Derasha 1 on Behar 25:55

Parashas Behar · Aliyah 7 · Passuk 25:55

The Complete Passuk

כִּֽי־לִ֤י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ עֲבָדִ֔ים עֲבָדַ֣י הֵ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אוֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

Torah Temimah cites Sifra / Kiddushin 22b.

Core Text — Sifra / Kiddushin

כִּי לִי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים. עֲבָדַי הֵם — וְלֹא עֲבָדִים לַעֲבָדִים.

English: “For to Me the children of Israel are servants.” They are My servants — and not servants to servants.

Classical derasha (Sifra / Bavli Kiddushin).

The ultimate rationale for all the laws of the eved ivri: Israel belongs to God alone; therefore permanent enslavement to another human is forbidden.