Reeh 15:12 · unit 1

TT #309 · Parashas Reeh · Sixth Aliyah · Passuk 15:12

The Complete Passuk

כִּֽי־יִמָּכֵ֨ר לְךָ֜ אָחִ֣יךָ הָֽעִבְרִ֗י א֚וֹ הָֽעִבְרִיָּ֔ה וַעֲבָֽדְךָ֖ שֵׁ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֑ים וּבַשָּׁנָה֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔ת תְּשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּ חׇפְשִׁ֖י מֵעִמָּֽךְ׃

If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall send him free from you.

Chabad.org — 15:12

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei.

Sefaria — Sifrei

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
כִּי יִמָּכֵר לְךָ – תַּנְיָא, מִנַּיִן כְּשֶׁבֵּית דִּין מוֹכְרִין אוֹתוֹ אֵין מוֹכְרִין אוֹתוֹ אֶלָּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר כִּי יִמָּכֵר לְךָ אָחִיךָ.

English: "If he is sold to you" — It was taught: From where do we know that when the court sells him they may sell him only to an Israelite? From the verse "if your brother is sold to you."

On the daf / in context: A Hebrew slave sold by the court for theft may be purchased only by a fellow Jew.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei) — the court may sell a Hebrew slave only to a Jew.

What Is Learned

When the court sells a person into Hebrew slavery for theft, the purchaser must be an Israelite.