Don’t Let Go

W

hile studying parshas Behar last week, which sets forth various laws of Jewish servants and quasi-Jewish slaves, I came across the Rambam’s words that conclude the laws of avadim and with it, the entire kinyan section of Mishneh Torah. Here, as in several other concluding sections of Mishneh Torah, the Rambam presents the philosophical background of the topic as a capstone for his preceding lengthy discussion of its halachos. He writes:

It is permissible to make an eved Knaani do hard labor. But although that’s the law, it is middas chassidus and a path of wisdom for a person to be compassionate and a pursuer of righteousness, and he shouldn’t impose a heavy yoke on his slave, nor harass him, but should give him to eat and drink of all his food and drink….

He also should not demean his slave, neither with his hand or words. The Torah gave them to you for work, not humiliation. One should not engage in excessive shouting or anger at him, rather speak with him calmly and hear out his complaints….

Cruelty and brazenness are only found among the uncircumcised gentiles. But Avraham Avinu’s progeny — the Jews, upon whom HaKadosh Baruch Hu bestowed the goodness of the Torah and commanded them in righteous statutes and laws — are compassionate to all. And so too, among HaKadosh Baruch Hu’s attributes that we are commanded to emulate, is one of which it says, “He is compassionate to all his creatures.”