It is written,’ he continued, ‘ “A son honoureth his father” (Mal. 1, 6). We have learnt that when the father is alive it is the son’s duty to honour him with food and drink. Is he free from the obligation of honouring him after his death? Not so, since it is written, “Honour thy father” (Ex. 20, 12). If the son walks in the crooked path, of a surety he brings dishonour and shame on his father. But if he walks in the straight path and his deeds are upright, then he confers honour on him both in this world among men and in the next world with God, who gives him a special throne of honour.
An example is R. Eleazar, who honoured his father in his lifetime and now has made him more honoured in the next world after his death as the progenitor of holy sons and a holy stock.’
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (מלאכי א׳:ו׳) בֵּן יְכַבֵּד אָב וְעֶבֶד אֲדֹנָיו. בֵּן יְכַבֵּד אָב, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (שמות כ׳:י״ב) כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ, בְּמֵיכְלָא וּמִשְׁתְּיָיא וּבְכֹלָּא. הַאי בְּחַיּיוֹי דְּאִתְחַיָּיב בֵּיהּ. בָּתַר דְּמִית, אִי תֵּימָא הָא פָּטוּר מִנֵּיהּ הוּא, לָאו הָכֵי. דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּמִית, אִתְחַיָּיב בִּיקָרֵיהּ יַתִּיר, דִּכְתִּיב כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ. דְּאִי הַהוּא בְּרָא אָזִיל בְּאֹרַח תְּקָלָא, וַדַּאי מְבַזֶּה לַאֲבוּי הוּא, וַדַּאי עָבִיד לֵיהּ קְלָנָא. וְאִי הַהוּא בְּרָא אָזִיל בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר, וְתָקִין עוֹבָדוֹי, וַדַּאי דָּא אוֹקִיר לַאֲבוּי, אוֹקִיר לֵיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא גַּבֵּי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, אוֹקִיר לֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, גַּבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָיִיס עָלֵיהּ, וְאוֹתִיב לֵיהּ בְּכוּרְסְיָיא דִּיקָרֵיהּ. וַדַּאי בֵּן יְכַבֵּד אָב.
It is written,’ he continued, ‘ “A son honoureth his father” (Mal. 1, 6). We have learnt that when the father is alive it is the son’s duty to honour him with food and drink. Is he free from the obligation of honouring him after his death? Not so, since it is written, “Honour thy father” (Ex. 20, 12). If the son walks in the crooked path, of a surety he brings dishonour and shame on his father. But if he walks in the straight path and his deeds are upright, then he confers honour on him both in this world among men and in the next world with God, who gives him a special throne of honour.
כְּגוֹן רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, דְּאִיהוּ אוֹקִיר לֵיהּ לַאֲבוּי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּבְהַהוּא עָלְמָא הַשְׁתָּא אַסְגֵּי שְׁבָחָא דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בִּתְרֵין עָלְמִין, בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּבְהַהוּא עָלְמָא יַתִּיר מְחַיּיוֹי. דְּזָכָה לִבְנִין קַדִּישִׁין, וּלְגִזְעִין קַדִּישִׁין. זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא, דְּזַכָּאן לִבְנִין קַדִּישִׁין, לְגִזְעִין קַדִּישִׁין. עָלַיְיהוּ אִתְקְרֵי, (ישעיהו ס״א:ט׳) כָּל רֹאֵיהֶם יַכִּירוּם כִּי הֵם זֶרַע בֵּרַךְ יְיָ' אָמֵן. בָּרוּךְ יְיָ' לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן. יִמְלוֹךְ יְיָ' לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן.
An example is R. Eleazar, who honoured his father in his lifetime and now has made him more honoured in the next world after his death as the progenitor of holy sons and a holy stock.’