Children and parents shouldn’t hit each other TB Sanhedrin 84b

Today with daf TB Sanhedrin 84b we begin the 10^th chapter of our massekhet. Previously we learned about the death penalties of stoning, burning, and beheading. This chapter deals with the death penalty of strangulation. The Mishnah begins “These are the transgressors who are strangled in the implementation of the court-imposed death penalty: One who strikes his father or his mother” (Sefaria.org translation) The Gemara qualifies to be liable for the death penalty when striking your parents, the blow must cause a bloody wound. “One who strikes his father and his mother is not liable unless he wounds them? The Gemara answers that the verse states: “And one who strikes an animal shall pay for it; and one who strikes a person shall be put to death” (Leviticus 24:21), juxtaposing one who strikes an individual with one who strikes an animal. An earlier verse states: “One who strikes the soul of an animal shall pay for it” (Leviticus 24:18). Based on this it is derived: Just as one who strikes an animal is not liable unless he wounds it and draws blood, as “soul” is written concerning it, and it can be derived from the verse: “For the blood is the soul” (Deuteronomy 12:23), that the term “soul” is a reference to blood, so too, one who strikes a person is not liable unless he causes a wound and draws blood.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Obviously one who strikes his parents is not observing the commandment of “Honoring your father and mother” (Exodus 20:12) Nevertheless, the sages teach that a parent should not provoke an adult child so that the child would lash out and strike him. “What is the story mentioned by Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani involving the maidservant in the house of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi? It was related that the maidservant in Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s house saw a certain man who was striking his adult son. She said: Let that man be excommunicated, due to the fact that he has transgressed the injunction: “You shall not place a stumbling block before the blind” (Leviticus 19:14), as it is taught in a baraita that the verse states: “You shall not place a stumbling block before the blind,” and the verse speaks here of one who strikes his adult son, as the son is likely to become angry and strike his father back, thereby transgressing the severe prohibition against hitting one’s parent.” (Sefaria.org translation)