Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 119/ספרי דברים קי״ט
א(דברים טו יג-יד) וְכִי תְשַׁלְּחֶנּוּ חָפְשִׁי מֵעִמָּךְ וְגוֹ׳ הַעֲנֵק תַּעֲנִיק לוֹ, יָכוֹל אֵין מַעֲנִיקִים אֶלָּא לַיּוֹצֵא בְּשֵׁשׁ? מִנַּיִן לַיּוֹצֵא בַּיּוֹבֵל וּבְמִיתַת הָאָדוֹן, וְאָמָה עִבְרִיָּה בְּסִימָנִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: תְּשַׁלַּח, כִּי תְשַׁלַּח, וְכִי תְשַׁלְּחֶנּוּ. יָכוֹל אַף לַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ בְּכֶסֶף אַתָּה מַעֲנִיק? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וְכִי תְשַׁלְּחֶנּוּ חָפְשִׁי מֵעִמָּךְ וְגוֹ׳ – לְמִי שֶׁאַתָּה מְשַׁלְּחוֹ אַתָּה מַעֲנִיק, וְאִי אַתָּה מַעֲנִיק לְמִי שֶׁשִּׁלּוּחוֹ מֵעַצְמוֹ.
1Pisqa’ 1193481. “And when you set him free from among you . . .provide him well with provisions from your flock, your threshing-floor,and your wine-press” (Dt. 15:13-14).Is it possible to say thatwe only provide for those who have served for six years?On what basis do we provide provisionsto those [going free] in the Jubilee year,or to those [freed by] the death of an owner,or to a Hebrew slave-girl showing signs of sexual maturity?The Teaching mentions setting free as follows:“Set him free” (Dt. 15:12) . . .“When you set him free” (Dt. 15:13).[Stressing free, the Teaching insists thatthe former slave be generously provided for].
במִנַּיִן שֶׁאִם הֶעֱנַקְתָּ לוֹ פַּעַם אַחַת, הַעֲנֵק לוֹ אֲפִלּוּ מֵאָה פְּעָמִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: הַעֲנֵק תַּעֲנִיק.
22. Is it possible to say thatyou should provide even forone who purchases his freedom with money?The Teaching states:“When you set him free from among you”(Dt. 15:13).You provide for the one whom you set free;but you needn’t provide for one who purchaseshis own freedom.How do I know thatif you provide for him once,you must provide for him a hundred times?349 116.3.The Teaching states:“Provide him well with provisions” (Dt. 15:14).
גלוֹ – וְלֹא לְיוֹרְשָׁיו.
3“Him” (Dt. 15:14)—him, but not his heirs!
דמִצֹּאנְךָ מִגָּרְנְךָ וּמִיִּקְבֶךָ, יָכוֹל אֵין מַעֲנִיקִים אֶלָּא מִצֹּאן מִגֹּרֶן וּמִיֶּקֶב הַמְיֻחָדִים? מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת כָּל דָּבָר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: הַעֲנֵק תַּעֲנִיק, לְרַבּוֹת כָּל דָּבָר. אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר מִצֹּאנְךָ מִגָּרְנְךָ וּמִיִּקְבֶךָ? מַה צֹּאן גֹּרֶן וְיֶקֶב מְיֻחָדִים, שֶׁהֵם רְאוּיִים לִבְרָכָה – יָצְאוּ כְּסָפִים, שֶׁאֵינָם רְאוּיִים לִבְרָכָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: יָצְאוּ פְּרָדוֹת, שֶׁאֵינָן יוֹלְדוֹת.
4“From your flock, your threshing-floor, and your wine-press” (Dt. 15:14).Is it possible to say thatyou only provide provisionsfrom the flock, the threshing-floor, and the wine-press,since they are singled out by the verse?How do I know thatwe may include anything [that may be consumed]?The Teaching states:“Provide him well with provisions” (Dt. 15:14)—this includes anything [that may be consumed].If so, why is it stated:“From your flock, your threshing-floor, and your wine-press” (Dt. 15:14)?Just as the flocks, the threshing-floor, and the wine-pressare singular in requiring a benediction of enjoyment350) are brief acknowledgements of divine ownership of food. The benedictions are uttered by the consumer prior to enjoying produce. See M. Ber. 6:1-8.[before consuming their yield],we exclude money [from the concept of provisions],since it is not fit for a benediction of enjoyment:words of R. Shimon.R. Eliezer b. Jacob says:We exclude mules, since they do not bear young.
האֲשֶׁר בֵּרַכְךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ, יָכוֹל נִתְבָּרֵךְ בַּיִת בִּגְלָלוֹ מַעֲנִיקִים לוֹ, לֹא נִתְבָּרֵךְ בַּיִת בִּגְלָלוֹ אֵין מַעֲנִיקִים לוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״הַעֲנֵק תַּעֲנִיק לוֹ״, מִכָּל מָקוֹם. אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַכְךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּתֶּן לוֹ? הַכֹּל לְפִי הַבְּרָכָה אַתָּה מַעֲנִיק לוֹ.
53. “From which HASHEM your God has blessed you” (Dt. 15:14)—is it possible to say thatif the household was blessedbecause of him [that is, by his productivity],they provide well for him [when he goes free];but if the household received no blessing because of him,they needn’t provide well for him?The Teaching states:“Provide him well with provisions” (Dt. 15:14)—either way [he must be provided for].If so, why is it stated:“From which HASHEM your God has blessed you, shall you give him” (Dt. 15:14)?You may provide for him in measure of the blessing[he brought to your household].