📜 Daily Chumash & Rashi Parshas Behar Bechukosaiy Revi’i: Slave laws

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Revi’i when connected to Bechukosai

  1. Slave laws:
  • Jewish slave: When your brother is sold to you as a slave do not work him with slave labor. He shall be like a hired laborer or a resident and shall stay with you until the Yovel and he is then to return to his family with his sons and to his ancestral heritage. The Jewish people are My slaves who I took out of Egypt. Do not sell them like a slave and do not work them hard. I am Hashem your G-d.
  • Gentile slave: You shall buy slaves from the surrounding nations, and they shall become for you an ancestral heritage. You shall inherit them to your sons after you. They shall serve you forever.

 

  1. Jewish slave sold to gentile:
  • Redeeming the slave: If a Jew becomes impoverished and is sold as a slave to a gentile, he is to be redeemed. It is a Mitzvah upon his relatives, such as his uncle or cousin or other family relative, to redeem him. If the slave himself has the means to do so, then he is to redeem himself. The price for the redemption is to be based on the amount of years remaining until the next Yovel. If many years remain until the Yovel then he is to be sold for a larger sum, if only a few years remain until the Yovel he is to be sold for a smaller sum, as one is not selling the slave himself but is hiring him for a certain sum of years.
  • Hard labor: One may not allow the gentile to make the Jewish slave work laborous activity.
  • Yovel: If the salve is not redeemed, he is to be set free by the Yovel year.
  • The Jewish people are my slaves who I took out of Egypt.
  1. Idolatry, statues, and stone floors:
  • One may not form idols for himself or build statues and pillars. One may not make stone floors in the land for the sake of prostration.
  1. Guard the Shabbos and fear the Mikdash:
  • Guard my Shabbosos and revere the Mikdash, I am G-d.

 

  1. The Blessings received for obeying G-d’s commands:
  • If the Jewish people follow the statutes of Hashem and observe His commands, I will bless them with the following blessings:
    • Rain at the appropriate time.
    • The earth will give produce.
    • The trees will grow fruits.
    • There will be so much abundance of produce that it will last until the next year’s harvest
    • You will eat your bread to satiation [and become satiated with small amounts of food].
    • You will dwell securely in your land.

Sheiyni

  • I will provide peace in the land, and you will lie without fear.
  • I will remove wild animals from the land.
  • A sword [of war] will not pass through your land.
  • You will chase your enemies and they will fall before you.
  • Five men will chase 100 enemy soldiers and 100 men will chase 10,000 enemy soldiers. Your enemies will fall before you to the sword.
  • I will cause you to be fruitful and multiply and establish my covenant with you.

📘 Rashi Q&A — Vayikra 25:39–55

 

25:39 — A Hebrew Bondman

Q1. What does “עֲבֹדַת עָבֶד” mean?

A: Degrading labor that publicly brands him as a bondman, such as carrying his master’s clothes or tying his shoes.

 

25:40 — How He Must Be Treated

Q2. What does “כְּשָׂכִיר כְּתוֹשָׁב” require?

A: He must be treated like a hired worker, performing ordinary agricultural or craft work.

 

Q3. What does “עַד שְׁנַת הַיֹּבֵל” teach?

A: If the Jubilee occurs before six years pass, the Jubilee releases him immediately.

25:41 — Leaving with His Family

Q4. Why does Scripture say “הוּא וּבָנָיו עִמּוֹ”?

A: To teach that the master is obligated to feed the bondman and his children.

 

Q5. What does “וְאֶל־אֲחֻזַּת אֲבֹתָיו” mean?

A: He returns to the honored social standing of his ancestors; one may not belittle him.

 

25:42 — God’s Servants

Q6. What is meant by “כִּי עֲבָדַי הֵם”?

A: God’s prior deed of purchase precedes any human claim.

 

Q7. What does “לֹא יִמָּכְרוּ מִמְכֶּרֶת עָבֶד” prohibit?

A: Selling him by public auction or proclamation, like a non‑Jewish slave.

 

25:43 — No Backbreaking Rule

Q8. What does “בְּפָרֶךְ” mean?

A: Unnecessary or undefined labor meant only to oppress or torment him.

 

Q9. Why does it say “וְיָרֵאתָ מֵאֱלֹהֶיךָ”?

A: Because necessity vs. oppression is known only to the master’s intent, and God knows it.

 

25:44 — Non‑Jewish Bondservants

Q10. From whom may one acquire permanent bondservants?

