Sanhedrin 85 – Striking and Cursing a Parent, Selling a Kidnapped into Slavery

One who strikes his father or mother is not liable to execution unless he wounds them. Cursing a parent is more stringent than striking him, since one who curses his parent after the parent's death is liable to execution, but one who strikes his parent after the parent's death is exempt.

One is liable for cursing a parent only if the parent is “among your people,” that is, doing the deeds of your people – observing the Torah. One is liable for striking even a non-observant parent.

One who kidnaps a Jew is not liable to strangulation unless he takes him into his possession, works him, and sells him. If one kidnaps his own son, then Rabbi Ishmael makes him liable, but the Sages exempt him. If one kidnapped someone who was half slave and half freeman, Rabbi Yehudah renders him liable, but the Sages exempt him.

Art: Salvatore Frangiamore - A Slap In The Face