(c) Apr 18 2001 RashiYomi Inc. MY COLLECTED & INDEXED MAIL JEWISH POSTINGS-Ver #1
Individual Postings 1st appeared(& were copied in html form) on the Email List Mail Jewish

From: Russell Hendel <rhendel@saber.towson.edu>
Date: Sun, 13 Aug 2000 18:00:47 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: A Summary of the Slavery Postings

I just finished reading the half dozen or so postings in V33N4 about
female slavery. While some statements shocked me, nevertheless I think
that some excellent points have been made which I would like to tersely
summarize with additional sources. In defending the laws allowing Fathers
to sell their daughters we should remember that

1)(Perets Mett) A Jew can NEVER sells himself into slavery; rather he
sells himself(or daughter) as an indentured servant. This is a real
work contract as can be proven from the fact that the sale itself
must intrinsically allow for breaking the contract by reimbursement
of funds (Rambam Slaves 4:3)

2) (Russell Hendel) The rights of a female minor slave and a child minor
are about the same. So nothing is really being lost by selling her.

3) (Russell Hendel) I suggested that female minor slavery is allowed to
prevent expected prostitution which happens in very poor families. I
neglected to cite the explicit source (Slaves 4:2) "A father may not
sell his daughter unless he is so poor that he has neither movables
real estate or even clothing. And EVEN THEN the fathers first obligation
upon obtaining funds is to buy back his daughter." (So the only way she
could remain a slave was if the father is perpetually poor)

4) (Perets Mett) All fathers can initiate a marriage of their minor daughters
(I should add that no female minor slave could be married without her consent
(Slaves 4:8). Furthermore (Rabbi Berkowitz rephrased) a female minor slavery
which could not end in marriage is not valid (Slaves 4:11)

One final point: I think the statements about infant genocide and the idea
that "The modern environment, in which women are able to easily earn
an independant living without engaging in prostitution, is very new" are
extreme statements. The above defense of slavery focuses on female
vulnerability; it does not focus on an assumption of widespread infantacide
and female job prostitution as a rule.Furthermore while I certainly hope
that tractors replace animals in the messianic world there are strong
opinions that poverty (and hence slavery) will still exist (Dt15-11).

Russell Jay Hendel; Phd ASA Dept of Math RHEndel@Towson.Edu
Moderator Rashi is Simple
http://www.RashiYomi.Com