Daily Chumash Behar Bechukosaiy Wednesday – Slave laws

Shishi (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.

Shevi’i

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Guard the Shabbos and fear the Mikdash:

• Guard my Shabbosos and revere the Mikdash, I am G-d.

Rishon

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.