Parshah

R Pesach Siegel

Parshas Ki Seitzei 5772

This week’s parsha contains a procedure that never was and never will be.

The topic of the Ben Sorer U’Moreh, the iniquitous son, is a complex one. He is a glutton, a drunkard, and most of all he doesn’t listen. This is a hazardous combination. He will ultimately reach a tragic end. His passions, that cannot be denied, will cause him to take from this world that which is not his. He will rob and steal. When confronted, he will murder.

At the tender age of thirteen he is put to death by stoning. Better to die innocent, than to be killed when he has actually committed these unavoidable wicked acts.

The gemara says, there is but one chance of escape for him. The posuk states that he must be dragged to the Beis Din by his parents. If the parents relent, if they are mochel (forgive), he is spared. (Sanhedrin 88b)

But it never happened and it never will happen. Rabi Yehuda explains that it is a physical impossibility to fulfill all the requirements necessary to his execution. The parents must speak with one voice. It is impossible for a man’s voice to be identical with a woman’s voice. (Sanhedrin 71a)

Questions

How could the destiny, the future of a person, be so engraved in stone as to totally exclude any other possibility?

He must turn out evil? He must murder?

Even if he performs despicable acts, is there no chance that he will become inspired, and repent?

If it is indeed true that he cannot be spared from his fate, how is his execution avoided by the mechila of his parents?

He is being put to death to avoid the murder of innocents in the future. Are his future victims mochel him, as well?

Why would the requirements include the impossible?

Analysis

The Sochatchover Rebbe, the Shem MiShmuel explains, based on the words of the Medrash Tanchuma (Parshas Ha’azinu, siman 4).

The Medrash says, Teshuva is effective for members of the Jewish faith. It is ineffective for the idolaters.

This cannot be taken at face value. There are instances in the scriptures where idolaters have repented (e.g. Ninveh).

This statement can be understood in the light of the following concept. When one strays and seeks evil, he has joined with evil. He has gone over to the other side. How is it then possible to return? What is it within a person that will cause him to return? Why should he do so? His value system has changed. What was once evil is praiseworthy in his eyes?

The answer is, this is not so. One that commits acts of evil does not necessarily become one with the evil. There are two parts of a person, what he is and what he does. The essence of a person is not dependent upon his actions. Good people can do bad things.

The essence of a person is his actual makeup, his origin, where he came from.

The Jewish nation emerged from our forefathers, Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yaakov. They were as perfect as one can possibly be in this world. Everything we are originated from them. Our identity is Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yaakov. Our acts do not necessarily change that.

We do teshuva and idolaters do teshuva. Ours has a chance of being a sustained and lasting teshuva. An idolaters teshuva will not last because it cannot last. His identity is not our identity. He is not a product of the avos.

Answers

The Shem MiShmuel uses this concept to illuminate our eyes. A Ben Sorer U’Moreh, by virtue of his lifestyle choices, can place himself in the role of an idolater. He follows the voice of passion rather than the voice of his origins.

He doesn’t listen to the voice of his parents.

He thus severs the connection that he has with the avos. The connection of every Jew to the avos hakedoshim is through their parents, and their parent’s parents, and so on.

The life of such an individual is predictable. There is nothing to prevent a downslide into degradation. There is no voice to summon such an individual back. He has become one with his evil actions.

But even for such an individual there is hope. His parents, in their compassion for their beloved son, refuse to give up on him. They are mochel all the degradation that they suffered through him. They don’t want him to die, they want him to remain connected to them. Despite his choice to sever himself from them, they restore the bond. It is a one-sided bond, but a bond nonetheless. He remains connected to his parents despite himself.

He is spared, not directly because of their mechila. He is spared because one who has a connection to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov can never grow up to be a murderer. The mechila of his parents forge a bond with him that make it impossible for him to ever go past the point of no return.

Perhaps this is why the requirements needed to execute a Ben Sorer U’Moreh are impossible.

No matter how far the children of Israel may stray, they can never sever the bond between themselves and their origins.

Just as the physical parents, preserve the bond with their sinful child, so too, our Father in Heaven, will never allow his children to sever the connection with him. It is virtually impossible for us to become Bnei Sorer U’Moreh.

Through this everlasting bond, we will always be able to find a way back.