The Torah juxtaposes the commands of reverence for parents and observing Shabbat – both of which touch upon the fundamental concept of appreciating all that the world has to offer.
The Torah commands towards the beginning of Parashat Kedoshim, "Each person among you shall fear his mother and father, and observe My Shabbatot" (19:3).
Rashi, based on Torat Kohanim, comments that the Torah juxtaposes these two commands – reverence towards parents and Shabbat observance – in order to indicate a limitation on the former. Namely, if a parent requests or even instructs that a child desecrate the Shabbat, or perform any other forbidden act, the child must refuse the request despite the general obligation to respect and revere one's parents.
Rav Yehuda Leib Ginsburg, in his Yalkut Yehuda, suggests a different possible point of connection between these two commands. Both respecting parents and observing Shabbat require – on some level – a positive, optimistic outlook on the world and life generally. A person who looks positively upon life, who feels genuine joy and enthusiasm over the special opportunities that life affords him, will likely also feel a sense of gratitude to his parents. He will respect, admire and revere them if for no other reason than the fact that it was they who brought him the precious gift of life. Similarly, a positive feeling towards the world engenders a sense of appreciation towards the Almighty, who brought the world into existence. This appreciation is expressed through the observance of Shabbat, which celebrates God's completion of the process of the world's creation. But if one fails to appreciate the value of life and the opportunities it offers, if he focuses his mind only on the difficulties and hardships of life, he might resent his parents for bringing him life, and feel no gratitude to the Almighty for creating such a difficult world. The Torah thus juxtaposes the commands of reverence for parents and observing Shabbat – both of which touch upon the fundamental concept of appreciating all that the world has to offer.
Rav Ginsburg adds that this theme might also relate to the previous verse – the introduction to Parashat Kedoshim, which presents the famous command of "Kedoshim tiheyu" ("You shall be holy"). The Ramban, in a well-known passage in his Torah commentary, explains this command as referring to avoiding physical indulgence, even within the boundaries of what the Torah permits. Living a life of "holiness," the Ramban explains, means setting limits on one's indulgence, focusing his time and energy on the pursuit of spiritual excellence, rather than the pursuit of physical pleasure. Rav Ginsburg suggests that committing oneself to this ideal of kedoshim tiheyu helps ensure the positive outlook on the world described above. A person whose primary aspiration is physical indulgence is unlikely to find inner peace and serenity, as he will always feel lacking and seek additional gratification. If, however, a person lives in moderation and devotes himself to kedusha, he stands a better chance of achieving contentment and engendering a positive, enthusiastic feeling towards the world in which he lives. Thus, the concept of kedoshim tiheyu forms the basis underlying the subsequent commands of Shabbat observance and respect for parents, in that it lays the groundwork for the upbeat, positive outlook expressed by these two commands.
Courtesy of the Virtual Beit Medrash of Yeshivat Har Etzion - www.etzion.org.il