Hey!

How are you all? I hope you had a great week! :)

So this week’s parsha is a double parsha (again!), just like last week. We read Acharei-Mot (or just Acharei, as some people call it) and Kedoshim. Parshat Acharei-Mot talks about what happened after Nadav and Avihu, the two sons of Aaron, died. Hashem commands that only one person, the High Priest, can go into the Kodesh Hakodashim (“Holy of Holies”, a room in the Holy Temple), and only on Yom Kippur. The parsha also prohibits other things, such as bringing sacrifices outside of the Temple, and consuming blood. Parshat Kedoshim begins with Hashem saying, “You shall be holy, for I, Hashem your G-d, am holy.” It then goes on to discuss several mitzvot, like charity, keeping Shabbat, being honest in business, honoring your parents, loving your fellow as yourself, and more.

It’s funny, because I actually starting learning the mitzvah of honoring your parents in class a few days  ago! One of the reasons we are told to honor our parents is because they provide for us. I want to share with you something we learned in class. When the Jews were in the desert, before entering Israel, Hashem commanded them to honor their parents. Back then, Hashem provided everything in the desert. Food, water, clothes, safety… all these things were provided. Still, while in the desert, the Jews had to honor their parents.

From this we learn that everyone must honor their parents, even if the parents don’t provide for them. For example, a man who is married, works, and provides for himself and his family, may think that he does not need to honor his parents. But he must.

So the question of the week is… how do you go the extra mile to honor your parents? Is there something extraordinary that you do?

<3 Tamar