Kiddushin 31

בעובד כוכבים שישנו תחת ידך או אינו אלא בעובד כוכבים שאינו תחת ידך אמרת וכי מה אפשר לעשות לו הא אין הכתוב מדבר אלא בעובד כוכבים שישנו תחת ידך :

this refers to a heathen who is under your rule.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'hand.' Even then, the Jew must remain his slave until jubilee.');">¹</span> Yet perhaps it is not so, the reference being to a heathen who is not under your rule? - You can answer; [if so,] what can be done to him?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How can he be forced to provide facilities for redemption?');">²</span> Hence Scripture speaks only of a heathen who is under your rule.

ובשטר : מנלן אמר עולא אמר קרא (שמות כא, י) אם אחרת יקח לו הקישה הכתוב לאחרת מה אחרת מקניא בשטר אף אמה העבריה מקניא בשטר

AND BY DEED. Whence do we know it? - Said 'Ulla, Scripture saith, If he take him another [wife]:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXI, 10; i.e., in addition to the Hebrew bondmaid.');">³</span> thus the Writ assimilated her [the Hebrew bondmaid] to another [wife]: just as the other [sc. the wife] is acquired by deed, so is a Hebrew maidservant acquired by deed.

הניחא למ"ד שטר אמה העבריה אדון כותבו אלא למ"ד אב כותבו מאי איכא למימר דאיתמר שטר אמה העבריה מי כותבו רב הונא אמר אדון כותבו רב חסדא אמר אב כותבו הניחא לרב הונא אלא לרב חסדא מאי איכא למימר

Now, that is well on the view that the deed of a Hebrew bondmaid is written by her master;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., he who acquires her, just as the husband writes the deed to acquire his wife.');">⁴</span> but on the view that her father writes it, what can be said? For it has been stated: As to the deed of a Hebrew bondmaid, who writes it?

אמר רב אחא בר יעקב אמר קרא (שמות כא, ז) לא תצא כצאת העבדים אבל נקנית היא כקנין עבדים ומאי ניהו שטר

R'Huna maintained: The master writes it; R'Hisda said: Her father writes it. [Hence] it is well according to R'Huna; but on R'Hisda's view, what can be said? - R'Aha B'Jacob answered: Scripture saith, she shall not go out as the menservants do:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 7; the comparison is with heathen slaves, who go free if their master blinds them or knocks out their teeth (vv. 26f) . Hebrew slaves, however, are not freed, but merely compensated.');">⁵</span> [implying,] but she may be acquired as [heathen] menservants are;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'as the acquisition of menservants.'');">⁶</span>

ואימא אבל נקנית היא כקנין עבדים ומאי ניהו חזקה אמר קרא (ויקרא כה, מו) והתנחלתם אותם לבניכם אחריכם אותם בחזקה ולא אחר בחזקה

and what is that? By deed. Then say: but she may be acquired as [heathen] menservants are, and what is that?

ואימא אותם בשטר ולא אחר בשטר הכתיב לא תצא כצאת העבדים ומה ראית

Hazakah!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Glos. and V. infra 22b.');">⁷</span> - Scripture saith, And ye shall make them [the heathen slaves] an inheritance for your children after you:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXV, 46. o,kjb,vu');">⁸</span> only they [are acquired] by hazakah, but not another.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. Hebrew slaves. The Heb. we-hithnahaltem, is really applicable to land, and intimates that heathen slaves are transmitted and acquired like land, viz. , by hazakah.');">⁹</span>

מסתברא שטר ה"ל לרבויי שכן מוציאה בבת ישראל אדרבה חזקה ה"ל לרבויי שכן קונה בנכסי הגר באישות מיהת לא אשכחן אי בעית אימא להכי אהני אם אחרת

