you.

à"ø àáà áø ëäðä äùåä äëúåá îöåä ÷ìä ùá÷ìåú ìîöåä çîåøä ùáçîåøåú îöåä ÷ìä ùá÷ìåú æä ùìåç ä÷ï åîöåä çîåøä ùáçîåøåú æä ëéáåã àá åàí åáùúéäï ëúéá åäàøëú éîéí

(r)

(R. Abba bar Kahana): The Torah equated the lightest Mitzvah with the most serious Mitzvah; the lightest Mitzvah is sending away the mother bird; the most serious Mitzvah is honoring one's parents - about both of them the pasuk promises long life.

à"ø àáåï åîä àí ãáø ùäåà ôøéòú çåá ëúéá áå ìîòï ééèá ìê åìîòï éàøéëåï éîéê ãáø ùéù áå çñøåï ëéñ åñéëåï ðôùåú ìà ë"ù

(s)

(R. Avin): If about something which is considered to be paying off a debt (honoring parents), the Torah writes, "in order that He will give good to you and in order that your days will be lengthened"; something that involves monetary loss and danger will certainly be rewarded greatly.

[ãó ã òîåã à] à"ø ìåé åäåà ãøáä îéðä âãåì äåà ãáø ùäåà ôøéòú çåá îãáø ùàéðå áôøéòú çåá

(t)

(R. Levi): (Disagreeing) On the contrary, greater is something that is paying off a debt than something that is not.

øùá"é àåîø ëùí ùîúï ùëøï ùåä ëï ôåøòðåúï ùåä îä èòí (îùìé ì) òéï úìòâ ìàá åúáåæ ìé÷äú àí òéï ùäìòéâä òì ëéáåã àá åàí åáéæú òì ìà ú÷ç àí òì äáðéí é÷øåä òåøáé ðçì éáà òåøá ùäåà àëæøé åé÷øðä åàì éäðä îîðä åéáà ðùø ùäåà øçîï åéàëìä åéäðä îîðä

(u)

(R. Shimon ben Yochai): Just as the reward for honoring parents and sending away the mother bird are the same (as the pasuk states), so the punishment for not fulfilling them is the same, as the pasuk states (Mishlei 30:17), "The eye that mocks the father and despises the mother's wrinkles (may the ravens of the valley pick it out, and the young eagles devour it)" - The eye that mocked honoring its father and mother and despised not taking 'the mother upon the young', 'may the ravens of the valley pick it out' - let the cruel raven come and pick it out and not benefit from it and let the merciful eagle come and benefit from it.

ø' éåðúï åø' éðàé äåå éúáåï àúà çã áø ðù åðù÷ øéâìåé ãøáé éåðúï à"ì ø' éðàé îä èéáå äåà ùìéí ìê îï éîåé à"ì çã æîï àúà ÷éáì ìé òì áøéä ãéæðåðéä àîøéú ìéä àéæéì öò÷ áé ëðéùúà òìåé åáæéúéä

(v)

R. Yonasan and R. Yannai were once sitting and a man came and kissed R. Yonasan's feet. R. Yannai asked R. Yonasan what he had done for this man to deserve this treatment. R. Yonasan told him that once the man had complained that his son does not sustain him. R. Yonasan told him, "Go and embarrass him publicly in the Synagogue and he will sustain you!"

à"ì åìîä ìà ëéôúéä à"ì åëåôéï ìéä à"ì åòãééï àú ìæå çæø áéä øáé éåðúï å÷áòä ùîåòä îï ùîéä

1.

R. Yannai asked R. Yonasan why he didn't force the son to sustain his father. R. Yonasan replied. "Force him? (But the law is that one honors a father from the property of the father?!)" R. Yannai said, "But you are not aware that if the father does not have the wherewithal but the son does, the son must sustain him." R. Yonasan retracted and established the Halacha in the name of R. Yannai.

àúà øáé éò÷á áø àçà øáé ùîåàì áø ðçîï àîø ø' éåðúï ùëåôéï àú äáï ìæåï àú äàá

(w)

R. Yaakov bar Acha/ R. Shmuel bar Nachman also said in the name of R. Yonasan that we force the son to sustain the father.

àîø ø' éåñé áé ø' áåï äìåàé äååï ëì ùîåòúä áøéø' ìé ëäãà ùëåôéï àú äáï ìæåï àú äàá:

(x)

(R. Yosi bei R. Bun): If only all of my learning was as clear to me as this law that one may force a son to sustain his father.