Misva #44: Redeeming a Maidservant

The Torah in Parashat Mishpatim (Shemot 21:8) speaks of the case of an “Ama Ibri’a” – a Jewish girl whose father, due to dire financial straits, sold her as a maidservant, and it commands “Ve’hefdah,” that she must be given the possibility of being “redeemed.” As the Sefer Ha’hinuch explains, this means that if, for example, the girl served half her term, and the father is able to pay half the sum for which the master purchased her, the master must accept the money and release the maidservant. The master might be inclined to refuse, preferring to keep the maidservant, and he might feel entitled to interest since the 50 percent he now receives had been unavailable to him throughout the time the girl was working for him. The Torah commands the master to accept the payment and allow the girl to be freed from his service. The Sefer Ha’hinuch writes that refusing to release the maidservant would constitute “Ro’a Leb” – “evil-heartedness,” adding, “for the Children of Israel, who are princes, and compassionate people, children of compassionate people, it is proper for them to deal kindly with people, especially to those who have served them, even for just one day.” Moreover, it is belittling and denigrating for a Jewish girl to have to remain as a maidservant, and so the moment the father is able to “redeem” her from the master, the master must oblige and release her. This command is directed to the father, as well, obligating him to buy the girl back the moment he has the financial ability to do so. The court would force the father to pay the master to release his daughter once he obtained the necessary funds. The verse in Tehillim (18:31) states, “Imrat Hashem Serufa” (“The word of G-d is pristine.” The Midrash explains this to mean that the words of the Torah have the effect of “Mesaref” – cleansing and purifying a person. By studying and following the Torah’s laws, we “cleanse” and refine our characters. The Misva of the “Ama Ibri’a” is just one of many examples of how the Torah seeks to engender within us feelings of compassion for all people, regardless of their socioeconomic status, and to extend kindness and graciousness to everyone.