(יח) כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֣ה לְאִ֗ישׁ בֵּ֚ן סוֹרֵ֣ר וּמוֹרֶ֔ה אֵינֶ֣נּוּ שֹׁמֵ֔עַ בְּק֥וֹל אָבִ֖יו וּבְק֣וֹל אִמּ֑וֹ וְיִסְּר֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ (יט) וְתָ֥פְשׂוּ ב֖וֹ אָבִ֣יו וְאִמּ֑וֹ וְהוֹצִ֧יאוּ אֹת֛וֹ אֶל־זִקְנֵ֥י עִיר֖וֹ וְאֶל־שַׁ֥עַר מְקֹמֽוֹ׃ (כ) וְאָמְר֞וּ אֶל־זִקְנֵ֣י עִיר֗וֹ בְּנֵ֤נוּ זֶה֙ סוֹרֵ֣ר וּמֹרֶ֔ה אֵינֶ֥נּוּ שֹׁמֵ֖עַ בְּקֹלֵ֑נוּ זוֹלֵ֖ל וְסֹבֵֽא׃ (כא) וּ֠רְגָמֻ֠הוּ כׇּל־אַנְשֵׁ֨י עִיר֤וֹ בָֽאֲבָנִים֙ וָמֵ֔ת וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥ הָרָ֖ע מִקִּרְבֶּ֑ךָ וְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יִשְׁמְע֥וּ וְיִרָֽאוּ׃ {ס}
(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.
Code of Hammurabi (reigned 1792-1750 BCE; Mesopotamia):
Sections 168-169:
If a seignior, having made up his mind to disinherit his son, has said to the judges, "I wish to disinherit my son," the judges shall investigate his record, and if the son did not incur wrong grave (enough) to be disinherited, the father may not disinherit his son.
If he has incurred wrong against his father grave (enough) to be disinherited, they shall let him off the first time; if he has incurred grave wrong a second time, the father may disinherit his son.
...אמר רבי שמעון - וכי מפני שאכל זה תרטימר בשר ושתה חצי לוג יין האיטלקי, אביו ואמו מוציאין אותו לסקלו?
אלא לא היה ולא עתיד להיות. ולמה נכתב? דרוש וקבל שכר.
אמר ר' יונתן: אני ראיתיו וישבתי על קברו.
...Rabbi Shimon says: And is it simply due to the fact that the boy ate a tarteimar of meat and drank a half-log of Italian wine that his father and his mother shall take him out to stone him? Rather, there has never been a stubborn and rebellious son and there will never be one in the future. And why, then, was the passage relating to a stubborn and rebellious son written in the Torah? So that you may expound upon new understandings of the Torah and receive reward for your learning.
Rabbi Yonatan says: This is not so, as I saw one. I was once in a place where a stubborn and rebellious son was condemned to death, and I even sat on his grave after he was executed.
(א) בֵּן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה הָאָמוּר בַּתּוֹרָה הֲרֵי נִתְפָּרְשָׁה בּוֹ סְקִילָה.... שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כא כ) "זוֹלֵל וְסֹבֵא" מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁזּוֹלֵל הוּא הָאוֹכֵל בָּשָׂר בְּרַעַבְתָּנוּת, וְסוֹבֵא הַשּׁוֹתֶה יַיִן בְּרַעַבְתָּנוּת:
(ב) אֲכִילָה זוֹ שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב עָלֶיהָ, דְּבָרִים הַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בָּהֶם וְהֵן כֻּלָּן הֲלָכָה מִפִּי הַקַּבָּלָה. אֵינוֹ חַיָּב סְקִילָה עַד שֶׁיִּגְנֹב מִשֶּׁל אָבִיו וְיִקְנֶה בָּשָׂר בְּזוֹל וְיַיִן בְּזוֹל. וְיֹאכַל וְיִשְׁתֶּה חוּץ מֵרְשׁוּת אָבִיו בַּחֲבוּרָה שֶׁכֻּלָּן רֵיקָנִין וּפְחוּתִין. וְיֹאכַל הַבָּשָׂר חַי וְאֵינוֹ חַי מְבֻשָּׁל וְאֵינוֹ מְבֻשָּׁל כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהַגַּנָּבִים אוֹכְלִים. וְיִשְׁתֶּה הַיַּיִן מָזוּג כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהַגַּרְגְּרָנִים שׁוֹתִים.... וְכֵן אִם גָּנַב מִשֶּׁל אָבִיו וְאָכַל אֲכִילָה מְכֹעֶרֶת כָּזוֹ בִּרְשׁוּת אֲחֵרִים וְהָיְתָה אֲכִילַת מִצְוָה אֲפִלּוּ מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם [אוֹ אֲכִילַת עֲבֵרָה אֲפִלּוּ מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם] פָּטוּר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כא כ) "אֵינֶנּוּ שֹׁמֵעַ בְּקלֵנוּ"....
