יחזקאל, פרק י״ח, פסוק י״ח

Personal responsibility stands as a fundamental pillar of justice, ensuring that individuals bear the consequences of their own actions. The detailed record of a father's crimes serves to highlight his personal guilt. Because the father alone committed the transgressions and received his rightful punishment, it logically follows that his righteous son, who took no part in these wrongdoings, remains entirely free from penalty.

The specific offenses committed by the father illustrate the depth of his guilt. The act of robbing a brother is understood to mean stealing from any fellow Israelite, as the entire nation is bound together by a sense of brotherhood [רד״ק]. Additionally, the father is noted for his general wrongdoing. The primary approach among commentators is that the description of his actions simply implies committing evil deeds in a broad sense [רד״ק]. However, a deeper perspective suggests that even when the father performed actions that appeared positive on the surface, his underlying, hidden intentions were entirely wicked [מלבי״ם].

These actions are viewed with even greater severity because they were carried out openly among his people. The father committed his crimes publicly, showing a complete lack of shame before his community [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. Ultimately, the wicked father paid the price, dying as a direct result of his own sins. Because he faced the consequences himself, the chain of guilt is completely severed. Justice demands that the innocent son is judged solely on his own merits, ensuring he never carries the burden of his father's wrongs [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].