Leaving and Cleaving: The Parent-Child Relationship

Leaving and Cleaving: The Parent-Child Relationship | Torah Study with Steven Schneider How do we reconcile the Torah's commandment to honor our parents with its instruction that a man should leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife? Download the source sheet here: https://1drv.ms/b/c/cc4b5ae48af0afe5/... In this one-hour Torah study, Steven Schneider explores the evolving relationship between parents and children, beginning with the creation of Adam and Chava in Bereishit and continuing through the Ten Commandments. We examine the meaning of "עַל כֵּן יַעֲזָב אִישׁ אֶת אָבִיו וְאֶת אִמּוֹ וְדָבַק בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ" (Bereishit 2:24): Why does the Torah use the word azav (leave)? Does marriage require a separation from one's parents, and if so, what remains of the parent-child relationship? Drawing on Biblical passages, classical commentaries, and rabbinic teachings, we consider how family relationships change over a lifetime, the distinction between honoring and revering parents, and the parallels the Torah draws between our obligations to parents and our obligations to Hashem. Key themes include: Leaving one's parents versus abandoning them Honoring and revering parents in Jewish law and thought The relationship between the first five commandments and our obligations to Hashem Marriage, attachment, and the meaning of deveikut (cleaving) How responsibilities and relationships evolve without losing their enduring significance The central question: How do we create a new family relationship while preserving our obligations to the family from which we came? Recorded as part of a Lunch & Learn Torah study at Congregation Beth Jacob. Join Steven Schneider for an exploration of the Torah's timeless insights into family, marriage, responsibility, and the human condition.