Then say: Only they [are acquired] by deed, but not another? - But it is written, she shall not go out as menservants do.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From which it was deduced that she can be acquired by deed.');">¹⁰</span> And why do you prefer it so?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'what (reason) do you see' (for interpreting it thus) ? Perhaps Lev. XXV, 46 teaches, only they are acquired by deed, but not another, while Ex. XXI, 7 intimates, she shall not go out . . but may he acquired as menservants, viz., by hazakah?');">¹¹</span> - It is logical that 'deed' is included [as a means of acquisition], since it divorces an Israelite daughter.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence, just as it is effective in one instance, so also in another, viz., the acquisition of a slave. - Tosaf.: he could also have said: Because it brings a Jewish daughter into the married state, which is more appropriate, both then referring to acquisition, but a 'deed' is explicitly stated in connection with divorce. A proselyte who dies without Jewish issue has no legal heirs and his property after death falls to the first occupier by means of hazakah.');">¹²</span>

ורב הונא האי לא תצא כצאת העבדים מאי דריש ביה ההוא מיבעי ליה שאינה יוצאה בראשי אברים כעבד ורב חסדא א"כ לכתוב קרא לא תצא כעבדים מאי כצאת העבדים ש"מ תרתי :

On the contrary, one should rather include hazakah, since it acquires the property of a proselyte?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And since it can acquire in one case, it can do so in another.');">¹³</span> - Still we do not find it in marriage relationship.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And the purchase of a Hebrew bondmaid is also this: v. p. 45, nn. 7, 9.');">¹⁴</span> Alternatively, if 'he take another' serves that very purpose.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To shew that 'she shall not go out etc.', teaches that she may be acquired by deed, as is implied by the analogy of 'another'.');">¹⁵</span>

וקונה את עצמו בשנים : דכתיב (שמות כא, ב) שש שנים יעבד ובשביעית וגו' :

And R'Huna: how does he expound this [verse,] She shall not go out as the menservants do?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since on his view, 'if he take another' is sufficient to shew that she is acquired by deed.');">¹⁶</span> - He employs that as intimating that she does not go out [free] through [the loss of her] outstanding limbs, as a [heathen] slave.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 68, n. 4, which is extended to outstanding limbs.');">¹⁷</span> And R'Hisda?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Surely that is the purpose of the verse!');">¹⁸</span>

ביובל : דכתיב (ויקרא כה, מ) עד שנת היובל יעבד עמך :

- If so, Scripture should have written: 'she shall not go out as menservants'; why, as the going out of menservants?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., translation.');">¹⁹</span> That both may be inferred.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The law itself, as stated by R. Huna; while the emphasis on going out' shews that she may, however, come in, i.e., be acquired as they are.');">²⁰</span> AND ACQUIRES HIMSELF BY YEARS.

בגרעון כסף : אמר חזקיה דאמר קרא (שמות כא, ח) והפדה מלמד שמגרע פדיונה ויוצאה תנא וקונה את עצמו בכסף ובשוה כסף ובשטר

For it is written, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXI, 2.');">²¹</span> AND BY JUBILEE. For it is written, he shall serve with thee unto the year of jubilee.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXV, 40.');">²²</span>

בשלמא כסף דכתיב (ויקרא כה, נא) מכסף מקנתו שוה כסף נמי (ויקרא כה, נא) ישיב גאולתו אמר רחמנא לרבות שוה כסף ככסף אלא האי שטר ה"ד אילימא דכתב ליה שטרא אדמיה היינו כסף

AND BY DEDUCTION FROM THE PURCHASE PRICE. Hezekiah said: Because Scripture saith, Then shall he let her be redeemed:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXI, 8.');">²³</span> this teaches that she makes a deduction from her redemption money and goes out [free].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 60, n. 1, and the same applies to a bondman.');">²⁴</span>

אלא שיחרור שטר למה לי לימא ליה באפי תרי זיל א"נ באפי בי דינא זיל אמר רבא זאת אומרת עבד עברי גופו קנוי והרב שמחל על גרעונו אין גרעונו מחול :

