[If] his father was willing and his mother was not, [or] his father was not willing and his mother was willing —- he does not become a ben sorer u’moreh —- unless they are both willing. R’ Yehudah says: [If] his mother did not correspond to his fa-ther he does not become a ben sorer u’moreh.  [If] one of them is missing a hand or was lame, mute, blind, or deaf, he does not become a ben sorer u’moreh, as it says: And his father and mother shall seize him —- which excludes those missing a hand; and they shall take him out —- which excludes the lame; and they shall say —- which excludes the mute; this son of ours —- which excludes the blind; does not heed our voice —- which excludes the deaf.  They warn him before three and flog him. [If] he repeats his misdeed, he is judged by twenty-three. He is not stoned unless the original three are present, as it says: this son of ours —- this son, who was flogged in your presence.  [If] he fled before the sentence was pronounced and his lower beard then grew around, he is exempt. If he fled after the sentence was pronounced and his low-er beard then grew around, he is liable.

A ben sorer u’moreh is judged according to his eventual outcome: let him die innocent, not guilty. For the death of the wick-ed is beneficial to them and beneficial to the world, but that of the righteous is detrimental to them and detrimental to the world. Wine and sleep for the wicked are beneficial to them and beneficial to the world; but for the righteous, they are det-rimental to them and detrimental to the world. Dispersal of the wicked is beneficial to them and beneficial to the world; but that of the righteous is detrimental to them and detrimental to the world. Assembly of the wicked is detrimental to them and detrimental to the world; but that of the righteous is beneficial to them and beneficial to the world. Tranquility for the wick-ed is detrimental to them and detrimental to the world; but for the righteous, it is beneficial to them and beneficial to the world.