Rabbeinu b’Chayei teaches, “We see clearly that those who honor their parents enjoy a long life, success, and tranquility in all their ways.” This is something that can be seen. This is their reward (and segulah) in this world. The main reward will be given to them in Olam HaBa.
Sometimes, by excelling in kibud av v'em, you can get all your heart's desires, even before you daven for it. Chazal tell us that Reb Chalafta would always ask himself, "What will my father want? What can I give him that will make him happy?" And he would give it to his father without his father needing to ask for it. His reward was כנגד מדה מדה, and Hashem gave Reb Chalafta all his heart's desires even before he davened for them. As the pasuk states (Yeshayah 65:24), טרם יקראו ואני אענה, "Even before you ask, I will answer you." We can earn a similar reward if we have this devotion to the mitzvah of kibud av v'em.
The Seder HaDoros (10) relates that heaven revealed to Reb Yehoshua ben Elam in a dream, "Be happy, rejoice, because you will be in Gan Eden together with the butcher Nanas (הקצב ננס). Your portion and his portion are the same."
Reb Yehoshua ben Elam said, "Woe to me that this will be my portion in Gan Eden! I have been fearing Hashem since my youth. My only occupation was Torah study. I never walked four amos without wearing tzitzis and tefillin. I have eighty students. Do all my good deeds and Torah equal up only to the butcher Nanas?"
Reb Yehoshua ben Elam and his students immediately set out to discover who this Nanas was and his deeds. After asking many people for directions, they finally arrived at the town where Nanas the butcher lived. Reb Yehoshua asked the city's people to direct him to Nanas's home.
The townspeople said, "It isn't proper for a talmid chacham and respected person like yourself to go to Nanas."
Reb Yehoshua said, "Tell him I want to meet him."
The townspeople repeated this to Nanas. He responded, "Who am I that Reb Yehoshua should inquire about me?"
They replied, "The fact is that he wants to speak to you. You should come immediately."
Nanas didn’t believe them. "You are just making fun of me," he replied, "I won't go."
The townspeople told Reb Yehoshua what happened. Reb Yehoshua told them, "So I will go to him. I won't leave this town before I meet Nanas."
We see that for honoring parents, one can earn reward equal to the reward of a holy tana. The reward for this mitzvah is enormous.
Reb Yehoshua arrived at Nanas's home. Nanas fell before Reb Yehoshua's feet and said, "What is special today that the crown of Yisrael has come to the home of his servant?"
Reb Yehoshua said, "There is something I must speak to you about."
"Please speak," Nanas said.
Reb Yehoshua said, "Tell me your deeds. What do you do?"
Nanas replied, "My master, I’m a butcher. My mother and father are old, and they can't stand on their own. Every morning, I dress, feed, and wash them."
Reb Yehoshua stood up and kissed him on his head. He said, "My son, אשריך ואשרי גורלך, מה טוב ומה נעים, you are fortunate and fortunate is your lot... And I am fortunate that I will merit being your neighbor in Gan Eden."
