Emancipating the Slaves/2

Emancipating the Slaves

Exegetical Approaches

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Political & Economic Considerations

Tzidkeyahu's decision to free the slaves stemmed from political and economic considerations rather than religious ones.

Sources:opinion rejected by ShadalYirmeyahu 34:8-21About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto, MalbimYirmeyahu Beur HaInyan 34:8-21About R. Meir Leibush Weiser,

Historical background – These sources posit that the emancipation of the slaves took place while the nation was under siege by the Babylonians, in the tenth year of Tzidkeyahu's reign.¹

The political-economic incentive – These sources point to two distinct, but related incentives that led the people to free their slaves:

• Political - Malbim suggests that, during the siege, the king feared that the slaves might rebel and side with Nevuchadnezzer in order to free themselves of the yoke of debt² and bondage. Shadal alternatively brings an opinion that Tzidkeyahu freed the slaves since slaves are not particularly motivated to fight their enemies, while a free man will risk much to guard his freedom.
• Economic - During the siege, the slaves were a burden on their owners who had to house and feed them yet received almost no utility in return, as the fields which they normally worked lay outside the city, and were inaccessible due to the siege.

Role of Yirmeyahu – According to this position, only Tzidkeyyahu is mentioned in relationship to the original emancipation because Yirmeyahu played no role in it.  The people did not act under the prophet's teachings or influence, as their move had nothing to do with Hashem.

Why did they re-enslave the people? Yirmeyahu 37:5-8 speaks of a short reprieve from the siege, the result of Egyptian intervention.³  When the siege lifted, it was no longer politically or economically expedient not to own slaves and so owners re-enslaved them.

"וַתַּעֲשׂוּ אֶת הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינַי" – Shadal questions this approach from verse 15 which states that Hashem found the nation's emancipation of the slaves pleasing, suggesting that the deed was done as a fulfillment of the Torah's obligation, and not simply for political benefit.

Covenant in the Mikdash – One might further questions why the decision would have been accompanied by a covenant made in the Mikdash if there was no religious motivation.⁴  These sources might respond that the Mikdash was a central meeting place where many official events took place, even if they had no religious significance.

"הָעֵגֶל אֲשֶׁר כָּרְתוּ לִשְׁנַיִם וַיַּעַבְרוּ בֵּין בְּתָרָיו" – According to this approach the verses might not be intentionally alluding to the "Covenant Between the Pieces", but simply describing the normal mode of cutting a covenant in ancient times, which often involved cutting an animal and passing through its pieces.⁵

"הָעֹבְרִים אֶת בְּרִתִי" – In these words, Hashem might be emphasizing to the people that in re-enslaving the people, they were not simply reneging on promises they had made, but also breaking their covenant with Hashem.  Since the nation had not even thought about Torah laws throughout he episode, Hashem reminds them that they should have emancipated their slave not just because it was economically or politically expedient but because it is a Divine ordinance.

Religious Motives

Tzidkeyahu's emancipation of the slaves stemmed solely from religious motives and a (temporary) desire to abide by the Torah's laws. This position divides regarding the historical background of our story:

Before the Siege

The emancipation took place several years before the Babylonian siege and it therefore played no role in the people's various decisions.

Timing of the story – According to Seder Olam Rabbah26About Seder Olam Rabbah, Tzidkeyau made the covenant to free the slaves in the seventh year of his reign, several years before the Babylonian siege began.⁶
The Midrash reaches this conclusion by associating Yirmeyahu's rebuke in our chapter with Yechezkel's rebuke to the elders in Yechezkel 20, dated to the "seventh year".  There are several reasons to make such a connection:

• All the time markers in Sefer Yechezkel refer to the exile of Yeyohachin, which was the same year as the ascension of Tzidkeyahu. As such, an event dated to the "seventh year" would have occurred in the seventh year of Tzidkeyahu's reign.
• In our chapter Yirmeyahu tells the people, "כֹּה אָמַר י"י... אָנֹכִי כָּרַתִּי בְרִית אֶת אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם בְּיוֹם הוֹצִאִי אוֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם...  לֵאמֹר". Yechezkel similarly says, "וָאִוָּדַע לָהֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וָאֶשָּׂא יָדִי לָהֶם לֵאמֹר".
• Yechezkel repeatedly mentions how throughout history the nation has not observed Hashem's "Shabbatot".⁷  Though, in context, he appears to speaking about the weekly Shabbat, the word recalls the cycle of Sabbatical years and, thus, might be seen as hinting to the people's negligence in the freeing of slaves in the Jubilee years.

The religious incentive – As this approach disconnects the emancipation from the Babylonian siege, it would seem that the people's decision had nothing to do with any economic or political incentives related to the siege, but was rather part of a sincere desire to repent.

Role played by Yirmeyahu – Though the verses do not explicitly mention that Yirmeyahu encouraged the nation to repent and observe the laws of slave emancipation, it is assumed that he played a role.

Why this commandment? It is possible that Yirmeyahu chose to encourage the people to observe this commandment specifically because of its symbolic value.  It served to remind the people of the Exodus and how Hashem freed the nation from bondage. As this is the act which provides the basis for all of Israel's obligations to Hashem,⁸ it was an appropriate command to have the nation observe as they began to repent. Yirmeyahu was likely hoping that this would be the beginning of a lager reformation, and would be continued by observance of other neglected laws as well.⁹

"וַתִּכְרְתוּ בְרִית לְפָנַי בַּבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא שְׁמִי עָלָיו" – The fact that the ceremony to free the slaves took the form of a covenant which was made in the Beit haMikdash supports the idea that it was a religious deed.

" וַתַּעֲשׂוּ אֶת הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינַי " – Hashem's words "and you did that which was right in my eyes" similarly suggests that the people's deed was sincere and motivated by a desire to abide by Hashem's laws.

