Reeh 15:17 · unit 5

TT #335 · Parashas Reeh · Sixth Aliyah · Passuk 15:17

The Complete Passuk

וְלָקַחְתָּ֣ אֶת־הַמַּרְצֵ֗עַ וְנָתַתָּ֤ה בְאׇזְנוֹ֙ וּבַדֶּ֔לֶת וְהָיָה֙ לְךָ֣ עֶ֔בֶד עוֹלָ֑ם וְאַ֥ף לַאֲמָתְךָ֖ תַּעֲשֶׂה־כֵּֽן׃

Then you shall take the awl and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever; and also to your maidservant you shall do likewise.

Chabad.org — 15:17

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Kiddushin.

Sefaria — Kiddushin

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְאַף לַאֲמָתְךָ – מַהוּ לַאֲמָתְךָ תַּעֲשֶׂה כֵּן, לְהַעֲנָקָה, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לִרְצִיעָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְאִם אָמֹר יֹאמַר הָעֶבֶד, הָעֶבֶד וְלֹא הָאָמָה.

English: "And also to your maidservant" — Does "you shall do likewise" refer to the parting grant, or only to piercing? The verse states "if the slave shall clearly say"—the slave, and not the maidservant.

On the daf / in context: A Hebrew maidservant is never subjected to ear-piercing; the phrase "likewise" therefore refers only to the obligation of the parting grant.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Kiddushin) — a maidservant receives the grant but is not pierced.

What Is Learned

A Hebrew maidservant receives the parting grant but is never pierced for permanent service.