The Wayward Son

[Shimon]

parashas Ki Seitzei

(Deuteronomy 21:10 – 25:19) 

“If an ish (man) have a stubborn and rebellious ben (son), which will not obey the voice of his av (father), or the voice of his em (mother), and that, when they have chastened him, will not give heed unto them.”

• - Deuteronomy 21:18, Orthodox Jewish Bible
   

According to the sages, there never was, nor ever will be such a case that would resort to capital punishment of a wayward son (Sanhedrin 71a). Rather, the commandment is meant to instruct the parents, in regard to their responsibility in bringing up a morally responsible child. It is incumbent upon the parents to teach godly values as well as demonstrate the same in themselves, in order to serve as proper role models for their children.

Behavior modification may be necessary as well, when a child goes astray; this will aid in the correction faults, and guide the child along the way. "Train a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).

“I will get up and go to my Abba [Father], and I will say, Avi [Father], I sinned against Shomayim [Heaven] and in your sight. And when he got up he came home to his own Abba [Father]. And while he was still a long way off, his Abba saw him, and was filled with rachmei Shomayim (heavenly mercy, compassion) and tears, and fell upon his neck and kissed him.”

• - Lukas 15:18, 20; Orthodox Jewish Bible

The wayward son of Torah, representing a child who went so far astray that he would need a serious reprimand to bring him back on track, may be considered in respect to the mashal (parable) of the prodigal son. It is H'Shem's intention to offer us teshuvah, a return to Him as it could also be said that the wayward son's best recourse is teshuvah (repentance), inclusive of improving his ways.

The mashal (parable) of the prodigal son exemplifies H'Shem's compassion toward us when we go astray. It also reflects the Talmudic saying that if we make an effort towards teshuvah (repentance), H'Shem will meet us halfway. This is shown by the fathers response in the mashal, while his son was “still a long way off,” the father , filled with compassion, went out to greet him.

Considering the overall passage, his son had taken his inheritance, wasted it in an indulgent life, and wound up penniless, working in a pig sty. Yet, “when he came to his senses, his seichal [intellect] told him, “how many of my Abbas sachirim (hired workers) have more than enough okhel (food) and I am perishing here with hunger" (Lukas 15:17, OJB). He decided to throw himself at his father's mercy, saying, "No longer do I have the zechus (merit) to be worthy to be called your ben (son)" (15:21). We too, upon realizing our spiritual poverty, need to return to our Father in Shomayim (Heaven).

Edited September 2, 2020 by Shimon