Halocho #1016 - Honoring Parents and other family members

Honoring parents includes feeding them, clothing and covering them as well as accompanying them. 

All the above must be done cheerfully - as the attitude counts more than the actions; one gets punished for being dour around ones parents even if one treats them with delicacies.

One may not sit nor stand in ones parents designated place in shul or at home or anywhere else where they may have a designated place. 

One may not contradict one's parents. One may not approve of one's parents in their presence (e.g. I see your point) as this indicates that one would have the ability to say otherwise. 

Even if parents insult one in public one may not upset them, though one may take legal action to recuperate any monetary loss they caused.

A person must honor his grandparents, as well as his father's wife and his mother's husband, his father-in-law and his mother-in-law.

A person must honor his older brother; even if he's a half-brother.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 142:1, 143:3, 19,20

- Danny,
Tuesday, 19 Tevet 5773

Halocho #711 - Long time no see

If one is happy when seeing a very dear friend (including spouses, parents, siblings and teachers) after not having seen them for 30 days, one makes the Bracha of Shehechiyanu:

"Blessed... who has kept us alive, sustained us and permitted us to reach this occasion."
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', אֱ-לֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם

 שֶׁהֶחֱיָינוּ וקִיְּמָנוּ והִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמָן הַזֶּה

One can make this Bracha even if one received letters from them during this time.

If one has not seen them for more than 12 months one makes this Bracha instead:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', אֱ-לֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים
"Blessed... who revives the dead".

This is because anything 12 months old is considered to be forgotten. Therefore, if one communicated with them - or received regards from them - during the past 12 months, one says Bracha of Shehechiyanu.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 59:20

- Danny
Sunday, 19 Tevet 5771

Please daven that Nathan ben Beila should have a successful operation tomorrow.

Halocho #30 – Honoring other family members

A person must honor his father's wife and his mother's husband. A person must honor his father-in-law and his mother-in-law. A person must honor his grandparents, though his parents' honor has priority. A person must honor his older brother; even if he's a half-brother. Source: KSA 143:19-20

סעיף יט - חייב אדם לכבד אשת אביו אף על פי שאינה אמו כל זמן שאביו קיים. וכן חייב לכבד בעל אמו כל זמן שאמו קיימת, ודבר הגון הוא לכבדם גם לאחר מיתת אביו ואמו. סעיף כ - חייב אדם בכבוד אחיו הגדול ממנו בין שהוא אחיו מן האב בין מן האם, וחייב אדם בכבוד חמיו וחמותו (כדמצינו בדוד המלך עליו השלום שחלק כבוד לשאול המלך שהיה חמיו קראו אבי, שאמר לו אבי ראה גם ראה) וחייב בכבוד אבי אביו, אלא שכבוד אביו גדול מכבוד אבי אביו.

This is based on the 5th of the Ten Commandments