The Fifth Commandment, honoring one’s parents, is a bedrock of our faith. Our tradition is based on the chain of transmission from Avraham Avinu to his descendants who received the Torah at Har Sinai and handed it down in its entirety from generation to generation. This chain links parents with children who later transmit the “Torah” to their own children. Thus, the Fifth Commandment enables the observance of the preceding four commandments. The mitzvah of Kibud Av v’Eim carries with it some profound emotional fulfillment. For the most part, people have a difficult time feeling a sense of indebtedness to others….
