Rabbi Zeira said, "If you see a master who allows his slave to marry a Jewish woman, this is a sign that this master has previously freed his slave." Rabbi Yochanan was surprised: "Are you certain? I know that one who marries a slave woman - even that is not a clear sign that he freed her!" Rabbi Zeira explained, "I mean when we see that the master helps with the ceremony."
Likewise, if a slave dons tefillin in front of his master, this is not yet a definite sign, but if the master assists the slave in donning tefillin, this is a sure sign that he has previously freed the slave.
Rav Dimi traveled to Israel and brought back the following story. At the time of this death, a certain man said, "This woman slave revived my spirit. Therefore, you, my sons, should revive her spirit." Rabbi Yochanan wanted to say that she should go free. But Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi told him, "Maybe she indeed deserves freedom, but why do you force the heirs to also lose her children, who would be their slaves?" However, the story needed to be corrected. Really, the decision was to ask her what would revive her spirit - and if she insists on being free - so be it! And why is that? - Because it is a mitzvah to fulfill the words of the dead.
Earlier, we discussed that one who makes his slave ownerless only effects the first step to freedom. The slave still needs a Get. If now the master dies, the slave cannot rectify the situation since the master's heirs do not inherit the slave and, therefore, cannot free him. However, in many situations, Sages found a way to force the writing of a Get - because, without it, the slave could not get married.
Art: A Cairene Woman waited upon by a Galla Slave Girl by Emile Prisse d'Avennes
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