Judaism and Precognition: The Case of the Rebellious Son

(1) A wayward and rebellious son- at what time can he become a wayward and rebellious son? From when he grows two hairs until the beard grows full. [This refers to] the lower beard, not the upper beard, [but this expression is used] since the Sages spoke in clean language. As it says, (Deuteronomy 21:18) "If a man have a son": "a son," and not a daughter; "a son," and not a man. A minor is exempt, for he has not entered the category of [those obligated in] the commandments.

(2) From when is he liable [to be stoned]? When he eats a tarteimar of meat and drinks half a log [ measure of liquid] of Italian wine. Rabbi Yosi says, a maneh [equal to one hundred zuz] of meat and a log of wine. [If] he ate [it] in a mitzvah gathering; [if] he ate [it] in [celebration of] the intercalation of the month; [if] he ate [it] as ma'aser sheni [the second tithe, which must be eaten in Jerusalem] in Jerusalem; [if] he ate nevelot [an animal not properly slaughtered] or terefot [a mortally wounded animal] or creepy crawlies; [if he ate] tevel [untithed produce] or ma'aser rishon [the first tithe] from which terumah [the portion given to the priest] has not been taken; or ma'aser sheni or hekdesh that has not been redeemed; [if] he ate something [in fulfillment of] a commandment or something [in violation of] a transgression; [or if] he ate all foods but did not eat meat; [or] drank all drinks but did not drink wine, he does not become a wayward and rebellious son, until he eats meat and drinks wine. As it says, (Deuteronomy 21:20) "He is a glutton and a drunkard." And even though there is no proof to the matter [from a Scriptural verse], there is a reference to the matter, as it says, (Proverbs 23:20) "Be not among winebibbers, among gluttonous eaters of flesh."

(3) If he stole from his father and ate in his father's domain; [if he stole] from others and ate in others' domain; [if he stole] from others and ate in his father's domain, he does not become a wayward and rebellious son, until he steals from his father and eats in others' domain. Rabbi Yosi bar Yehudah says, until he steals from his father and from his mother.

(4) If his father wants [to bring the son to court] and his mother does not want, [or if] his father does not want and his mother does want, he does not become a wayward and rebellious son, until they both want. Rabbi Yehudah says, if the mother were not appropriate for the father, he does not become a wayward and rebellious son. If one of [the parents] had a hand cut off, or was lame, mute, blind, or deaf-mute, he does not become a wayward and rebellious son. As it says, (Deuteronomy 21:19) "Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him," and not those whose hands have been cut off. "And bring him out," and not a lame person. (Deuteronomy 21:20) "And they shall say," and not mute people. "This our son," and not blind people. "He does not listen to our voice," and not deaf-mute people. They warn him in front of three and lash him. If he repeats his misdeeds, he is judged by a court of twenty-three. And he is not stoned until the original three [judges] are present, as it says (Deuteronomy 21:20), "This our son," he who was lashed before you. If he flees before the verdict has been reached and then his lower beard grows full, he is exempt. But if once the verdict was reached he fled, and then his lower beard grew full, he is [still] liable.

(5) The wayward and rebellious son is judged on the basis of his end. He should die innocent and not liable, because the death of the wicked is beneficial to them and beneficial to the world; but for the righteous, it is bad for them and bad for the world. Wine and sleep: for the wicked they are a benefit to them and a benefit for the world; but for the righteous, they are bad for them and bad for the world. Being scattered: for the wicked it is a benefit to them and to the world; but for the righteous, it is bad for them and bad for the world. Being gathered: for the wicked it is bad for them and bad for the world; but for the righteous, it is beneficial to them and beneficial to the world. Quiet: for the wicked it is bad for them and bad for the world; but for the righteous, it is beneficial for them and beneficial to the world.

(6) [A thief] who comes through a tunnel [into one's house] is judged on the basis of his end. If he came through a tunnel and broke a jug: if he has blood-guilt, he is liable; if he does not have blood-guilt, he is exempt.

(7) These may be saved [from transgression] with their lives [i.e. by killing them]: one who pursues his fellow to kill him, and [one who pursues] a male or a betrothed maiden [to rape them]. But one who pursues an animal [to commit bestiality], and one who [intends] to desecrate the Sabbath, and one who [intends] to worship idols, one may not save them with their lives.

(1) (Devarim 21:18) "If there be to a man a son (who goes astray"): and not if there be to a son (one who has not reached the state of manhood) a son.

(2) "a son": and not a daughter.

(3) "a son": and not a man (one who has reached the state of manhood.) A minor is exempt, for he is not obligated in (the observance of) mitzvoth.

