[Avodah] Being an Eved to an Eved

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

In this week's parsha, on 21:6, a famous Rashi explains why the ear of an Eved Ivri is pierced if he chooses to stay with his master past the first six years:

"What's special about the ear that it should be pierced, rather than any other organ? Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai said: [in the case where the Beis Din sold him,] he went and stole, so the ear which heard 'Don't steal' should be pierced. And if he [was poor and] sold himself, acquiring another master for himself, then the ear which heard 'bnei yisrael are *My* avadim' should be pierced."

My question is this: In the case where he voluntarily chose to sell himself, why is the ear-piercing prescribed only at the end of the siz years, and even then only when he prefers to stay on longer? Shouldn't Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai's logic apply at the very beginning as well?

The only answer I can think of comes from Devarim 15:12-18, which adds the detail that when his term of service ends, the master must not send him away empty-handed, but with considerable severance pay. Thus, it seems to me, that although there is a logical argument to castigate someone for taking a second master, the Torah has rachmanus on one who chooses this option out of desperation, and only imposes the ear-piercing upon the one who chooses it out of desire.

I'm wondering, though, what this might say about a person who volunteers for military service in a benevolent but non-Jewish nation. My understanding is that the situation of a soldier can be compared quite closely to that of an Eved Ivri. The soldier has little or no control over his time, and must respond to every whim of his commanding officer. Even if the soldier has certain privileges to perform his Jewish rituals, that seems to be no different than an Eved Ivri, who is still chayav in all Taryag Mitzvos, and whose master must allow him to fulfill them.

In short, I'd like to hear -- especially from any listmembers who have done military service anywhere -- if Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai's admonition applies to volunteering for the military and less than volunteering to be an Eved Ivri. Both, it seems to me, have chosen to have another master besides the first Master.

Akiva Miller

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