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Is Ben Sorer UMoreh executed for what he will do, or for what he has become? The shiur challenges the standard understanding by developing that the Torah (תורה) punishes the rebellious son not for future murder but for his present essence of total rebelliousness. This reading resolves multiple contradictions in the Rishonim and explains why maturity exempts him.
The shiur addresses fundamental contradictions in understanding Ben Sorer UMoreh (the rebellious son) that have puzzled many Rishonim. The central question is why Ben Sorer UMoreh receives skilah (stoning) when a murderer only gets saif (sword), and how this reconciles with the Gemara (גמרא) in Rosh Hashanah that judges people based on their current state, not future actions. Rabbi Zweig presents a revolutionary reading of the Rambam (רמב"ם) that fundamentally reframes the entire parshah. Rather than executing the Ben Sorer UMoreh for what he will do (al shem sofo meaning future murder), the Torah (תורה) punishes him for what he has become at this very moment - the essence of rebelliousness. The first time he steals and acts gluttonously, he becomes a "Ben Sorer UMoreh" and receives malkus as a warning. If he repeats this behavior after being punished by Beis Din, he has demonstrated rebellion not just against his parents, but against the court system itself.
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Parshas Ki Seitzei - Ben Sorer UMoreh
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What is the primary purpose of the cities of refuge - protecting the accidental killer or something else? The shiur argues that creating respect for law takes precedence over providing sanctuary. True deterrence comes from recognizing the gravity of murder itself, not fear of punishment.
