Attending Rally
Question
Next week is a rally for Israel in Washington, DC. My parents are too old and debilitated to go themselves, but they are ordering me to go to it. I don’t want to go because it is at the same time as a monthly book club meeting I don’t want to miss. My parents think the meeting is stupid, but it means a lot to me. I feel there will be plenty of people at the rally, even without me. I am an adult, old enough to have grandchildren if I had ever married, and I feel I shouldn’t have to do this just because my parents say so. What do you as a rabbi think?
Answers
I do not think that the commandment to honor your parents includes attending a rally you do not want to attend. Therefore, I am not going to tell you whether you should attend the rally or not. Although, having said that, if you do choose to attend you are definitely accruing much spiritual reward for listening to your parents and doing as they ask.
If, however, the motivating reason for your not wanting to attend the rally is because you feel that your personal attendance will make no real difference, please allow me to point out that if everyone felt the same way, there would be no one at the rally. Perhaps more importantly, the strength and the power of the rally will be measured by how many individuals attend the rally.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team