Packages of Mitzvot: The Privilege of Having a Father and Mother

A mother and her son came to the home of the holy tzaddik Rabbi Israel Abuhatzeira - the "Baba Sali" of blessed memory. The son's appearance radiated teenage rebellion, and he seemed to have been brought there reluctantly. The mother clearly appeared to be suffering greatly. When their turn came to enter the rabbi's room, the mother handed him a note requesting: My son does not obey me, he is insolent and rebellious. May the rabbi bestow a blessing upon him to strengthen his commitment to the mitzvah of honoring parents.

The rabbi read the note, and silence filled the room. The son was seemingly waiting to escape from this embarrassing situation as quickly as possible. He expected the rabbi to rebuke him and then release him...

But no, the rabbi did not offer any rebuke. Only a painful sigh escaped his throat, and his face expressed great sadness. "Ah...," whispered the rabbi, "if only I had a mother..." Tears flowed from the eyes of the tzaddik, and he continued: "If I had a mother - I would carry her in my arms and dance with joy!"...

The pure tears of the tzaddik shook their hearts. Even the hardened and stubborn heart of the wayward youth softened and melted. Thoughts of repentance and remorse were evident on his face. Then the tzaddik turned to him affectionately and said: "Come, my son, sit at my right, and I will tell you a story."

The young man sat beside him, and the tzaddik related:

When we were young, our father Rabbi Masoud Abuhatzeira of blessed memory was extremely ill and suffered from severe pain. My brother - Rabbi David, may Hashem avenge his blood, and I - did our utmost to care for our sick father, to treat him and provide for his needs. Through his pain, our father would groan with anguish, which distressed us greatly. Once, when the sighs and groans increased, my brother Rabbi David asked him: "Father, why are you groaning so much?!"...

Our father answered: "Until this moment I had a bright and shining diamond, and now the diamond's luster has dimmed!" He was referring, of course, to my righteous and dear brother, who had now failed by making a statement unbecoming of his stature.

When my brother heard these words from our father, he was terrified and alarmed. He decided to impose exile upon himself, and for an entire year, he secluded himself in one of the city's synagogues, sitting and studying there in solitude as if he had been excommunicated, God forbid. After a year, he made his way to the city governor, who greatly loved and admired our father. The governor received him warmly and asked what he wanted. My brother told the city governor what had happened and asked him to kindly approach his father with a request for forgiveness on his behalf, and to find out if he forgave him for that inappropriate statement he had made a year before!

The astonished governor agreed to his request and went to appease the father. Our father answered: "Indeed, I knew he was a shining diamond, and its luster was not dimmed. Go tell him that I bear no grudge against him."

When my brother heard these words, he immediately hurried to our home. When he reached the doorway, he fell to his knees, and thus advanced kneeling until he reached where our father sat. There he pleaded tearfully: "Father, please forgive me. Do with me as you see fit; I am ready to sacrifice myself on the altar of your will!"

Thus the Baba Sali concluded his story, and all present were amazed to hear this stunning firsthand account. The rabbi then turned to the young man, placed his hands on his head, and said with fatherly warmth: "If you promise to improve your ways and be careful about respecting your mother, I will bless you with all goodness and blessings! You should be happy that you have merited the opportunity to fulfill such a precious mitzvah - fulfill it completely and with joy!"

And from the rabbi's room emerged a completely different young man. (Ma'ayan HaShavua 3:358)

One who listens to his father even in optional matters fulfills a positive commandment, as if he fulfilled the mitzvot of sukkah and lulav. Fortunate is he and his portion, who has a father and mother through whom he can earn so many packages of mitzvot! (Halichot Mussar p. 480)