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DEUTERONOMY — 21:20 glutton

DEUT1059 "Be not among bibbers of wine, among gluttonous eaters of meat." - Proverbs 23:20. Gluttony is harmful to the human body and also degrades one's character. A reckless surrender to excessive appetites reflects greed, the pursuit of self-gratification, lack of self-control, and, above all, ill-manners.… The Bible regards gluttony as a symptom of deep-seated and pervasive corruption which may eventually seek an outlet in criminal activities. This assessment gave rise to the unique biblical law of the "rebellious son." This law is expanded in the following passage: [Deuteronomy 21:18–21]. The severity of the punishment of the glutton puzzled the rabbis and evoked intense rabbinic discussion. Rabbi Jose Hagalili (2nd cent.) wondered whether a boy was to be executed merely for the crime of gluttony. He resolved the question by attributing the biblical stringency to a psychological insight into the anatomy of gluttony. "The Torah foresaw his [the rebellious son's] ultimate destiny. For in the end, after dissipating his father's wealth, he will seek to satisfy his gluttonous appetite, but being unable to do so, he will go forth at the crossroads and rob" (Sanhedrin 72a).

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