It might seem like a leap, but let's dive into Shemot Rabbah, a treasure trove of rabbinic commentary on the Book of Exodus, to find out.

The text opens with a quote from Psalms: "Endow the king with Your justice, God…May he judge Your people with righteousness" (Psalms 72:1–2). Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, a key figure in the compilation of the Mishnah, emphasizes that just as God is careful about the commandments, He's equally careful about tzedek, justice. Why? Because, as it says in Proverbs, "A king will uphold the land with justice" (Proverbs 29:4). Justice isn't just a nice idea; it's the bedrock of society.

And it gets even bigger! According to Isaiah, "Zion will be redeemed with justice" (Isaiah 1:27). And, as we find in Psalms, "Happy are those who heed the law" (Psalms 106:3). Justice uplifts the righteous. It's woven into the very fabric of redemption and divine favor.

So, where does the Hebrew slave fit into all this? Well, right after God declares, "I am the Lord your God who took you out of the land of Egypt, the house of slavery" (Exodus 20:2), we get the laws about the Hebrew slave: "If you purchase a Hebrew slave [he shall serve six years]" (Exodus 21:2). The connection is deliberate and powerful.

God, in essence, says, 'Just as I created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, so too, shall a Hebrew slave work for six years and then go free.' There’s a profound mirroring going on here, a divine rhythm echoed in human law. The text continues: "If he comes in by himself" (Exodus 21:3); he leaves alone. If he came in with a wife, he leaves with her. But, "If his master gives him a wife…" (Exodus 21:4)? Things get more complicated.

Shemot Rabbah explains that Israelites only find themselves in this situation when they've transgressed the mitzvot, the commandments. The text reminds us that Israel is "as dear as the apple of the supernal eye." As it says in Zechariah, "As anyone who touches you, touches the apple of his eye" (Zechariah 2:12).

Now, there's a fascinating little detail here. The text notes that the scribes and sages instituted a safeguard concerning this verse. Some suggest they subtly altered the verse to say "his eye" instead of "My eye" (God's eye) to avoid excessive anthropomorphism – attributing human characteristics to God. Others say they simply clarified that the verse refers to God's eye. Either way, it highlights the care and nuance with which the rabbis approached these texts.

The midrash then offers an analogy: a king who, wanting to discipline his son, arranges for him to work for a master who should treat him well. But the master mistreats him anyway. When the king is reconciled with his son, he punishes those who mistreated him.

Similarly, God decreed that Israel would be enslaved in Egypt until a certain time. The Egyptians, however, went far beyond what was decreed. As the prophet Zechariah says, "I was mildly enraged, but they contributed to the evil" (Zechariah 1:15). They treated the Israelites far more harshly than they should have.

Therefore, after the Ten Commandments, in which God reminds them of their freedom from slavery, God cautions them about the ordinances. They must not repeat the Egyptians' mistakes. As Zechariah urges, "Execute true justice, and…do not exploit the widow, the orphan, the stranger, and the poor" (Zechariah 7:9–10).

So, what's the takeaway? The laws about the Hebrew slave aren't just isolated rules. They're a direct consequence of God's liberation of Israel from Egypt, a constant reminder of the importance of justice, compassion, and avoiding the sins of the oppressors. It's a powerful message that resonates even today: treat others as you would want to be treated, because justice is not just a virtue, it’s the foundation upon which we build a better world.