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Why does the Torah (תורה) detail laws for the Ben Sorer Umorah if such a case will never occur? The shiur builds on this paradox to distinguish between true evil (requiring perfect upbringing yet choosing rebellion) and mere confusion or immaturity. This distinction explains why God saved Yishmael despite his future wickedness - he was immature and victimized, not inherently evil.
The shiur addresses the fundamental question of why the Torah (תורה) presents the detailed laws of Ben Sorer Umorah (the rebellious son) when Chazal state it never was and never will be. Rabbi Zweig explains that while this case will never practically occur due to the impossibly precise conditions required, it serves as the Torah's blueprint for perfect chinuch (education) and establishes crucial principles for distinguishing between true evil and confusion. The core paradox emerges from comparing two cases: the Ben Sorer Umorah, who is executed for minor theft based on future potential for evil, versus Yishmael, whom God saved despite knowing his descendants would persecute the Jewish people. The Mizrachi asks why human courts judge based on the future while God, who knows the future, judges only the present.
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Ki Seitzei 21:18-21
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How could Avrohom keep the entire Torah before it was given, including rabbinical laws? The key insight is that mitzvos represent eternal spiritual realities, not just historical commemorations, so Avrohom could access these truths through his genuine search. His entire 172-year journey—even his early idolatry—retroactively became service of God once he reached ultimate truth.
