Ki Seitzei 21:18 · unit 6

TT #70 · Parashas Ki Seitzei · First aliya · Passuk 21:18

The Complete Passuk

כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֣ה לְאִ֗ישׁ בֵּ֚ן סוֹרֵ֣ר וּמוֹרֶ֔ה אֵינֶ֣נּוּ שֹׁמֵ֔עַ בְּק֥וֹל אָבִ֖יו וּבְק֣וֹל אִמּ֑וֹ וְיִסְּר֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

If a man has a wayward and rebellious son who does not listen to the voice of his father and the voice of his mother, and they discipline him but he does not listen to them,

Chabad.org — 21:18

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei Devarim.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה – סוֹרֵר – שׁוֹטֶה, וּמוֹרֶה – שֶׁמּוֹרֶה לְעַצְמוֹ דֶּרֶךְ אַחֶרֶת.

English: “Wayward and rebellious” — “sorer” means one who turns aside (from the straight path); “moreh” means one who teaches himself a different path.

On the daf / in context: The two terms describe a youth who has left the proper path and deliberately set himself on a crooked course of his own choosing.

Type of Learning

Derash defining the terms “sorer” and “moreh.”

What Is Learned

A “sorer u-moreh” is a youth who has turned aside from the proper path and deliberately chosen a different, deviant way for himself.