The Dignity of the Hebrew Maidservant and Israel's Loyalty in Egypt

Come, let us go to the law of women, as stated afterward (Exodus 21:7): "And if a man sells his daughter to be a maidservant..."; "if she is displeasing in the eyes of her master..."; "then he shall let her be redeemed"; "if he takes another wife for himself, her food, her clothing, and her conjugal rights he shall not diminish." Happy is the man all of whose deeds are for the sake of Heaven. The heart knows whether it bends straight or crooked, as it says, "if he takes another wife, her food, her clothing, and her conjugal rights he shall not diminish." Once I was sitting in the study house in Jerusalem before the sages, and we were occupied with matters concerning women. I said to them: This matter, that one should not treat a Hebrew maidservant as one treats a Canaanite slave woman, that he should not say to her, Take coins and bring me vegetables from the market. They said to me: For what reason? I said to them: My masters, because a woman may sell herself and commit a transgression for the sake of a single meal at a time when there is famine in the world, saying, There is nothing wrong in this, as it says (Lamentations 5:10-11): "Our skin is hot as an oven because of the burning heat of famine," and it is written afterward, "They ravished the women in Zion, the maidens in the cities of Judah." And what has one matter to do with the other? It comes to teach you that whenever there is famine in the world, a woman may sell herself and transgress for the sake of a single meal, saying, There is nothing wrong in this. Therefore it says, "Our skin is hot as an oven because of the burning heat of famine," and afterward, "They ravished the women in Zion." From that hour the sages enacted and said the law: One who died and left sons and daughters, when the estate is large, the sons inherit everything and the daughters are maintained from it; and when the estate is small, the daughters are maintained and the sons go begging at doors. Admon says: Because I am male, shall I lose? Rabban Gamliel said: I see the words of Admon. From here they said: Every house that has in it a Hebrew maidservant has strife within it, and finds no contentment in the world, as it says, "And if a man sells his daughter to be a maidservant," and it is written afterward, "And if men strive together." And what has this to do with that? It teaches you that every house that has a Hebrew maidservant in it has strife within it. Another interpretation: "And if men strive together and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist... only he shall pay for his loss of time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed"; "And if a man strikes his servant... and he dies... he shall surely be avenged." I said to them: My masters, from here we learn concerning a physician who healed the sick, an agent of the court who administered forty lashes, a teacher who disciplines his student, a judge, and a priest who serves at the altar, all of whom killed a person willfully: they must all cease from their work and go do other work; and if they returned and repented, they are healed, and if not, they are punished even regarding their money, which is the lighter matter. Therefore it says, "And if men strive together..." and "if a man strikes his servant... and he dies... he shall be avenged." And I further said to them: My masters, what is written afterward? "And if men strive and hurt a pregnant woman so that her children come out... he shall surely be fined... and if any harm follow..."; "And if a man strikes the eye of his servant..."; "and if he knocks out the tooth of his manservant or maidservant, he shall let him go free for the sake of his tooth." From here we learn concerning a beast that killed a person willfully: it is taken out, and if it returned and signs of reform are found in it, it is spared, and if not, it is punished. When Israel came and saw that the mercies of the Holy One, blessed be He, are abundant, they said: Had we been worthy, the Divine Presence would never have departed from among us. But when Israel were in Egypt and in the wilderness, they were whole-hearted in their way, and so when our fathers stood at Mount Sinai they were whole-hearted in their way. Therefore He first appeased them, and afterward arranged before them the laws of damages and all the measures of justice, and afterward they said, "Blessed is the LORD, the God of Israel, the God of hosts who dwells upon the cherubim; You alone are God, in understanding." When Israel were in Egypt they all gathered and sat together, for they were all in one band, and they made a covenant together to perform acts of lovingkindness with one another, to keep in their hearts the covenant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to serve their Father in Heaven alone, not to abandon the language of the house of Jacob their father, and not to learn the language of Egypt because of the ways of idolatry. How so? When Israel served their Father in Heaven alone in Egypt and did not change their language, the Egyptians would say to them: Why do you not serve the gods of Egypt, that your labor be lightened? Israel would answer: Did Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob our fathers forsake our God in Heaven, that their children after them should forsake Him? And the Egyptians said: No. And Israel said: As our fathers did not forsake Him, so will we not forsake Him. And when Israel kept the covenant of their God in Heaven and circumcised their sons in Egypt, and the Egyptians said to them, If you do not keep it and circumcise, perhaps the hard labor will be lightened from you, Israel would answer: Did our fathers forget the covenant of our God in Heaven, that their children after them should forget it? And they said: No. And Israel said: As our fathers did not forget, so we will never forget. Another interpretation: When Israel circumcised their sons in Egypt, the Egyptians would say: Why do you circumcise your sons, when after a short while they will cast them into the river? Israel said: We will circumcise them, and afterward do to them as you wish. And when Israel held the seven days of feasting, the Egyptians would say: Why do you hold seven days of feasting, when in a short while they will be taken out for affliction? Israel said: We will hold the seven days of feasting, and afterward do to us as you wish; let the dead die, let the slain be slain, and let the one who comes alive live. For all these things the Egyptians would taunt Israel and strike them and assail and storm at them, and Israel had no refuge from them, as it says (Psalms 44:14): "You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those around us... All this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten You, nor have we been false to Your covenant... though You crushed us in the place of jackals" - this is Pharaoh king of Egypt and all the Egyptians - "and covered us with deep darkness" - these are lives of distress; "if we had forgotten the name of our God and spread out our hands to a strange god... for Your sake we are killed all the day, we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Awake, why do You sleep?" For when Israel does the will of their Father in Heaven, what is said of them? "Behold, He who keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps" (Psalms 121:4); and when they do not do the will of the Omnipresent, what is said of them? "Awake, why do You sleep?"