Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Kiddushin 21 - Hebrew Servant Wants to be Free Again

A Hebrew servant who has sold himself into servitude and wants to redeem himself early enjoys a special privilege: his redemption price is the lowest of his purchase price and the current service value for the remaining years. 

Through the sequence of Torah passages, we can deduce which transgressions caused him to become poor and sell himself. Still, now that he wants to become free again, he gets leniency. 

He can reduce his remaining years of servitude with a partial payment, but this can result in either a gain or a loss if his price fluctuates.

Art: Leaving the Mosque by Ludwig Deutch

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