Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 121/ספרי דברים קכ״א
א(דברים טו טז) וְהָיָה כִּי יֹאמַר אֵלֶיךָ לֹא אֵצֵא מֵעִמָּךְ, יָכוֹל פַּעַם אַחַת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות כא ה): ״וְאִם אָמֹר יֹאמַר הָעֶבֶד״, עַד שֶׁיֹּאמַר וְיִשְׁנֶה.
1Pisqa’ 1213531. “And should he say to you: I will not go free from you” (Dt. 15:16).Is it possible to say that[if the Hebrew slave refused his freedom] once,he undergoes the piercing of his ear?The Teaching states:“Now, if the slave forcefully declares” (Ex. 21:5)—he cannot be permanently enslaveduntil he declares and repeats[his insistence upon remaining enslaved].354 2.
באִם אָמַר בְּתוֹךְ שֵׁשׁ וְלֹא אָמַר בְּסוֹף שֵׁשׁ – הֲרֵי זֶה אֵין נִרְצָע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כא ה): ״לֹא אֵצֵא חָפְשִׁי״, עַד שֶׁיֹּאמַר בִּשְׁעַת יְצִיאָה. אָמַר בְּסוֹף שֵׁשׁ וְלֹא אָמַר בְּתוֹךְ שֵׁשׁ – הֲרֵי זֶה אֵין נִרְצָע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם): ״וְאִם אָמוֹר יֹאמַר הָעֶבֶד״, עַד שֶׁיֹּאמַר בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא עֶבֶד.
2If he declared [his desire to remain enslaved]during the six years [of his term of service],but did not declare it at the end of the six yearswhen he is entitled to go free—indeed, he is not to be pierced,for it says:“I will not be set free” (Ex. 21:5)—he cannot be permanently enslavedunless he insists upon it at the time of liberation,[after six complete years].If he declared at the end of the six years,but he hadn’t declared during the six years—indeed, he is not to be pierced,for it is said:“If the slave forcefully declares” (Dt. 21:5)—he cannot be permanently enslavedunless he declares his insistencewhile time remains in the term of his servitude.
גכִּי אֲהֵבְךָ, מִכְּלָל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כא ה) ״אָהַבְתִּי אֶת אֲדֹנִי״, [אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁאוֹהֵב אֶת רַבּוֹ? אֶלָּא] מִכָּן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: הָיָה הוּא אוֹהֵב אֶת רַבּוֹ וְרַבּוֹ אֵין אוֹהֲבוֹ, הָיָה הוּא אָהוּב עַל רַבּוֹ וְהוּא אֵין אוֹהֵב אֶת רַבּוֹ – הֲרֵי זֶה אֵין נִרְצָע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי אֲהֵבְךָ. לוֹ אִשָּׁה וּבָנִים וּלְרַבּוֹ אֵין אִשָּׁה וּבָנִים – אֵין נִרְצָע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי אֲהֵבְךָ וְאֶת בֵּיתֶךָ.
32. “For he loves you” (Dt. 15:16)—inferring from what is stated elsewhere:“I love my master” (Ex. 21:5)—{wouldn’t I already know thathe loves his master?In fact,}355 121, n.4. on the basis of both verses,you can claim:if he loved his master,but his master doesn’t love him;or if he is beloved to his master,but he doesn’t love his master—indeed, he is not to be pierced! As it is said:“For he loves you” (Dt. 15:16)—[the essential element is the slave’s love for the master].If the Hebrew slave has a wife and children,yet his master has no wife or children,he is not to be pierced,for it is said:“For he loves you and your household” (Dt. 15:16)—[implying that the master has a family of his own].356 2.
דכִּי טוֹב לוֹ עִמָּךְ, הָא אִם חָלָה הוּא אוֹ רַבּוֹ – הֲרֵי זֶה אֵין נִרְצָע.
4“Since all is well with him among you” (Dt. 15:16)—thus, if he or his master become ill,indeed, he is not to be pierced.