Nature of the Bondage/2

Nature of the Bondage

Exegetical Approaches

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Slaves to the State

Slavery in Egypt was State sponsored and involved serving Paroh rather than acting as house slaves to individual Egyptians..

Sources:Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelYitro HaChodesh 5About Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot, RashiShemot 1:11-13Shemot 5:4About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorShemot 1:11-14About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, RalbagShemot Beur HaMilot 1:11-14Shemot Beur HaParashah 1:11-22About R. Levi b. Gershom, HaKetav VeHaKabbalahShemot 1:13About R. Yaakov Mecklenburg, ShadalShemot 1:11-14Shemot 5:4About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto,R. David Zvi HoffmannShemot 1:11-14About R. David Zvi Hoffmann

Slaves to the Sate and to Individuals

Not only were the Israelites conscripted to work for Paroh, but in addition any Egyptian who so desired was free to enslave an Israelite to work for them personally.

Sources:TanchumaVayetze 9About the Tanchuma, RambanShemot 1:10-14Shemot 5:4About R. Moshe b. Nachman, R. BachyaShemot 1:10About R. Bachya b. Asher, AbarbanelShemot 1About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, perhaps Seforno,  R. S"R HirschShemot 1:11-14About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch

וַיַּעֲבִדוּ מִצְרַיִם אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּפָרֶךְ – According to these sources the word "מִצְרַיִם" refers to individual Egyptians, and this verse represents a worsening of the oppression as lay Egyptians were given permission to take Israelites as their personal slaves.