Difference between revisions of "Why Permit Slavery/2"
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<opinion>Physical Benefit | <opinion>Physical Benefit | ||
<p>Slavery improves the physical conditions of the person being enslaved.</p> | <p>Slavery improves the physical conditions of the person being enslaved.</p> | ||
| − | <mekorot><multilink><a href="RSRHirschShemot12-44" data-aht="source">R. S.R. Hirsch</a><a href="RSRHirschShemot12-44" data-aht="source">Shemot 12:44</a><a href="RSRHirschVayikra25-44" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:44</a><a href="R. Samson Raphael Hirsch" data-aht="parshan">About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch</a></multilink>, | + | <mekorot><multilink><a href="RSRHirschShemot12-44" data-aht="source">R. S.R. Hirsch</a><a href="RSRHirschShemot12-44" data-aht="source">Shemot 12:44</a><a href="RSRHirschVayikra25-44" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:44</a><a href="R. Samson Raphael Hirsch" data-aht="parshan">About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch</a></multilink>,  R. Uziel</mekorot> |
<point><b>Hebrew vs. Canaanite slave</b></point> | <point><b>Hebrew vs. Canaanite slave</b></point> | ||
<point><b>מֵהֶם תִּקְנוּ עֶבֶד וְאָמָה</b> – According to R. Hirsch and R. Uziel it is forbidden to turn a free person into a Canaanite slave against his will.  One is permitted to buy only someone who already has slave status, for the whole purpose is to save them from the harsh treatment being born under the foreign master.  This might be learned from the fact that the verse does not simply say  "כִּי תִקְנֶה עֶבֶד כנעני" but rather emphasizes that one is buying the slave from others.</point> | <point><b>מֵהֶם תִּקְנוּ עֶבֶד וְאָמָה</b> – According to R. Hirsch and R. Uziel it is forbidden to turn a free person into a Canaanite slave against his will.  One is permitted to buy only someone who already has slave status, for the whole purpose is to save them from the harsh treatment being born under the foreign master.  This might be learned from the fact that the verse does not simply say  "כִּי תִקְנֶה עֶבֶד כנעני" but rather emphasizes that one is buying the slave from others.</point> | ||
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<opinion>Spiritual Benefit | <opinion>Spiritual Benefit | ||
<p>Enslavement of a Gentile gives him opportunity for moral and religious growth.</p> | <p>Enslavement of a Gentile gives him opportunity for moral and religious growth.</p> | ||
| − | <mekorot><multilink><a href="NetzivVayikra25-44-46" data-aht="source">Netziv</a><a href="NetzivVayikra25-44-46" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:44-46</a><a href="R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (Netziv)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin</a></multilink>, | + | <mekorot><multilink><a href="NetzivVayikra25-44-46" data-aht="source">Netziv</a><a href="NetzivVayikra25-44-46" data-aht="source">Vayikra 25:44-46</a><a href="R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (Netziv)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin</a></multilink>, R. Dessler</mekorot> |
</opinion> | </opinion> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
| Line 28: | Line 28: | ||
Concession to Human Nature | Concession to Human Nature | ||
<p>The institution of slavery is undesirable and permitted only to prevent worse evils.</p> | <p>The institution of slavery is undesirable and permitted only to prevent worse evils.</p> | ||
| + | <mekorot><multilink><a href="HoilMosheShemot21-20" data-aht="source">Hoil Moshe</a><a href="HoilMosheShemot21-20" data-aht="source">Shemot 21:20</a><a href="R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi (Hoil Moshe)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi</a></multilink>,<multilink><a href="LettersofRAvrahamYitzchakHaKohenKook89" data-aht="source"> R. Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook</a><a href="LettersofRAvrahamYitzchakHaKohenKook89" data-aht="source">Letters 89</a></multilink>,<fn>Other contemporary scholars also take this approach. See, for example, R"N Rabinovich, "דרכה של תורה - פרקים במחשבת ההלכה ואקטואליה" (Jerusalem, 1999):11-19. [For an abridged English version, see <a href="https://library.yctorah.org/files/2016/09/The-Way-of-Torah.pdf">here</a>.]</fn></mekorot> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
</approaches> | </approaches> | ||
</page> | </page> | ||
</aht-xml> | </aht-xml> | ||
Version as of 01:29, 15 May 2019
Why Permit Slavery
Exegetical Approaches
Beneficial to the Slave
The institution of slavery improves the lot of the slave so that he benefits rather than suffers from his enslavement. The position subdivides regarding whether the benefit received is physical or spiritual in nature:
Physical Benefit
Slavery improves the physical conditions of the person being enslaved.
Sources:R. S.R. Hirsch, R. Uziel
Hebrew vs. Canaanite slave
מֵהֶם תִּקְנוּ עֶבֶד וְאָמָה – According to R. Hirsch and R. Uziel it is forbidden to turn a free person into a Canaanite slave against his will. One is permitted to buy only someone who already has slave status, for the whole purpose is to save them from the harsh treatment being born under the foreign master. This might be learned from the fact that the verse does not simply say "כִּי תִקְנֶה עֶבֶד כנעני" but rather emphasizes that one is buying the slave from others.
Freedom for knocking out a limb
"גַם מִבְּנֵי הַתּוֹשָׁבִים הַגָּרִים עִמָּכֶם מֵהֶם תִּקְנוּ" – This verse would seem to be difficult for R. Hirsch, as it implies that one is allowed to buy a slave from local residents (even though they are not already enslaved under harsh conditions). This is likely what leads R. Hirsch to explain that the verse means that such a resident can sell himself at will, if he so desires.
Penalty for killing
לְעֹלָם בָּהֶם תַּעֲבֹדוּ
וּבְאַחֵיכֶם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל... לֹא תִרְדֶּה בוֹ בְּפָרֶךְ
Why not free them totally?
Spiritual Benefit
Enslavement of a Gentile gives him opportunity for moral and religious growth.
Sources:Netziv, R. Dessler
Concession to Human Nature
The institution of slavery is undesirable and permitted only to prevent worse evils.
