Shalom, Mitspacha!
The Mitzvot Concerning the Bondsman
“If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.”
- Shemot 21:2
“And when you send him out free from you, do not let him go empty-handed.”
- Devarim 15:13
“For they are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Mitsrayim; they are not to be sold as slaves.”
- Vayiqra 25:42
The Torah’s wisdom regarding the bondsman is not the world’s system of slavery — it is the opposite. The mitzvot of YHVH establish dignity, boundaries, time-limits, and restoration. A Hebrew could become a bondsman not because of worthlessness, but because of circumstance. Yet YHVH commanded that their identity and destiny remain intact. Six years of service; the seventh is freedom — a pattern woven with the rhythm of creation itself.
His Word requires not just release, but blessing: “Do not send him away empty-handed.” Freedom must be partnered with provision, so the newly free does not re-enter bondage by desperation. These mitzvot reveal a Father who remembers the weak and restores the fallen — because we, too, were redeemed servants, brought out by His outstretched arm.
For some, the bondsman chose to stay — not from fear — but from love. If the house where he served became his joy, the Torah allowed a willing, covenantal service. This becomes a picture for us: not forced laborers in the kingdom, but willing servants of the Most High — choosing His house because we have tasted His goodness.
- The Torah guards dignity — no person becomes property.
- Restoration is not optional; it is commanded.
- Service in YHVH’s house is not a burden — it is a choice born from love.
- Our freedom came with purpose; we were redeemed to serve.
YHVH our Redeemer, teach us the heart behind Your commands. Shape us into willing servants, joyful in Your house and faithful in our calling. Help us uplift, restore, and release those around us as You have done for us. May our service be marked by love, compassion, and devotion to Your ways.
Baruch YHVH.
Shalom until tomorrow.