The Senior Partner

By Rabbi Raymond Beyda

"Every man, your father and mother shall you fear and My Sabbaths shall you observe -I am Hashem your G-d."

Our sages learn from this verse that although everyone is required to respect his parents wishes, one may not violate the Sabbath even should a parent command one to do so.

There were once three brothers who went to different universities in order to learn. Each came back with a different wisdom. One developed a television-like unit that could see great distances. The second invented an air travel machine that traversed great distances in no time at all. The other brother discovered a natural healing formula which could cure a broad variety of maladies.

One day while viewing his video screen, the first brother discovered that a King’s daughter was deathly ill. The youngest brother immediately contacted his sibling who transported him and his elixir to the capital city. The treatment was effective and the princess returned to good health. The elated monarch offered her hand in marriage to one of the team of heroes.

"Had I not seen the problem on my video the worst would have happened" claimed the first brother. "Without the speed of my aircraft we would have arrived at the palace too late" said the second.

"Yes," agreed the youngest, "However without my medicine nothing could have saved her."

The King, seeing some validity in each argument-turned to the princess and asked her to choose.

"As far as the past is concerned, you all contributed to my salvation," she observed,"but as far as my future is concerned, should I suffer a relapse, it is the elixir that I will need"

She therefore chose the brother who had developed the miracle cure.

There are three partners in the process of bringing a person into the world- Hashem, mother and father. Once born, the human is dependent on G- d's sustenance and mercy for continued survival. Therefore, should parents ask a child to violate the laws of the Torah the child may not comply.

Shabbat Shalom

Text Copyright © 2007 by Rabbi Raymond Beyda and Torah.org.