Chasidut zu Schemot 21:2
כִּ֤י תִקְנֶה֙ עֶ֣בֶד עִבְרִ֔י שֵׁ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים יַעֲבֹ֑ד וּבַ֨שְּׁבִעִ֔ת יֵצֵ֥א לַֽחָפְשִׁ֖י חִנָּֽם׃
So du einen hebräischen Sklaven kaufst, soll er sechs Jahre dienen, im siebenten wird er frei ohne Lösegeld.
Kedushat Levi
Genesis 14,19-20 “Blessed be Avram to the Supreme G’d,….and blessed the Supreme G’d Who has delivered your oppressors into your hand.”
It is a rule that when G’d deals with a person on the basis of מדה כנגד מדה, “measure for measure,” reward or punishment will be in a reciprocal relationship to one another. However, when G’d does not apply this method in dealing with an individual, and He does man a favour-that he has not earned,- he is the recipient of a gift from G’d. Since Avram was a person whose very personality exuded loving kindness, it is clear that G’d reciprocated in equal measure. In this instance, -the victory of a few men under Avram’s command over mighty armies, was something he considered as way in excess of his input thus far. In other words, G’d had given Avram a gift that he had not deserved.The Ari’zal writes that when we recite three times daily the words מלך עוזר ומושיע ומגן, “King, Helper, Saviour and Shield,” our sages used this formulation to describe such an undeserved gift from G’d. We also find that Onkelos translates the word חנם in Genesis 29,15 and in Exodus 21,2 as מגן. By using this formulation, Malki Tzedek gave Avram a hint that he had received an undeserved gift from G’d. This hint was reinforced by Malki Tzedek referring to G’d as the “Supreme G’d owner of heaven and earth.” What man possesses he does not have to acquire. When he needs something that he does not own, he has to acquire it. Avram did not need to acquire the virtue of loving kindness, as apparently, he personified this virtue since birth; However, the characteristic of גבורה, the kind of bravery and heroism needed to wage war successfully, was not a quality he possessed from birth, so that he had to acquire it. Malki Tzedek blesses G’d for having provided Avram with this quality at a time when he was really in need of it. Seeing that G’d “owns” heaven and earth, He is able to bestow this quality on people whenever it suits Him.
It is a rule that when G’d deals with a person on the basis of מדה כנגד מדה, “measure for measure,” reward or punishment will be in a reciprocal relationship to one another. However, when G’d does not apply this method in dealing with an individual, and He does man a favour-that he has not earned,- he is the recipient of a gift from G’d. Since Avram was a person whose very personality exuded loving kindness, it is clear that G’d reciprocated in equal measure. In this instance, -the victory of a few men under Avram’s command over mighty armies, was something he considered as way in excess of his input thus far. In other words, G’d had given Avram a gift that he had not deserved.The Ari’zal writes that when we recite three times daily the words מלך עוזר ומושיע ומגן, “King, Helper, Saviour and Shield,” our sages used this formulation to describe such an undeserved gift from G’d. We also find that Onkelos translates the word חנם in Genesis 29,15 and in Exodus 21,2 as מגן. By using this formulation, Malki Tzedek gave Avram a hint that he had received an undeserved gift from G’d. This hint was reinforced by Malki Tzedek referring to G’d as the “Supreme G’d owner of heaven and earth.” What man possesses he does not have to acquire. When he needs something that he does not own, he has to acquire it. Avram did not need to acquire the virtue of loving kindness, as apparently, he personified this virtue since birth; However, the characteristic of גבורה, the kind of bravery and heroism needed to wage war successfully, was not a quality he possessed from birth, so that he had to acquire it. Malki Tzedek blesses G’d for having provided Avram with this quality at a time when he was really in need of it. Seeing that G’d “owns” heaven and earth, He is able to bestow this quality on people whenever it suits Him.
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