Behind his wickedness there is a story, a reason why he allowed his innocent soul to become corrupted and his pure mind twisted by lower tendencies. Identify the root cause, and then neutralize it...
That such damnations are unlikely to charm the young man’s heart is a no-brainer. But lousy pedagogy aside, this is the opposite of what we are supposed to be doing tonight.
What gets me about Schwartz is that he ain't stupid. He has brains, but all he does with them is tickle his own brains. Schwartz' brain stands outside life peering in, like a surgeon examining a cadaver...
I am a wicked person, he's declaring. I enjoy food, I live in order to indulge in the pleasures of the world. It makes perfect sense for me to be a part of this grand feast... but what does it have to do with you guys?
At the seder we discuss the "Four Sons": the Wise Son, the Wicked Son, the Simple Son, and the Son Who Doesn't Know How To Ask. Modern society has produced a fifth son...
Here is the popular take: The Wise Son is the one who turned out right. The Wicked One? Well... enough said. The Simple One? Alright, not every hamentasch turns out the way you want. The One Who Doesn't Know to Ask? Oy...
Peel away the layers of the “wicked” child and the question is quite chilling. It is not a condemnation of what we are doing. It is a condemnation of what we are not doing.