Transgenerational Punishment
Deuteronomy 24:16
It says clearly that the parents are not to be put to death for the crimes of the children. (and visa versa)
This law is one of those that may be a response to the code of Hammurabi, sixth king of the Amorite Dynasty of Old Babylon (see blog entry for 9/11/05 ) and other similar practices. In ancient cultures children were like and extension of the parent, more like property.
Deuteronomy is like a reform of those earlier practices. There are other references to this: Ezekiel 18 "parents eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (turns them dark). (google that one and you get a lot of good stuff) 'The wicked son pays for his own sins' is repeated as Ezekiel stressed personal responsibility.
Samson Raphael Hirsch (19th century Germany) stressed the incentives to do right and the impact that sinful behavior has on children.
Rashi adds that this is the basis for the practice that children cannot testify against parents. This is part of Jewish legal procedure to protect the integrity of a family, which has priority.
But there is a conflict in Exodus 34:7 where God implies punishment to the 3rd & 4th generation. This is explained that God can inflict multigenerational punishment, but man cannot.
Then there is the natural process whereby children WILL suffer by the actions of their parents. We can inherit the feelings of past generations. This applies to both positive and negative influences.
The discussion turned positive at this point: R. Marder quoted from Jonathan Haidt's book Happiness Hypothesis (this is Sterling's cousin) where they found that happiness variations is genetic. Link to book webpage This is very interesting and I hope that many people have this 'happiness gene'.
However, it makes me wonder if there are genetic explainations for unhappiness and meanness or evil. And that maybe brings us back to "Amalek" as the source of evil? Was it genetic? And therefore would the parents be responsible for the actions of the children afterall?
Sam also mentioned a book: Sneaking Up On Happiness - but I can't find the reference (if we find it I will add it here.)
It says clearly that the parents are not to be put to death for the crimes of the children. (and visa versa)
This law is one of those that may be a response to the code of Hammurabi, sixth king of the Amorite Dynasty of Old Babylon (see blog entry for 9/11/05 ) and other similar practices. In ancient cultures children were like and extension of the parent, more like property.
Deuteronomy is like a reform of those earlier practices. There are other references to this: Ezekiel 18 "parents eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (turns them dark). (google that one and you get a lot of good stuff) 'The wicked son pays for his own sins' is repeated as Ezekiel stressed personal responsibility.
Samson Raphael Hirsch (19th century Germany) stressed the incentives to do right and the impact that sinful behavior has on children.
Rashi adds that this is the basis for the practice that children cannot testify against parents. This is part of Jewish legal procedure to protect the integrity of a family, which has priority.
But there is a conflict in Exodus 34:7 where God implies punishment to the 3rd & 4th generation. This is explained that God can inflict multigenerational punishment, but man cannot.
Then there is the natural process whereby children WILL suffer by the actions of their parents. We can inherit the feelings of past generations. This applies to both positive and negative influences.
The discussion turned positive at this point: R. Marder quoted from Jonathan Haidt's book Happiness Hypothesis (this is Sterling's cousin) where they found that happiness variations is genetic. Link to book webpage This is very interesting and I hope that many people have this 'happiness gene'.
However, it makes me wonder if there are genetic explainations for unhappiness and meanness or evil. And that maybe brings us back to "Amalek" as the source of evil? Was it genetic? And therefore would the parents be responsible for the actions of the children afterall?
Sam also mentioned a book: Sneaking Up On Happiness - but I can't find the reference (if we find it I will add it here.)
posted by Chavarah @ 7:37 PM
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