Pisqa’ 123¹

1

“You shall not consider it a hardship when you set him free from among you,

for he has given you twice the service of a hired hand for six years” (Dt.15:18).

On this basis you teach:

A hired hand works by day,

while this one [the slave] works by day and night.²

 

“And HASHEM your God shall bless you” (Dt.15:18).

Is it possible to say that

being idle [you will prosper]?

The Teaching states:

“In all that you do” (Dt.15:18)—

[that is, your labor causes you to prosper].

“And HASHEM your God shall bless you” (Dt.15:18)—

whenever a verse mentions financial misfortune

it writes [also] of blessing.

And especially regarding loss of income

[as in the owner’s cost in liberating a slave].³

1. H:168; JN1:303-304.
2. Cf. Mechilta Ishmael, neziqin, 1. The parallel in Mechlta makes exactly the opposite point from Sifre: “just as a hired hand works by day but not by night, the Hebrew slave, too, works by day but not by night.” Cf. Hammer:442, pisqa 123, n. 1.
3. //Sifra, tzav, par. 1:1.