(18) If a householder has a wayward and defiant son, who does not heed his father or mother and does not obey them even after they discipline him, (19) his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his town at the public place of his community. (20) They shall say to the elders of his town, “This son of ours is disloyal and defiant; he does not heed us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” (21) Thereupon his town’s council shall stone him to death. Thus you will sweep out evil from your midst: all Israel will hear and be afraid.
(1) סורר (from the root סור to deviate) means, one who deviates from the proper path of life. (2) ומורה means, one who is disobedient to the words of his father, of the same meaning as ממרים in the phrase (Deuteronomy 9:7) “ממרים הייתם”, “ye have been rebellious”.
(2) STUBBORN. The word soreh (stubborn) is similar to the word sorre’ah (stubborn) in like a stubborn heifer (Hos. 4:16). He does not keep the positive commandments. (3) AND REBELLIOUS. With regard to the negative commandments.
...There has never been a stubborn and rebellious son and there will never be one in the future, as it is impossible to fulfill all the requirements that must be met in order to apply this halakha.
And why, then, was it written in the Torah? So that you may expound upon new understandings of the Torah and receive reward for your learning..
The Sages taught: Rabbi Pineḥas ben Ya’ir says: From the time when the Second Temple was destroyed, the ḥaverim and free men of noble lineage were ashamed, and their heads were covered in shame, and men of action dwindled, and violent and smooth-talking men gained the upper hand, and none seek, and none ask, and none inquire of the fear of Heaven. Upon whom is there for us to rely? Only upon our Father in Heaven.
בְּעִקְבוֹת מְשִׁיחָא חוּצְפָּא יִסְגֵּא וְיוֹקֶר יַאֲמִיר הַגֶּפֶן תִּתֵּן פִּרְיָהּ וְהַיַּיִן בְּיוֹקֶר וּמַלְכוּת תֵּהָפֵךְ לְמִינוּת וְאֵין תּוֹכַחַת בֵּית וַועַד יִהְיֶה לִזְנוּת וְהַגָּלִיל יֶחֱרַב וְהַגַּבְלָן יִשּׁוֹם וְאַנְשֵׁי הַגְּבוּל יְסוֹבְבוּ מֵעִיר לְעִיר וְלֹא יְחוֹנְנוּ
In the times of the approach of the Messiah, impudence will increase and high costs will pile up.
Although the vine shall bring forth its fruit, wine will nevertheless be expensive.
And the monarchy shall turn to heresy, and there will be no one to give reproof about this.
The meeting place of the Sages will become a place of promiscuity, and the Galilee shall be destroyed, and the Gavlan will be desolate, and the men of the border shall go round from city to city to seek charity, but they will find no mercy.
And the wisdom of scribes will putrefy, and people who fear sin will be held in disgust, and the truth will be absent.
The youth will shame the face of elders, elders will stand before minors.
Normal family relations will be ruined: A son will disgrace a father; a daughter will rise up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
A man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
The face of the generation will be like the face of a dog; a son will no longer be ashamed before his father.
And upon what is there for us to rely? Only upon our Father in heaven.
(ב) כִּי יֵשׁ רוֹעִים שֶׁל הַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא, וְהֵם גַּם כֵּן מְפֻרְסְמֵי הַדּוֹר, וְכוֹפִין אֲנָשִׁים לִתְחוֹת שִׁעְבּוּדַיְהוּ, וְעִקַּר מַלְכוּתָם הוּא עַל־יְדֵי עַזּוּת, כִּי עַזּוּת – מַלְכוּתָא בְּלָא תָּגָא (סנהדרין קה.),
(ג) וְהֵם כִּכְלָבִים בְּעַזּוּתָם, בִּבְחִינַת (ישעיהו נ״ו:י״א): וְהַכְּלָבִים עַזֵּי נֶפֶשׁ הֵמָּה רֹעִים;
(ד) וְהֵן פְּנֵי הַדּוֹר כִּפְנֵי הַכֶּלֶב (סוטה מט:).
(ה) וְעַל כֵּן כְּדֵי לְהִנָּצֵל מֵהֶם, מִתַּחַת מֶמְשַׁלְתָּם, אִי אֶפְשָׁר רַק עַל־יְדֵי עַזּוּת, לַעֲמֹד נֶגֶד עַזּוּתָם, וְאָז: נֵהַלְתָּ בְעָזְּךָ אֶל נְוֵה קָדְשֶׁךָ – שֶׁנִּכְנָס לְתוֹךְ הַקְּדֻשָּׁה.
(2) This is because there are shepherds from the Other Side who are also the prominent leaders of the generation. They force people to submit to their control. Primarily, their rule stems from brazenness; for “brazenness is kingship without a crown” (Sanhedrin 105a). (3) With their brazenness, they are like dogs, as in (Isaiah 56:11), “The dogs are brazen, [they never have enough]; they are shepherds [who cannot understand].”
(4) And similarly (Sotah 49b), “The face of the generation is as the face of the dog.”
(5) Therefore, it is impossible to be saved from them, from their authority, except through boldness—standing up against their brazenness. And then, “Boldly You led [them] to Your holy shrine”—entering into holiness.