Negative Commandment #44

Sefer Ha’mitzvos Ha’Katzar (The concise book of mitzvos) By the Chofetz Chaim

This book lists the Torah mitzvos that can be observed today

Second Section – the Negative Commandments

44. It is a negative commandment, “do not hit one’s father or mother.”

As it states in Shemos (Exodus) 21:15, “A person who hits his father or his mother shall be put to death.” This warning is derived from the verse in Devarim (Deuteronomy) 25:3, “do not increase.” (as written above in Negative Commandment 43.) If a person makes a bruise on his father or his mother, and there were witnesses and a warning was given to him, the child is given the death penalty of strangulation. If the child strikes his parent’s ear which made the parent deaf, he deserves the death penalty – since it is impossible that a drop of blood did not drip inside. If the child hits without making a bruise, he is liable to punishment like hitting any other Jewish person. If the child hits his father or his mother after they have passed away, he is exempt from punishment but it is still forbidden. It is forbidden to take blood from his father or his mother, but if there is no other doctor around, he can do as they order.

This applies in all places and at all times, for men and for women.

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