Difficult Grandson

There is a verse in the Torah that especially needs rabbinic commentary in order to understand it. The difficult wording comes from, כי יסיר את בנך מאחרי, “When your son will be removed from Me.

Rashi explains that the subject of the Torah is intermarriage. The “your son” of this Pasuk, actually refers to your grandson. It is speaking of a situation where your grandson comes from the union of your daughter and a non-Jew.

Although this grandson is Jewish because of a Jewish mother, this son will be “removed from Me,” because of the negative influence of having a father who does not observe the Mitzvot. It will be difficult to bring this grandson close to G-d.

Incidentally, this Pasuk is the source for matrilineal descent. The product of such a marriage, is still considered “your son,” because he has a Jewish mother. If it was the reverse situation, a non-Jewish mother, and a Jewish father, the child would not be Jewish.

This is a great example of showing how the Oral Law is needed, in order to understand the Written Law.