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A person who becomes elevated and sanctified, becomes a “man,” as it # 26347-EYAL-6
says, “Be strong and become a man.” Despite a person’s physical growth
and maturity, he must revere and honor his parents, as it says, “Every man
shall revere his mother and his father.” As a result of honoring one’s
parents, a person will observe Shabbat. This is because revering one’s
parents trains a person to fulfill the will of those who are older than him. What is the connection between the contiguous commands to be holy, to
Consequently, how much more so will he fulfill the will of Hashem. When revere one’s parents, observe Shabbat, and refrain from idol worship?
a person ignores these two commandments, he will ultimately turn to idol When Bnei Yisrael stood at the shores of the Yam Suf, they declared,
worship, rachmana litzlan! “This is my G-d and I will beautify Him.” Even the unborn children in
their mother’s womb, issued this cry. The people standing at the shore
could proclaim this declaration in recognition of Hashem’s reality, since
they had previously experienced many miracles. However, how did the
unborn children, who had not witnessed Hashem’s supremacy, recognize
Him and join in the declaration?
The neshamah of a person is hewn from the Upper Spheres. Before a
“Speak to the entire assembly of the children of neshamah descends to this world, it perceives Hashem more clearly,
Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for because it is not blemished by sin, which creates a barrier between it and
holy am I, Hashem, your G-d” Hashem. Therefore, even the unborn children called out, “This is my G-d
(Vayikra 19:2) and I will beautify Him.” This teaches us to aspire to elevate our kedushah
to the level of the unborn children, who never sinned and therefore
recognize Hashem with absolute clarity.
The way to perceive Hashem’s absolute existence is by abstaining from
immorality and cleaving to kedushah, through Torah and mitzvot.
The Torah placed the commandment to honor one’s parents following the
commandment to be holy for two reasons: (1) The obligation of showing
gratitude to one’s parents, who take part in the formation of a person,
which ultimately enables him to form a connection between himself and
Hashem. (2) By honoring one’s parents, he will eventually honor Hashem
and cleave to Him in kedushah, as he did initially, while in his mother’s
womb.
The connection between Shabbat and the command to be holy is that
Shabbat is called “Shabbat Kodesh.” This is because of the holy
neshamah yeteirah, stemming from the Upper Spheres, which Hashem
