Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

This Sunday marks Mother's Day on the Western calendar.

When I was a young child, my mother would instruct me that while an annual day is designated to honor one's mother, the fact of the matter is that every day is Mother's Day (and Father's Day too).

My mom would explain to me that while we have a period on the Jewish calendar called The Ten Days of Repentace, one should repent and refine one's character every day. Annual spiritual themes, like a Day of Atonement, serve to emphasize values to be practiced every day of our lives.

In Judaism, our parents are our primary teachers. The Hebrew word for parents "Horim," means educators. In the Shma, it is the parents who are commanded to teach their children.

It is interesting to note that in the Ten Commandments, the Mitzvah to honor one's parents is the fifth out of ten. It appears last on the first of two tablets of stone. The first tablet lists relationships with God. The second tablet lists relationships with people. Notice that the command to honor one's parents serves as the bridge from relating with God to relating with humanity.

At the Shabbat evening table, it is customary for husbands to honor their wives by reciting "Eishet Chayil - The Woman of Valor." For many years, I have honored all women of Jewish history, as well as my mother, of blessed memory, when I recite these beautiful Biblical words from the book of Proverbs.

For me, this coming Sunday is more than a mother's day. I call it "Eishet Chayil Day," a day to reinforce that every day we ought to honor the women of our lives and of our tradition.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard Morrison