This article first appeared on genaleph.org As we continue our exploration of the Ben Sorer U’Moreh in order to glean valuable Chinuch lessons and reap the reward of raising healthy and well adjusted children we once again look to one of the fascinating Halachos of this Sugya. וְאָֽמְר֞וּ אֶל־זִקְנֵ֣י עִיר֗וֹ בְּנֵ֤נוּ זֶה֙ סוֹרֵ֣ר וּמֹרֶ֔ה אֵינֶ֥נּוּ שֹׁמֵ֖עַ בְּקֹלֵ֑נוּ זוֹלֵ֖ל וְסֹבֵֽא “This son of ours is wayward and rebellious; he does not heed our voice; [he is] a glutton and a guzzler.” (Devarim 21:20) The Gemara learns from the phrase אֵינֶ֥נּוּ שֹׁמֵ֖עַ בְּקֹלֵ֑נוּ, he does not heed our voice, that both parents must have similar voices. If the pitch of one parent is higher than the other the child cannot be considered a Ben Sorer U’Moreh. The obvious question is, what is the inner meaning of this Halacha? Why would it matter if one parent spoke in higher or lower pitch than the other? The Medrash [1] relates the story of a man from the city of Tzidon who was married to a woman for eighteen years but sadly the couple was not able to have children. Despairing of having children, the couple went to Rav Shimon Bar Yochai and requested that he prepare a Get for them. Rav Shimon advised them that just as they got married by making a great Seuda, so too should they make a celebration for their upcoming divorce. At the divorce party the husband became intoxicated and said to his wife that she could take any one item from their home and bring it with her to her father’s home.
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