By Rabbi Moshe Vosoghi:
This week’s Parsha opens with Moshe Rabbenu reviewing the travels of the Bnei Yisrael. In the course of his speech, Moshe Rabbenu mentions that the Bnei Yisrael were told not to engage the people of Seir in battle. They were to bypass the land of Seir, as Hashem had given that land to the children of Esav, and the children of Yaakov have no part in it. Which leads to the question: What was so special about this land that made it untouchable? The Bnei Yisrael battled many other nations on their way to Eretz Yisrael, why did the children of Esav receive special treatment?
The Midrash explains that Esav did something that no one else did – something so amazing that the Jewish nation was disallowed from disturbing Esav’s descendants. What was it that Esav did? He honored his father. Esav was very particular when it came to serving his father, going so far as to wear special clothing whenever he assisted Yitzchak. We do not find that he had this special respect for his mother, nor do we find that his descendants possessed this same trait. Nevertheless, Esav’s children were protected in the merit of his fulfilling the Mitzvah of honoring one’s father. It is evident that the reward for honoring one’s parents is beyond our comprehension. Why, then, do people treat this Mitzvah so casually?
The Chovot HaLevavot explains that as children, our parents provided our every need. As we grew, we came to expect it, because we never knew anything different. Thus, we’ve become immune to the kindness our parents shower upon us – in fact, we complain when things aren’t to our liking! There is so much that our parents do to meet our needs. Providing food, doctor visits, clothing and shelter is just a tip of the iceberg. They are there to celebrate our milestones, and they are there to support us during the trying times. While it may be difficult to truly appreciate all that they do for us, these Pesukim underscore how important it is for us to try our best in honoring our parents.