“Abram said to Sarai: Behold, your maidservant is in your hand; do to her what is favorable in your eyes. Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her” (Genesis 16:6). “Abram said to Sarai…do to her what is favorable in your eyes” – she said to him: ‘I do not care neither for her benefit nor for her detriment.’ [He told her:] ‘It is written: “You shall not enslave her, because you afflicted her” (Deuteronomy 21:14).29Regarding a woman captured in war.
This woman, after we caused her distress,30After we subjected her to conjugal relations. shall we enslave her?’ [Sarah repeated:] ‘I do not care for her benefit nor for her detriment.’ [Abraham said:] ‘It is written: “He shall not domineer over her, to sell her to a foreign people in his betrayal of her” (Exodus 21:8).31Regarding a Hebrew bondswoman. This woman, after we made her a mistress shall we make her a maidservant?’ [Sarah repeated:] ‘I do not care for her benefit nor for her detriment.’
“Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: She prevented her from engaging in conjugal relations. Rabbi Berekhya said: She hit her in the face with a slipper. Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: She made her take buckets and towels to the bathhouse for her.