Kiddushin, Daf Kaf Bet, Part 2

 

Introduction

Today s section contains a baraita that severely limits the ability of the slave to have his ear bored and thereby remain a slave for a longer period of time. We can sense that the rabbis wanted to write this law out of existence. They assumedly did not want Jews remaining slaves for such a long period of time. Indeed, they probably did not want Jews becoming slaves at all.

 

ת"ר לו אשה ובנים ולרבו אין אשה ובנים אינו נרצע שנאמר (דברים טו, טז) כי אהבך ואת ביתך לרבו אשה ובנים ולו אין אשה ובנים אינו נרצע שנאמר אהבתי את אדוני את אשתי ואת בני

 

Our Rabbis taught: If he has a wife and children, but his master has no wife and children, he may not be bored, for it is said, Because he loves you and your house (Deuteronomy 15:16).

If his master has a wife and children, but he has no wife and children, he may not be bored, for it is said: I love my master, my wife, and my children.

 

For the slave to be bored, he must fulfill all of the conditions in his statement. These include that the master has a house meaning a wife and kids. And that he (the slave himself) have a wife and kids.

 

הוא אוהב את רבו ורבו אינו אוהבו אינו נרצע שנאמר (דברים טו, טז) כי טוב לו עמך רבו אוהבו והוא אינו אוהב את רבו אינו נרצע שנאמר כי אהבך

 

If he loves his master but his master does not love him, he may not be bored, for it is said: because it goes well for him with you (Deuteronomy 15:16).

If his master loves him but he does not love his master, he may not be bored, for it is said: because he loves you.

 

The master must love the slave for him to be bored. This is one way in which the rabbis interpret the words because it goes well for him with you.

Of course, the slave must also love the master. That is simply the simple reading of the verses.

 

הוא חולה ורבו אינו חולה אינו נרצע שנאמר כי טוב לו עמך רבו חולה והוא אינו חולה אינו נרצע שנאמר עמך

If he is unwell but his master is well, he may not be bored, for it is said, because he is well with you.

If his master is unwell but he is not well, he may not be bored, for it is said, with you.

 

For the slave to be bored, both he and his master must be healthy. This is another restrictive interpretation that they put on because he is well with you.

בעי רב ביבי בר אביי שניהם חולין מאי עמך בעינן והא איכא או דילמא כי טוב לו עמך בעינן והא ליכא תיקו:

 

R. Bibi b. Abaye asked: What if both are unwell? Do we require, with you [to be applicable], and it is; or perhaps we require, because he is well with you, which we do not have? The question stands.

 

The Torah says because he is well with you. If we focus on the with you section, then all that matters is that both are either well or unwell. But if we focus on he is well than if both are unwell, he cannot be bored. There is no answer to this question.