5th Commandment: Honor your father and mother

Getting old can be terrifying, especially in a society obsessed with youth. In this episode we consider the reasons for why the 5th Commandment, “Kibbud Av v’Em,” “honor your father and mother” instructs us to honor generations before us when, at first glance, they appear to have less and less to offer as they age.

Big Ideas

1. Part of respecting our elders includes seeing the age and experience of our elders as relevant and valuable to us and our society.
2. A challenge of getting older and less reliant on our parents is to continue to see them as relevant and not take them for granted. 
3. Honoring our parents is grounded in the Jewish value of hakarat hatov or practicing gratitude, and can serve as a model for our ideal relationship with God.

Essential Questions

1. How can we create more opportunities for intergenerational friendships and relationships?
2. How can we mine from our older generation their wisdom and insights to contribute to our lives and society?

video Transcript