To Honor One’s Parents

[The sages] raised a dilemma before R. Ulla: “How far [must one go to fulfill the mitzvah of] honoring one’s father and mother?” [R. Ulla] said to them, “Go and see what one gentile did in Ashkelon, and his name was Dama ben Netinah. Once the sages sought [to purchase] merchandise [from him] for six hundred thousand [gold dinars’] profit, but the key [for the container in which the merchandise was kept] was placed under his father’s head, [and he was sleeping at the time]. And [Dama ben Netinah would] not disturb [his father].”

R. Judah says [that] Samuel says: They asked R. Eliezer, “How far [must one go to fulfill the mitzvah] of honoring one’s father and mother?” [R. Eliezer] said to them, “Go and see what one gentile did for his father in Ashkelon, and [the] name [of the son] was Dama ben Netinah. [Once] the sages wished [to purchase precious] stones from him for the ephod [of the high priest] for six hundred thousand [gold dinars’] profit, and R. Kahana taught [that it was] eight hundred thousand [gold dinars’ profit]. And the key [to the chest holding the jewels] was placed under his father’s head, and he [would] not disturb him. The next year the Holy One, blessed be He, gave [Dama ben Netinah] his reward, as a red heifer was born in his herd, [and the Jews needed it. When] the sages of Israel came to him he said to them, ‘I know, [concerning] you, that if I [were to] ask for all the money in the world, you [would] give [it] to me. But I ask only [for—Ed.] that money that I lost due to [the] honor of Father.’”