Derasha 4 on Kedoshim 19:03

Parashas Kedoshim · Passuk 19:03

The Complete Passuk

אִ֣ישׁ אִמּ֤וֹ וְאָבִיו֙ תִּירָ֔אוּ וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י תִּשְׁמֹ֑רוּ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temimah · Kiddushin 31a · R’.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
רַבִּי אוֹמֵר, גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לִפְנֵי מִי שֶׁאָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהַבֵּן יִירָא מֵאָבִיו יוֹתֵר מֵאִמּוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּלַמְּדוֹ תּוֹרָה, לְפִיכָךְ הִקְדִּים מוֹרָא הָאֵם לְמוֹרָא הָאָב.

English: Rebbi says: It is revealed and known before Him who spoke and the world came into being that a son fears his father more than his mother because the father teaches him Torah; therefore Scripture placed the mother’s mora before the father’s.

Type of Learning

Order of parents in mora vs. kibbud

What Is Learned

In kibbud the father is listed first (natural bias toward the mother); in mora the mother is listed first (natural bias toward the father who teaches Torah). The Torah balances the natural tendencies.