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5/14/06

Today is Mothers Day, and I know that it is the traditional thing to write and teach on such things in their season. However, being

traditional is one of the few things that I do NOT get accused of. In addition Mothers Day was instituted by man, and memorialized by our government, and is only common to the United States. Before you get huffy, please understand that I’m not coming against the institution of motherhood (as we all are well versed in the importance of our mothers) or even Mothers Day. What I am saying is that it is in contrast to Torah. Let me explain... when something is memorialized, such as Mothers or Father’s Day, most often a particular pattern of behavior develops, and this is the way it goes.

H3513 HONOR kabad kabed
A primitive root; to be heavy, that is, in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable); causatively to make weighty (in the same two senses): - abounding with, more grievously afflict, boast, be chargeable, X be dim, glorify, be (make) glorious (things), glory, (very) great, be grievous, harden, be (make) heavy, be heavier, lay heavily, (bring to, come to, do, get, be had in) honour (self), (be) honourable (man), lade, X more be laid, make self many, nobles, prevail, promote (to honour), be rich, be (go) sore, stop.

On the particular day, we treat our mothers and fathers with honor. We make them feel special, by giving them cards and flowers expressing such feelings, give them breakfast in bed, treat them to a meal, or making a phone call back home. This is all good stuff, and I would never speak against such behavior, my concern is what happens all the other days of the year. While we build our mothers and fathers up on a particular day of the year, all too often they

are forgotten the remainder of the year. Their importance seems to fade into obscurity in the midst of our busy schedules, our jobs, our lives, even though without our mothers none of those things would exist, because we would have never been born.

Sounds a whole lot like what we do to Yahweh doesn’t it? One day a week, we put our schedules aside and come together to honor Him, but what about the rest of the week? He is the reason we are here, yet all too often, He too fades into our schedules. My question to you this Mothers Day is;when was the last time you remembered your mother, and told her that you loved her, sent her a card or flowers, or made them breakfast in bed, or treated her to a meal? If it was last mother’s day,

then there is a problem. Torah directs us treat our mothers and fathers as if it was mothers and fathers day every day, not just on one day a year only to forget them the remainder of the time. Remember the part that says, “honor your mother and

father” in Exodus 20? I don’t recall that the commandment was only for one day a year. It was not. It’s for a life time, which maybe a struggle for some, as perhaps they didn’t have good role models. Yet the fact remains that it is still a commandment, and we are to still walk it out. If you are unfamiliar with the depth of Exodus 20:12, I urge you to study it out completely. If you don’t know where to

Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long upon the land which Yahweh your Elohim gives you.

start, here’s a hint, start with a Hebrew word study of the word “honor”.In light of all this, I will pose another question. What is it that makes a women a mother? Is it simply having children? I think not. I know too many women that have never had children that are awesome mothers, just as I have known women that have had many children that are horrible mothers. So what’s the difference? Reflect on this question today as you remember and are remembered.

Shalom Chavarim

Tom Blair

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