A Tanna taught: And he may acquire himself by money, its equivalent, and by deed. Now, as for money, 'tis well, for it is written, [he shall give back the price of his redemption] out of the money he was bought for.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXV, 51.');">²⁵</span> As for its equivalent too - Scripture wrote, 'he shall give back the price of his redemption,' to include the equivalent of money as being equal to money.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He shall return implies that a return may be made in any way desired.');">²⁶</span>

יתירה עליו אמה העבריה : אמר ר"ל אמה העבריה קונה את עצמה במיתת האב מרשות אדון מק"ו ומה סימנין שאין מוציאין מרשות אב מוציאין מרשות אדון מיתה שמוציאה מרשות אב אינו דין שמוציאה מרשות אדון

But this deed, how is it meant? Shall we say that he [the slave] indites a bond for the [redemption] money? Then it is money! But if it is [a deed of] manumission, why is a deed necessary?

מיתיבי רב הושעיא יתירה עליו אמה העבריה שקונה את עצמה בסימנין ואם איתא ניתני נמי מיתת האב תנא ושייר

Let him say to him in the presence of two, or in the presence of a Beth din, 'Go'? - Said Raba: This proves that a Hebrew slave belongs bodily [to his master]:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [In so far as the master could assign to him a Canaanite maidservant for procreation. Nahmanides, quoted by S. Adreth, Kiddushin, a.l.]');">²⁷</span> hence if the master remits his deduction,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the sum due for the remainder of the term of bondage.');">²⁸</span> the deduction is not remitted.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And the master can reclaim him whenever he wishes. Therefore it is insufficient merely to dismiss him, but he must give him a deed.');">²⁹</span>

מאי שייר דהאי שייר שייר מיתת האדון אי משום מיתת האדון לאו שיורא הוא דכיון דאיכא נמי באיש לא קתני

A HEBREW MAIDSERVANT IS MORE [PRIVILEGED] THAN HE. Resh Lakish said: A Hebrew bondmaid is freed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'acquires herself.'');">³⁰</span> from her master's authority by her father's death, a minori: if signs,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., evidence of puberty.');">³¹</span>

ואלא ניתני תנא דבר שיש לו קצבה קתני דבר שאין לו קצבה לא קתני

which do not free her from her father's authority, free her from the authority of her master;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As stated in the Mishnah, 14b.');">³²</span> then how much the more death, which frees her from her father's authority, should free<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In that he does not transmit his rights to her earnings to his heirs.');">³³</span> her from her master's authority! R'Hoshea raised an objection: A HEBREW MAIDSERVANT IS MORE [PRIVILEGED] THAN HE, IN THAT SHE ACQUIRES HERSELF BY 'SIGNS'; but if this [Resh Lakish's dictum] be so, let her father's death also be stated? - He [the Tanna] teaches [some ways,] and omits<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'leaves over.'');">³⁴</span>

והא סימנין דאין להם קצבה וקתני אמר רב ספרא אין להם קצבה למעלה אבל יש להם קצבה

[others]. But what else does he omit, that he omits this?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is reasonable that several items are omitted, but not just one.');">³⁵</span> - He omits her master's death.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For his heirs do not inherit her; infra 17b.');">³⁶</span> If it is on account of her master's death<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That you say the Tanna also omits her father's death.');">³⁷</span> - that is no omission; since that applies to a male [slave] too, it is not taught. Then let it be taught!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the maid is freed by her father's death, since nothing else is omitted.');">³⁸</span> - That which may be fixed is taught;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The term of six years and the proportionate repayment of the purchase price and the Jubilee are all fixed and ascertainable.');">³⁹</span> that which can not be fixed is not taught. But 'SIGNS', which are not fixed,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Not all women receive the evidences of puberty at the same age.');">⁴⁰</span> are nevertheless taught? - Said R'Safra: They are not fixed above, yet are fixed