(4) "sorer" ("who turns astray") "umoreh" ("and who teaches"): two times. He turns astray from the Torah, and he teaches himself a "different way" (viz. Ibid. 20) "he gluts and he guzzles."

(5) (Variantly: Just because he used his father's money he must die?! Only he is judged based on his future behavior - better he die while [relatively] innocent and not for more severe sins. His father desired a captive woman and brought the devil into his home and caused his son to be rebellious. The result will be that he will kill him in an unnatural way, as it states (v. 22) "And if there be in a man a sin whose judgment is death, then he shall be put to death...").

(6) Variantly: "sorer": against the words of his father, "umoreh": against the words of his mother. "sorer": against the words of the Torah; "umoreh": against the words of the prophets. "sorer": against the words of witnesses; "umoreh": against the words of judges.

(7) R. Yashiah said: Three things were told to me by R. Zeira in the name of the men of Jerusalem: A sotah (a woman suspected of infidelity) — if her husband wishes to forgive her, he may do so. A sorer umoreh — if his father and mother wish to forgive him, they may do so. An elder who rebels against beth-din — if his colleagues wish to forgive him, they may do so.

(8) And when I came and presented this to R. Yehudah b. Betheira, with two he agreed, and with one he did not agree. With (what was stated concerning) sorer umoreh, and with sotah, he agreed. With a rebellious elder, he did not agree — so as not to multiply dissension in Israel.

(9) "not heeding the voice of his father and the voice of his mother": I might think (that this applies) even if his father and mother told him to light a candle and he refused; it is, therefore, written "not heeding" here —"not heeding" elsewhere (Ibid. 20) as an identity (gezeirah shavah). Just as "not heeding" there — "sorer umoreh … glutting and guzzling," so, "not heeding" here" — "sorer umoreh," glutting and guzzling. "glutting and guzzling": R. Yossi b. R. Yehudah says: He is not liable (for this) until he steals (what he consumes) from his father and from his mother.

(10) "and they chastise him": by stripes.

(11) "And he does not listen to them": This teaches that he is flogged in the presence of three.

(1) (Devarim 21:19) "Then his father and mother shall take hold of him": We are hereby taught that he is not liable unless he has a father and a mother. These are the words of R. Meir. R. Yehudah says: If his mother were not fit for (i.e., similar to) his father, he does not become a sorer umoreh.

(2) "and they shall take him out to the elders of his city and to the gate of his place": This is a mitzvah, (but not categorical).

(3) "This, our son," who received stripes before you — whereby we are taught that if one of them died, he is not stoned.

(4) (Ibid. 20) "And they shall say to the elders of his city": If one of them (either his father or his mother) had a severed hand, or were lame or mute of deaf or blind, he does not become a sorer umoreh, it being written "and they shall seize him" — and not if their hand were severed; "and they shall take him out" — and not if they were lame; "and they shall say" — and not if they were mute; "this, our son" — and not if they were blind;" "not heeding our voice" — and not if they were deaf, (in which case they could not hear his refusal to heed them.) They warn him before three (judges) and administer stripes. If he reverted to his wrong, he is judged by twenty-three, but he is not stoned unless there be among them the first three, it being written "This, our son," who received stripes before you — whereby we are taught that if one of them died, he is not stoned. "glutting and guzzling": glutting flesh and guzzling wine. Even though there is no proof for this, there is intimation of it in (Proverbs 23:20) "Do not be among the guzzlers of wine, among the glutters of flesh for themselves" and in (Ibid. 21) "For the guzzler and the glutter will be poor, and the slumberer will wear tatters."

(1) (Devarim 21:21) "Then all the people of his city shall stone him": Now do all the people of his city stone him? The intent is, rather, in the presence of all the people of his city.

(2) "with stones": I might think, with many stones; it is, therefore, written "with a stone." I might think with one stone; it is, therefore, written "with stones." How so? If he does not die with the first stone, he is dispatched with a second.

(3) R. Yossi said: Now is this one stoned because he ate a tartimar of flesh and drank half a log of wine? Rather, the Torah probed to the "end" of this one, and said: "Let him die innocent, and let him not die guilty." For the death of the wicked is beneficial for them and beneficial for the world. What is bad for the righteous is bad for them and bad for the world. Wine and sleep for the wicked is good for them and good for the world; for the wicked, bad for them and bad for the world. Quiet for the wicked is bad for them and bad for the world; for the righteous, good for them and good for the world. The father of this one desired a yefath toar (a woman of beautiful form), and he brought the Satan into his house and his son became a sorer umoreh, whose end is to die a violent death, it being written (following) "And if there be in a man a sin whose judgment is death, then he shall be put to death."

(4) "and you shall remove the evil": Remove the doers of evil from Israel.