Liturgy על דברים 5:32

The school of Rabbi Ya’akov taught that Rabbi Ya’akov says: There is not a single mitzva written in the Torah whose reward is stated alongside it, which is not dependent on a belief in the resurrection of the dead, i.e., the reward is actually bestowed in the World-to-Come, after the resurrection of the dead. How so? With regard to honoring one’s father and mother, it is written: “That your days may be long, and that it may go well with you” (Deuteronomy 5:16). With regard to the sending away of the mother bird from the nest, it is written: “That it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days” (Deuteronomy 22:7). Despite this, it occurred that there was one whose father said to him: Climb to the top of the building and bring me fledglings; and he climbed to the top of the building and sent away the mother bird and took the offspring, thereby simultaneously fulfilling the mitzva to send away the mother bird from the nest and the mitzva to honor one’s parents, but as he returned he fell and died. Where is the length of days of this one? And where is the goodness of the days of this one? Rather, the verse “that your days may be long” is referring to the world that is entirely long, and “that it may be well with you” means in the world where all is well.

“Preserve” and “Remember”⁴⁴“Preserve” and “Remember” refers to the discrepancy between the two texts of the fourth commandment. Exodus (20:8) reads, “Remember the Sabbath day,” while Deuteronomy (5:12) reads, “Preserve the Sabbath day.” The Talmud (Shavuos 20b) explains that both words, שָׁמוֹר and זָכוֹר were miraculously pronounced by God simultaneously.

“Preserve” and “Remember”⁴⁴“Preserve” and “Remember” refers to the discrepancy between the two texts of the fourth commandment. Exodus (20:8) reads, “Remember the Sabbath day,” while Deuteronomy (5:12) reads, “Preserve the Sabbath day.” The Talmud (Shavuos 20b) explains that both words, שָׁמוֹר and זָכוֹר were miraculously pronounced by God simultaneously. in a single utterance the One Almighty caused us to hear; Adonoy is One, and His Name is One; for fame, for glory, and for praise.⁴⁵These words revert back to the first lines of this stanza: “The One Almighty God caused us to hear for our fame, for our glory, and for our praise.” This thought is based on the verse in Deuteronomy 28:18,19, “Keep the commandments, and He will make you high above all nations—in praise, in name, and in glory.”—Iyun Tefilah