וְכֵן אִם אֲכָלָהּ מִנְּבֵלוֹת וּטְרֵפוֹת שְׁקָצִים וּרְמָשִׂים. אֲפִלּוּ אָכַל בְּתַעֲנִית צִבּוּר שֶׁהִיא עֲבֵרָה מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם. הֲרֵי זֶה פָּטוּר מִן הַמִּיתָה:
(ג) אָכַל כָּל מַאֲכָל וְלֹא אָכַל בְּשַׂר בְּהֵמָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָכַל אֲכִילָה זוֹ מִבְּשַׂר הָעוֹף פָּטוּר....
(ה) לֹא עָנַשׁ הַכָּתוּב קָטָן שֶׁלֹּא בָּא לִכְלַל הַמִּצְוֹת. וְכֵן אִישׁ שֶׁגָּדַל וַהֲרֵי הוּא בִּרְשׁוּת עַצְמוֹ אֵינוֹ נִסְקָל.... מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁאֵין דִּין זֶה אֶלָּא בְּבֶן שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד שֶׁהֵבִיא שְׁתֵּי שְׂעָרוֹת....
(ו) כָּל יָמָיו שֶׁל בֵּן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה אֵינָן אֶלָּא שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים מֵאַחַר שֶׁיָּבִיא שְׁתֵּי שְׂעָרוֹת....
כֵּיצַד דָּנִין בֵּן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה. מְבִיאִין אוֹתוֹ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ תְּחִלָּה לְבֵית דִּין שֶׁל שְׁלֹשָׁה וְאוֹמְרִין לָהֶן בְּנֵנוּ זֶה סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה....
חָזַר וְגָנַב מִשֶּׁל אָבִיו וְאָכַל אֲכִילָה זוֹ. אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ מְבִיאִין אוֹתוֹ לְבֵית דִּין שֶׁל שְׁלֹשָׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים וּמְבִיאִין שְׁנֵי עֵדִים וּמְעִידִין עָלָיו שֶׁגָּנַב וְאָכַל אֲכִילָה זוֹ הָאֲמוּרָה אַחַר שֶׁהִתְרוּ בּוֹ. וְזוֹ הִיא עֵדוּת אַחֲרוֹנָה....
(ח) וְאִם מָחֲלוּ לוֹ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּגָּמֵר דִּינוֹ פָּטוּר....
(י) הָיָה אָבִיו רוֹצֶה וְאִמּוֹ אֵינָהּ רוֹצָה, אִמּוֹ רוֹצָה וְאָבִיו אֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה אֵינוֹ נַעֲשֶׂה בֵּן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כא יט) "וְתָפְשׂוּ בוֹ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ". הָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶן גִּדֵּם אוֹ חִגֵּר אוֹ אִלֵּם אוֹ סוּמָא אוֹ חֵרֵשׁ אֵינוֹ נַעֲשֶׂה בֵּן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר....
(יא) גְּזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב הוּא שֶׁיִּסָּקֵל בֵּן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה. אֲבָל הַבַּת אֵינָהּ נִדּוֹנֵית בְּדִין זֶה שֶׁאֵין דַּרְכָּהּ לְהִמָּשֵׁךְ בַּאֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה כְּאִישׁ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כא יח) "בֵּן" וְלֹא בַּת
(1) It is explicitly stated that the wayward and rebellious son described in the Torah should be stoned to death.... Deuteronomy 21:20 states: "He is gluttonous and a lush." According to the Oral Tradition, we learned that this was interpreted to mean that he ate meat and drank wine in a ravenous manner.
(2) There are many particulars involved in the meal for which he is liable for eating. All of these are conveyed by the Oral Tradition. He is not liable for stoning until he steals from his father and buys meat and wine at a cheap price. He must then eat it outside his father's domain, together with a group that are all empty and base. He must eat meat that is raw, but not entirely raw, cooked but not entirely cooked, as is the practice of thieves. He must drink the wine as it is thinned as the alcoholics drink.... If he stole from his father and partook of such a meal inside his father's domain, or stole from others and partook of this hateful meal in his father's domain or in another's domain, he is not liable. If the meal involves a mitzvah, even a mitzvah of Rabbinic origin, or the meal involves a transgression, even a transgression of Rabbinic origin, he is not liable.
(3) If he partook of any type of food, but did not partake of meat, even if he partook of fowl, he is not liable. If he partook of this meal from meat, but reached the sum of 50 dinarim by including fowl, he is liable. If he drank other beverages, but did not drink wine, he is not liable....
(5) For this transgression, the Torah does not punish a child who has not come to the age where he is responsible for the observance of mitzvot. Similarly, a man who has matured and is independent is not stoned to death, because he ate and drank such a hateful meal. What is implied? According to the Oral Tradition, we learned that this law concerns a youth of thirteen between the time he grew two pubic hairs and the time at which his entire male organ is surrounded by pubic hair....
(6) The entire period for which a "wayward and rebellious son" is liable is only three months from the time he manifests signs of physical maturity....
(7) How is the judgment of a "wayward and rebellious son" adjudicated? First, his father and mother bring him to a court of three judges and tell them: "Our son is wayward and rebellious." They bring two witnesses who testify that he stole from his father and bought meat and wine with what he stole and partook of the meal described above after being warned. This is the first testimony. He receives lashes as are administered to all of those who are obligated to be lashed, as Deuteronomy 21:20 states: "they chastise him, but he does not heed them."
