Dear Rabbi
What is the mitzvah of doing what your parents tell you And when am I obligated and when not. Thank you.
Answer:
Whenever a parent expresses a need or desire for something, there is an obligation upon the son to carry out his parent’s request. This is generally related to matters of serving a parent: Feeding him etc. The obligation does not include laying out money for parents, but naturally it is proper to do so where required and where this is not a heavy financial burden.
Authorities dispute the question of honoring a parent’s request where there is no concrete benefit to the parent. In this case (for instance a parent who instructs his son to wear a coat outside). In this case, it is still correct to comply, in particular where noncompliance will cause the parent to feel bad or to take offence.
For sources on this matter please see the articles on the subject here and here.
Best wishes.
