Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

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Jewish Slaves, Cont’d

Chumash now discusses a situation where a Resident Alien becomes rich through the blessings manifest in the Land of Israel when the Jews inhabit it. Subsequently, the actions of this Resident Alien cause a Jewish person to become poor and this Jewish person is sold into slavery to a Resident Alien or a Resident Alien's (idolatrous) family.

If such a Jew worships idols at the behest of his slaveowners, he is not to be redeemed.

However if such a Jew is merely forced to do things in the service of the idol but not serve the idol itself (i.e. chop wood or draw water for its worship), someone from his family must redeem him, or else if he attains the financial means, he should redeem himself, lest he become assimilated.

The years between when he was sold into slavery until Yovel should be calculated to determine his total value and this cost should be prorated if someone comes to redeem him.

Unlike a Jewish slave owned by a Jew, a Jewish slave owned by a non Jew does not automatically go free after six years.

However he does go free at the start of the Yovel year, even if no one redeems him.

A Jew may not witness a Jewish slave been degraded in his presence and stand by idly.

The non Jewish slave owner is responsible for feeding the Jewish slave's children during the time of his enslavement.

Anyone who enslaves a Jewish person, it's as if they are enslaving the Divine source of the Jewish person's soul, since all Jews are ultimately "slaves" of G-d.

Such a Jew who is sold into slavery should not use his circumstance to justify becoming sexually immoral, worshiping idols or desecrating Shabbos, saying that he did so because his master does so.

Rashi points out that this whole section of Chumash (beginning with Chapter 25 regarding the laws of Shmitta) follow an intentional sucession.

If a person unlawfully does business with produce from the seventh (shmitta) year, this will lead him to becoming impoverished to the point of having to sell his belongings. If he still doesn't repent after that, he'll be forced to sell his inheritance. If he still doesn't repent, he'll have to sell his home, and if still not then he'll have to borrow money with interest and if still not, eventually he'll have to sell himself. Initially to his fellow Jew but if he still doesn't repent, then he'll have to be sold as a slave to a non Jew.

This section (end of Parshas Behar) concludes with G-d warning against prostrating on a stone floor outside of the Beis HaMikdash. The Rambam interprets this as being stone that has engravings on it that were worshipped by pagans.

G-d reiterates that the Israelites should observe His Sabbath and revere His sanctuary.