Should he steal from his father a second time and partake of such a meal, his father and mother bring him to a court of 23 judges.
(8) If his father and his mother forgave him before he was sentenced, he is not liable....
(10) If his father desires to convict him and his mother does not desire, or his mother desires and his father does not desire, he is not judged as a "wayward and rebellious son"....
(11) There is a Scriptural decree that a "wayward and rebellious son" should be stoned to death. A daughter, by contrast, is not judged in this manner. The rationale is that she does not have the tendency to become habituated to eating and drinking. For this reason, the Torah states: "A son," i.e., and not a daughter.
Josephus, "Antiquities of the Jews" (37CE - c/100 CE;
born Jerusalem, died as Roman citizen
260 In cases in which young people disdain their parents and do not grant them their honor—whether because of shame or lack of understanding —demeaning them, let the parents first of all warn them with words, for they are autonomous judges over their sons, 261 saying that they came together with each other not for the sake of pleasure, nor of increasing their wealth by placing in common what the two of them had, but in order that they might have children who would tend them in their old age and who would have from them whatever they needed:
“When you were born, we raised you with joy; and giving the greatest thanks to God we reared you with devotion, sparing nothing of what seemed to be useful for your well-being and education in the best things. 262 Now, however, for it was necessary to grant pardon for the failings of youth, you have sufficiently disregarded the honor toward us. Change to the more reasonable way, considering that God is also annoyed with those who commit an outrage against parents, because He Himself is also the father of the whole human race. He thinks that there is dishonor at the same time for those who have the same title as Himself when they do not obtain from their children what is fitting for them; and there is the implacable law, the punisher of such acts, which you should not put to the test.”
263 If the rebelliousness of the youths is cured by such means, let them be excused from the censures for things they did not know, for thus the lawgiver would be good and the parents fortunate, in seeing neither son nor daughter punished.
264 However, should these words and the teaching from them about moderate behavior seem worthless, and should one make the laws implacable enemies for himself through such constant boldness toward his parents, let him be brought forward by them themselves outside the city with the masses following, and let him be stoned.
After remaining during the whole day in the sight of all, let him be buried at night.265 Thus let those who in any way whatever have been condemned by the laws be put to death. But let even the enemy be buried, and let not even one corpse lie without a share in the earth, paying a penalty beyond what is just.[7]
...אמר רבי שמעון - וכי מפני שאכל זה תרטימר בשר ושתה חצי לוג יין האיטלקי, אביו ואמו מוציאין אותו לסקלו?
אלא לא היה ולא עתיד להיות. ולמה נכתב?
דרוש וקבל שכר.
מדקול בעינן שוה כו'. יש לעיין בזה היכי משמע מ"איננו שומע בקולנו" ומהיכן בא לומר מדקול בעינן שוה, מראה וקומה נמי וכו'. (ור"ש דקאמר וכי מפני כו')
הוא תמוה - לכאורה אם אינו ראוי ליסקל למה כתבה התורה...?
ונראה כי הבן סורר אף כשהוכיחו אותו אביו ואמו כמה פעמים, כמפורש בקרא ויסרו אותו אביו ואמו וגו', אמר כי מעולם לא הוכיחו אותו שניהם אלא אביו או אמו ואומר אלו הוכיחו שניהם היה מקבל תוכחתם. וא"כ ע"כ בשקול שניהם שוה שיכול לומר שהיה סבור בכל התוכחות שלא היו רק מאחד מהם או מאביו או מאמו, ואם כן ע"כ דמראה וקומה נמי שוין דאל"כ אף בשקולן שוה אכתי לא היה יכול לומר דאחד מהם היה. כיון דמראיהן או קומתן אינן שוין וזה דבר שאי אפשר שיהיו שוין בכל דבר - ולא היה ולא עתיד להיות. ור' שמעון דקאמר וכי מפני שאכל כו' דודאי לדעת ר"ש התורה חייבה עליו מיתה שהגיעה תורה לסוף דעתו וכו' כדלקמן אלא דקאמר דאביו ואמו ודאי דלא יוציאו אותו בשביל זה לסקילה שהם ודאי לא יגיעו לסוף דעתו ויאמרו שסופו לחזור מדרכיו הרעים ויהיו חסים עליו וע"כ לא היה ולא עתיד להיות שאביו ואמו לא יגיעו לסוף דעתו (ויכסו) [ויחסו] עליו מלהוציאו לסקילה בשביל תרטימר אחד ולמה נכתב אלא דרוש שאביו ואמו ידרשו שהתורה הגיעה לסוף דעתו דבכזה הוא ראוי ליסקל וע"י זה יוכיחו ויסרו את בניהם ויקבלו על זה שכר....
אבל בזמן הזה אין נותנין לב לזה, וכל אחד מחפה על בנו אף שהוא באמת חייב מלקות מיתת ב"ד, ואין מוכיחין אותן והנערים הולכים רוב ימיהן בביטול ת"ת....