Emancipating the Slaves/2

Emancipating the Slaves

Exegetical Approaches

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Political and Economic Considerations

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

Sources:opinion brought by ShadalYirmeyahu 34:8-21About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto,¹ MalbimYirmeyahu Beur HaInyan 34:8-21About R. Meir Leibush Weiser, R"D Sabato

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.²

"לִקְרֹא לָהֶם דְּרוֹר" - who was freed? Malbim suggests that the people made a covenant not only to free their slaves (לְשַׁלַּח אִישׁ אֶת עַבְדּוֹ וְאִישׁ אֶת שִׁפְחָתוֹ)  but also to never enslave each other in the future (לְבִלְתִּי עֲבׇד בָּם עוֹד).

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 debt³ 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 out side the city, and were inaccessible due to the siege.

Why did they re-enslave them? Yirmeyahu 37:5-8 speaks of a short reprieve from the siege, the result of Egyptian intervention.  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. In addition, the fact that the decision was accompanied by a covenant made in the Mikdash further suggests that there was a religious aspect involved.⁴

Religious Motives

Tzidkeyahu's emancipation of the slaves stemmed from religious motives and a (temporary) desire to abide by the Torah's laws.

Sources:Prof. Y. Elitzur

Historical background – As above, 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 – As catastrophe looked imminent

¹ Shadal himself rejects the explanation.

² See Yirmeyahu 32:1-2.

³ He assumes that most of those who were enslaved had been poor people who could not pay off their debts.

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