Emancipating the Slaves/2

Emancipating the Slaves

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Political and Economic Incentives

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, R"D Sabato

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

The political-economic incentive – These sources point to distinct, but related incentives:

• Political - Malbim suggests that many of the enslaved might have been those who were ndebted to others.  Duirng the seige, th eking feare dthat these people might rebel and side with Nevichadnezzer in order to free themselves of the yoke of bondage.
• Economic - Duirng the seige, the slaves were not of much utility

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

¹ See Yirmeyahu 32:1-2.