Exodus-Chap-21
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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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With
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
Exodus
Chapter 21 marks a major shift in the Torah from the grand, atmospheric
revelation at
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Exodus Chapter 21, verses 1 to 27:
Whilst below the verses are the Explanation’s. (The Chapter is from JPS-1917 version
of the Torah).
Verses 1-6: Now these are the ordinances
which thou shalt set before them. If thou buy a Hebrew
servant, six years he shall serve; and in the seventh he shall go out free for
nothing. If he come in by himself,
he shall go out by himself; if he be married, then his wife shall go out with
him. If his master give him a wife, and she bear him sons or
daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's,
and he shall go out by himself. But if the servant shall
plainly say: I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out
free; then his master shall bring him unto אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God), and shall bring him to the door, or unto the door-post; and
his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for
ever.
Explanation Verses 1-6, address the laws of the Hebrew servant. A servant is to work for six years and go free in the seventh. If he chooses to stay with his master out of love for the household, his ear is pierced against the doorpost, signifying a permanent status of service. This law establishes that human freedom is the default state and sets boundaries on servitude.
Verses 7-11: And if a man
sell his daughter to be a maid-servant, she shall not go out as the
men-servants do. If she please not
her master, who hath espoused her to himself, then shall he let her be
redeemed; to sell her unto a foreign people he shall have no power, seeing he
hath dealt deceitfully with her. And if he espouse her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the
manner of daughters. 1If he take
him another wife, her food, her raiment, and her conjugal rights, shall he not
diminish. 11 And if he do not
these three unto her, then shall she go out for nothing, without money.
Explanation Verses 7-11, deal with the specific rights of a daughter sold into service. Unlike male servants, she does not simply leave after six years; the law ensures she is treated with the dignity of a family member or a betrothed wife. If her master or his son fails to provide her with food, clothing, or marital rights, she must be set free without payment.
Verses 12-14: He that smiteth
a man, so that he dieth, shall surely be put to death. And
if a man lie not in wait, but אֱלֹהִים - Elohim cause it to come to hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he
may flee. And if a man come presumptuously upon his
neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from Mine altar, that he may die.
Explanation Verses 12-14, distinguish between different types of homicide. Striking a person so they die carries the death penalty. However, the law differentiates between premeditated murder and accidental killing, providing a “place of flight” for those who cause death without intent, while ensuring that intentional murderers find no sanctuary.
Verses 15-17: And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to
death. And he that stealeth a
man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand,
he shall surely be put to death. And he that curseth his father or his mother,
shall surely be put to death.
Explanation Verses 15-17, list severe capital offences against the foundation of society and the family. These include striking a parent, kidnapping for the purpose of slave trading, and cursing a parent. These laws emphasize that respect for life and the sanctity of the family unit are paramount.
Verses 18-19: And if men contend, and one
smite the other with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keep his
bed; if he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then
shall he that smote him be quit; only he shall pay for the loss of his time,
and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed.
Explanation Verses 18-19, cover injuries resulting from a physical brawl. If one person injures another, they are not executed, but they are held financially responsible for the victim’s “loss of time” and must ensure they are “thoroughly healed” by paying for medical care.
Verses 20-21: And if a man smite his
bondman, or his bondwoman, with a rod, and he die under his hand, he shall
surely be punished. Notwithstanding if he continue a day or
two, he shall not be punished; for he is his money.
Explanation Verses 20-21, address the physical discipline of servants. While the cultural context allowed for servitude, the Torah places unique restrictions on it: if a master strikes a servant and they die immediately, the master must face punishment. This establishes that even a servant has a fundamental right to life.
Verses 22-25: And if men strive together,
and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart, and yet no harm follow, he shall be surely fined, according as the woman's
husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if any harm follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
Explanation Verses 22-25, introduce the “lex talionis” or the law of equivalent retribution in the context of a fight that causes injury to a pregnant woman. It outlines the principle of “life for life, eye for eye”, which served as a legal standard to ensure that punishment was proportional to the crime and not driven by excessive personal vengeance.
Verses 26-27: And if a man smite the eye of
his bondman, or the eye of his bondwoman, and destroy it, he shall let him go
free for his eye's sake. And if he smite out his bondman's
tooth, or his bondwoman's tooth, he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake.
Explanation Verses 26-27, provide further protections for the physical integrity of servants. If a master strikes a servant and causes the loss of an eye or even a tooth, the servant must be granted immediate freedom as compensation for the injury. This law served as a powerful deterrent against physical abuse by masters.
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My Closing Message:
The laws in
Exodus 21 demonstrate that the holiness found at the mountain must be carried
into the marketplace and the home. By focusing on the rights of servants and
the specific consequences of physical harm, the text moves society away from a “might
makes right” mentality toward a system of structured
justice. It teaches that every individual, regardless of their social standing,
is entitled to protections and that our actions toward others carry significant
legal and moral weight.
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