[Avodah] Slavery

[dfinch847 at aol.com]

Shmuel Weidberg writes:

"The truth is, it is the same with slavery. Although the gemara 
determines that it is a zechus for a slave to be freed. The gemara
does not consider it a slam dunk. The main reason why slavery was 
condemned so strongly is because slaves were so severely mistreated
and had no rights whatsoever. But in a just society living by Torah 
rules slavery would be worse than being free, but would not be the
great injustice that it is made out to be."

Oy. I'd say that in a just society living by Torah rules there'd be no 
slavery, but I figure Abe Lincoln settled this question 140 years ago. 
It's a little late to be saying things like, "As I wouldn't be a slave, 
I wouldn't be a master," in earnest debate, as if there's another side 
to the question.

Here's the problem: Contemporary Torah Judaism can engage in the same 
Talmudic machlokes that sparked dispute eight centuries ago, and thus 
help preserve Talmud as a living dialectical instrument of law and 
reason. Torah Jews can even pine away for the reestablishment of the 
Temple and its customs of priests and animal sacrifice, as a means of 
distinguishing themselves from C's and R's, who think the project to be 
an anachronistic waste of time. But slavery, well, slavery is morally 
and intellectually unthinkable, even for the O-est of the O. It can't 
even be debated, not with a straight face.

David Finch
dfinch847 at aol.com


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