“Ish / A man–Your father and mother you shall revere and My Sabbaths you shall observe–I am Hashem, your Elokim.” (19:3) What purpose is served by introducing these commandments with the word “Ish” / “A man”?
R’ Yehoshua Kaniel z”l (1895-1970; Chief Rabbi of Haifa, Israel) explains, based on a comment by R’ Yaakov Kranz z”l (1741-1804; Dubno Maggid):
A person may say, “When I was a child, I definitely needed my parents and therefore had an obligation to honor and revere them. Now, however, I am an independent adult! Why should I revere my parents?” To counter this, the Torah begins the commandment with “Ish.” Even when you are a grown person, you shall revere your parents.
Similarly, continues R’ Kaniel, a person might say:“I am an adult with responsibilities. I have a family to feed. How can I refrain from working on Shabbat?” No! says the Torah. “Ish”–even a grown man with mouths to feed should observe My Shabbat. Why? Because “I am Hashem, your Elokim”–I make the rules, and I care for you. (Divrei Yehoshua II)
Reprinted from the Parshas Kedoshim 5784 email of R’ Yedidye Hirtenfeld’s whY I Matter, the parsha sheet of the Young Israel of Midwood in Brooklyn.