A: From non‑Jewish nations surrounding Israel, not from the condemned Canaanite nations within the land.

 

25:45 — Residents’ Children

Q11. Who are “בְּנֵי הַתּוֹשָׁבִים”?

A: Children of non‑Canaanite foreigners who married Canaanite women; their status follows the father.

 

25:46 — Inheritance of Bondservants

Q12. How is “וְהִתְנַחַלְתֶּם” explained?

A: A reflexive form meaning: hold onto them as inheritable property for your children.

 

Q13. Why is the prohibition repeated regarding Israelites?

A: To include kings and princes, who also may not oppress their brethren.

 

25:47 — Sold to a Non‑Jew

Q14. Who is meant by “יַד גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב”?

A: One person: a resident alien, as proven by the verse’s continuation.

Q15. Why does Scripture say the non‑Jew became rich and the Israelite poor “with him”?

A: Each was influenced by the other’s conduct.

 

25:48–49 — Redeeming Him

Q16. When must redemption occur?

A: Immediately, so he not assimilate among non‑Jews.

 

Q17. Who may redeem him?

A: His brother, uncle, cousin, nearest kin, or himself when able.

 

25:50–52 — Calculating Redemption

Q18. Why calculate until the Jubilee?

A: Because the non‑Jew bought only the labor until Jubilee, not permanently.

 

Q19. How is the calculation done?

A: Divide total price by years until Jubilee; deduct years already worked.

 

25:53 — Oversight

Q20. What does “לְעֵינֶיךָ” teach?

A: If you see oppression, you must intervene.

 

25:54 — Jubilee Release

Q21. What if he is not redeemed earlier?

A: He goes free in the Jubilee, he and his children.

 

25:55 — God’s Claim

Q22. What does “כִּי־לִי בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים” emphasize?

A: Israel belongs to God; enslaving them is likened to enslaving God.

 

📘 Rashi Q&A — Vayikra 26:1–9

 

26:1 — Idolatry Forbidden

Q23. Why are idolatry prohibitions repeated here?

A: So one sold to a non‑Jew not adopt his master’s idolatry or immorality.

 

Q24. What does “אֶבֶן מַשְׂכִּית” mean?

A: A stone pavement used for prostration.

 

Q25. Why is stone prostration forbidden even to God?

A: Prostration with arms and legs spread is permitted only in the Temple.

 

 

26:2 — Sabbaths and Sanctuary

Q26. Why are Sabbath and Sanctuary mentioned together?

A: To teach reverence for both time and place, and that God rewards obedience.

 

26:3 — Walking in God’s Statutes

Q27. What does “אִם־בְּחֻקֹּתַי תֵּלֵכוּ” mean?

A: Toiling in Torah study, beyond minimal observance.

 

Q28. What does “וְאֶת מִצְוֹתַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ” add?

A: Studying Torah with intent to perform the commandments.

 

26:4 — Rain and Fruit

Q29. What does “בְּעִתָּם” mean?

A: Rain will come at times when people are indoors, such as Sabbath nights.

 

Q30. What are “עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה”?

A: Naturally barren trees that will miraculously bear fruit.

 

26:5 — Abundance

Q31. What does “וְהִשִּׂיג לָכֶם דַּיִשׁ אֶת־בָּצִיר” describe?

A: Crops will be so abundant that each season overlaps the next.

 

Q32. What is meant by “וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לַחְמְכֶם לָשָׂבַע”?

A: Small amounts of food will be miraculously satisfying.

 

26:6 — Peace

Q33. Why is peace listed separately?

A: Because peace is equal to all blessings combined.

 

Q34. What does “וְחֶרֶב לֹא תַעֲבֹר” teach?

A: Even passing armies will not traverse the land.

 

26:7–8 — Victory

Q35. How will enemies fall “לֶחָרֶב”?

A: They will kill one another.

 

Q36. Why do the numbers increase disproportionately?

A: A larger number of Torah‑observers has exponentially greater strength.

 

26:9 — Covenant Renewal

Q37. What does “וּפָנִיתִי אֲלֵיכֶם” mean?

A: God will direct His full attention to rewarding Israel.

 

Q38. Why mention fruitfulness and proliferation twice?

A:

  • “Fruitful” includes quality and strength.
  • “Numerous” emphasizes upright stature and might.

 

Q39. What is meant by “וַהֲקִימֹתִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי”?

A: A new, unbreakable covenant, unlike the one Israel previously broke.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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