Withholding The Rod
‘A Rebellious Son Never Occurred And Never Will’
(Sanhedrin 71a)
Our Gemara cites a beraisa that asserts that the passage in the Torah (Devarim 21:18) relating to a ben sorer – a rebellious son – relates a matter that historically has never occurred and will never occur in the future. As such, this passage leaves us with a teaching that has no relevance, as there was never a case of such a son who was actually executed by beis din because it is virtually impossible to meet the many criteria. (For example, R. Yehuda derives that the mother and father of such a rebellious son must be of the same height, same appearance, and have the same voice.) The baraisa explains the passage’s inclusion in the Torah as drosh ve’kabbel sechar – one is to study it and receive reward [for that study].
A Matter Of Preemption
The Maharsha (ad. loc.) and Rabbi Yisrael Salanter (Ohr Yisrael, siman 31) explain that the passage was included to set forth a vital lesson for parents. If they do not discipline their children when the latter are young, when they are older it might be too late. He explains the baraisa’s statement to mean that if parents study this passage and learn from it, not only will they be rewarded for their study but also, more important, the reward will take the form of good and well-behaved children.
Emulating Abraham
Alternatively, Rabbeinu Bachya (Devarim 21:21), citing Rashba, explains that this passage teaches a lesson in love of our Creator. When one contemplates that the parents of such a son, a ben sorer (who meet all the criteria) are expected to give him over to beis din for execution, it teaches how much one is required to love Hashem. Indeed, it imparts that one’s love for Hashem is expected to exceed even the love of one’s own child, just as Abraham was ready to follow Hashem’s command and sacrifice his beloved son (Isaac).
Perhaps It Did Occur
Our Gemara relates R. Yonasan’s perplexing statement, “I actually saw a ben sorer and I even sat at his grave.”
Rabbeinu Bachya (ibid.) offers that R. Yonasan did not actually mean that he was at the grave of a genuine ben sorer, one that had met every criterion and hence was executed. Rather he meant that he had visited the grave of Avshalom, the wayward son of King David (whose behavior conformed with many of the required conditions).
The Chasam Sofer explains that R. Yonasan meant to say that the sinful and rebellious life of Avshalom is testimony to the Torah’s lesson that a rebellious and gluttonous child, who is incorrigible and beyond discipline, is destined to lead a life of robbery and murder.