Allusion to Covenant of the Pieces – This position might suggest that when the people made their covenant, they intentionally modeled it after the Covenant Between the Pieces.  Since that covenant foretold the nation's bondage and emancipation, it was appropriate to recall it as they decided to free their own slaves.  Moreover, throughout Torah, the reason given for proper treatment of slaves is the fact that Israel too had been enslaved and should therefore have empathy on others.  In recalling the covenant with Avraham they display a recognition of this point.

Why re-enslave? Change and repentance is often short-lived.  Despite sincere intentions, people naturally revert to their old ways.  As such, it is not particularly surprising that the people went back on their word.¹⁰

"וּבְיַד חֵיל מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל הָעֹלִים מֵעֲלֵיכֶם" – This verse is somewhat difficult for this position as it assumes that the Babylonians had attacked Yerushalayim and temporarily left. Seder Olam Rabbah apparently reads it as if written, "חֵיל מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל הָעֹלִים עֲלֵיכֶם", that, in punishment, the Babylonians are to attack and they posit that in the eighth year, they did indeed do so. However, considering that the next verse also writes "וַהֲשִׁבֹתִים אֶל הָעִיר הַזֹּאת", I will return the, this is not a simple rereading.  One might instead suggest that the verse is referring to the fact that the Babylonians had left the nation more or less to themselves since leaving the country after the exile of Yehoyachin, but now, Hashem warns, that He will bring them back to attack.

Yirmeyahu and Yechezkel – This position suggests that there might have been some type of interaction and correspondence between Yirmeyahu and Yechezkel, and that at least some of the events events and prophesies relayed in Israel were addressed to those in exile in Babylonia as well.¹¹

During the Siege

Sources:Shadal, Prof. Y. Elitzur¹²

Historical background – This position maintains that the emancipation of the slaves took place while the nation was under siege by the Babylonians, in the tenth year of Tzidkeyahu's reign.

The religious incentive – Prof. Elitzur maintains that when catastrophe looked imminent, Yirmeyahu made one last attempt to get the people to repent and observe Hashem's commands, telling them that observance could lead to their salvation.  Feeling desperate, the people finally heeded his words.¹³

"וַתִּכְרְתוּ בְרִית לְפָנַי בַּבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא שְׁמִי עָלָיו" – As above, these sources point out that the fact that the covenantal ceremony took place in the Mikdash and is said to have been "pleasing to Hashem" supports that it was done as a religious deed, and in observance of the Torah commandment.

Why re-enslave the people? This approach connects the re-enslavement to the temporary lifting of the siege described in Yirmeyahu 37:5-8:

• Prof. Elitzur suggests that initially the nation attributed the lifting of the siege to the hand of God, assuming that, as Yirmeyahu promised, their observance of commandments brought with it miraculous salvation.  When they learned of the role played by the Egyptians, however, they were disillusioned, concluding that Egypt alone (and not Hashem) was the cause of their salvation.  Not recognizing that Hashem works through natural means, they thought Yirmeyahu had lied to them.  Moreover, as Yirmeyahu had constantly advised them not to seek Egypt's aid, they were further convinced that he was totally mistaken in his notions, leading them to return their old ways and re-enslave the people.
• One might suggest more simply that in times of crisis people are often willing to turn to Hashem,¹⁴ reflect, and change, yet when a crisis passes, they return to their old ways.¹⁵ 

Combination

The people's decision to free their slaves stemmed from a combination of factors, both economic.and religious.

¹ See Yirmeyahu 32:1-2 and verses 6-7 of our chapter which suggests that Babylonia had already attacked much of Yehuda.

² He assumes that most of those who were enslaved had been poor people who could not pay off their debts.

³ This reprieve is alluded to at the end of our chapter, when Hashem tells the people that he will punish them and return them to the hands the Babylonians who "have risen up form you" (חֵיל מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל הָעֹלִים מֵעֲלֵיכֶם). Hashem's mention of the Babylonians having left suggests that it played a role in our story, supporting this thesis.

⁴ See Y. Elitzur, "מבחן האמונה בירושלים ערב חורבנה" in מחניים מ"ז, תש"כ.

⁵ See Treaties in Tanakh and the Ancient Near East for elaboration.

⁶ According to this approach, our chapter is not chronological, as Yirmeyahu 32:1-2 is dated tot he 10 years, when the siege began and verses 6-7 here imply that the Babylonians have already attacked much of Yehuda.However, since much of Sefer Yirmeyahu is explicitly achornological, this is not necessarily any more of a question here than anywhere else in the  book.  [For a discussion of the book's structure, see Structure – Sefer Yirmeyahu.]

⁷ See verses 13, 16, 21 and 24.

⁸ See the opening of the Decalogue, "אָנֹכִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים".

⁹ Alternatively, perhaps this was simply one of the major societal ills of the time.

¹⁰ In fact it would be much more unusual had they kept it!  It is rare that "new year resolutions" last the year.

¹¹ This is explicit in YIrmeyahu 29:1, which speaks of Yirmeyahu sending a message to the elders  in exile.

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¹³ N. Leibowitz, Iyyunim in Sefer Bereshit (Jerusalem, 1992): 296-297, further suggests that in times of crisis, when facing an enemy, feelings of solidarity grow, leading the people to view their slaves as brothers and equals.

¹⁴ See Yirmeyahu 2:26-27, how Hashem chides the people for leaving Him when all is peaceful, and remembering him only when things are bad: "וּבְעֵ֤ת רָעָתָם֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ ק֖וּמָה וְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנוּ".

¹⁵ One might look to Paroh as an example. During each plague he tells Moshe that he is willing to let the people go, yet as soon as the plague passes he changes his mind.