What is the secret meaning behind the Prodigal Son?
The deeper message of the parable may not be simply about the Neshamah’s descent and return, but rather about humanity’s fundamental indifference to G-d’s hanhagat ha’olam—His Divine governance of creation. Both sons, in their own ways, fail to grasp the vastness of the Divine system, particularly the nature of G-d’s mercy, His patience, and His ultimate desire to restore.
The Younger Son: Apathy Toward Divine Order
The younger son represents the soul that is indifferent to the structure of G-d’s governance. He does not rebel outright against his father’s rule—he does not attack, reject, or curse his father—he simply does not care. He wants his inheritance, meaning he wants the benefits of his father’s house without remaining under his father’s authority. He treats the Divine order as something that exists only to serve him, rather than something he is meant to serve.
This is humanity’s frequent attitude toward G-d’s mercy and provision. People take life, breath, and existence for granted, assuming they are entitled to whatever they receive from the Divine. They see G-d as a distant benefactor, whose resources are meant to be used for personal pleasure rather than for fulfilling a higher purpose. The Neshamah, too, in its early stages, does not yet recognize the consequences of descent. It assumes that existence outside the Chalal will offer something new, something richer than the unity it already possesses. Only after experiencing exile does it realize what it had lost.
The younger son’s real failure is not his descent but his failure to consider what his departure means. His indifference blinds him to the reality that exile from the father’s house is not freedom but a slow descent into emptiness.
The Elder Son: Resentment Toward Divine Mercy
The elder son, on the other hand, remains in his father’s house, but not out of love—out of duty. He sees himself as loyal, but his loyalty is transactional: I obey, therefore I deserve. He does not understand the father’s joy when the lost son returns because he does not recognize the purpose of mercy.
The elder son is like those who resent G-d’s mercy when it is extended to the undeserving. His attitude reflects a rigid view of Divine justice, in which people must suffer the full consequences of their actions. He is blind to the fact that his father’s system is not built on judgment alone but on restoration. He is offended by mercy because he never saw himself in need of it.
This represents a common human attitude toward Divine mercy. People believe that because they “stayed faithful,” they are entitled to something greater than those who strayed. They see mercy as unfair because they assume Divine love must be earned rather than freely given.
The Neshamah that never descends—the soul that never leaves the Chalal—risks this same attitude. It may exist in proximity to Divine wisdom, but if it never experiences exile, it does not understand the full scope of the Divine system. It has knowledge, but it lacks love.
The Father: G-d’s Higher Order of Mercy
The father alone has the correct understanding. He does not force the younger son to stay because he knows that true understanding must come through experience. He does not reject him when he returns because he knows that exile has transformed him. He does not scold the elder son for his resentment but invites him to share in the joy of mercy.
The father understands that both sons are blind in their own way:
1. The younger son underestimated the consequences of separation.
2. The elder son underestimated the purpose of restoration.
This is the ultimate critique of humanity: we are indifferent to the Divine system—some through recklessness, others through self-righteousness. Yet G-d, like the father, is not indifferent toward us. He waits. He runs to embrace the returning soul. And He invites those who never left to see the full beauty of His mercy.
The Real Question of the Parable
The real challenge of this story is not about which son is better or worse—it is about who will ultimately align with the father’s vision. The younger son only begins to understand after his suffering. The elder son, standing outside, must now decide if he will enter the celebration.
This is humanity’s challenge:
* Will we ignore G-d’s system like the younger son?
* Will we resent G-d’s mercy like the elder son?
* Or will we align with G-d’s heart and rejoice in the return of the lost?
The parable does not tell us whether the elder son ever entered the house. His story is left open-ended, because it is our story to finish.
