Mishnah
Mishnah

Related%20passage for Kiddushin 1:3

עֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי נִקְנֶה בְכֶסֶף וּבִשְׁטָר וּבַחֲזָקָה, וְקוֹנֶה אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְכֶסֶף עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים, וּבִשְׁטָר עַל יְדֵי עַצְמוֹ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, בְּכֶסֶף עַל יְדֵי עַצְמוֹ וּבִשְׁטָר עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיְּהֵא הַכֶּסֶף מִשֶּׁל אֲחֵרִים:

A Canaanite bondsman is acquired by money, writ, and chazakah (proprietary act), [it being written (Leviticus 25:46): "And you shall hold them (Canaanite bondsmen) as an inheritance for your sons after you to inherit as a holding." (Canaanite) bondsmen are hereby likened to land. Just as land is acquired by money, writ, and chazakah, so a Canaanite bondsman is acquired by money, writ, and chazakah. The chazakah of (i.e., of acquiring) the bondsman: e.g., the bondsman's untying his master's shoe, or putting it on, or carrying his things after him to the bathhouse, undressing him, washing him, anointing him, massaging him, clothing him, carrying him, or being carried by him — (by all of these) the master acquires the bondsman.] And he acquires himself by money through others, [i.e., which others give to his master on condition that he be freed. But he himself may not accept it from them, even on condition that his master have no rights in it, (this tanna) holding that a bondsman can in no way acquire anything independent of his master.], and by a writ (of manumission) through himself (i.e., which he himself accepts), [this tanna holding it to be a liability for the bondsman to leave his master for freedom. For if his master were a Cohein, he thereby becomes disqualified from eating terumah; and if he were the bondsman of an Israelite, a bondswoman becomes forbidden to him. For this reason he does not gain his freedom with a writ received (on his behalf) by others, but only (with one received) by himself. For since it is a liability for him, "A liability is imposed upon one only in his presence." But (acquiring his freedom by) money through others is different. For the receiving of the money by his master, in itself causes him to be freed, and it is not the others who cause the liability, but the master's receiving of the money. The master in this instance does not become his messenger, but takes the money for himself, the bondsman gaining his freedom as a natural consequence. These are the words of R. Meir. The sages say: By money, through himself [They hold that a bondsman can acquire something independent of his master, for which reason he can acquire himself with money, even through himself; and, it goes without saying, through others.], and by a writ, through others. [For they hold it to be an asset for the bondsman to leave his master for freedom, and "One may benefit a man, even not in his presence." The halachah is in accordance with the sages. And a Canaanite bondsman acquires himself if his master blinds his eye, or knocks out his tooth, or cuts off one of his twenty-four limb prominences: fingertips, toes, ear tips, nose tip, membrum tip, and breast tips in a woman. The reason these are not mentioned in the Mishnah along with the other means by which a bondsman acquires himself is that one who gains his release by (the cutting off of) organ prominences requires a writ of manumission from his master, so that he, essentially, "acquires himself with a writ."], on condition that the money be (the money) of others. [For a bondsman possesses nothing. For even what he finds and what he receives as a gift belongs to his master. And if he wishes to redeem himself, the money must come from others, who give it to him on condition that the master have no rights in it.]

Explore related%20passage for Kiddushin 1:3. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.

Previous VerseFull ChapterNext Verse