[Name withheld] wrote:

My name is [withheld]. I am 8 years old . I have a question. In Parashat Ki Tavo, we read about the ben sorer u'moreh, the wayward son. Why isn't there a 'bat' sorer u'moreh, a wayward daughter?

Dear [name withheld],

What a great question! Maimonides, in his classic work "Mishneh Torah" addresses this question. He explains that a ben sorer u'moreh, a youth who steals and gorges himself on meat and wine, will eventually commit robbery and even murder in order to satisfy his desires. A woman, says Maimonides, is less likely to sink to the level where she will actually commit robbery and murder.

Sources:

• Rambam, Hilchot Mamrim 7:11

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