Why Mother Comes Before Father in the Fear of Parents

Midrash Aggadah, Leviticus 19:3

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"Every man shall fear his mother and his father" (Leviticus 19:3). I have only "man"; whence a woman? Scripture teaches, saying "you shall fear" (plural) — the minimum of a plural is two. And what does "man" come to teach? It teaches that the man has the ability in his hand, but the woman is not able, because the authority of others is upon her. And it says "his mother and his father" — it is revealed and known before the Holy One, blessed be He, that the son fears the father more than the mother; therefore Scripture put the fear of the mother before the fear of the father. "You shall fear." What is fear? That he shall not sit in his place, and shall not speak in his place, and shall not contradict his words, and shall not overrule him. "And you shall keep My Sabbaths." All of you are obligated in My honor and in My fear. "I am the LORD." My fear precedes father and mother. And why was the section of the Sabbath placed next to the fear of father and mother? To teach you that if your father or your mother told you to desecrate the Sabbath, do not listen to them, for My fear precedes their fear.

Themes

SabbathWomenTribesAdam EveShabbat

Biblical References

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