Tafsiran yang Mengutip untuk Ulangan 15:15

כי תקנה עבד עברי, ”When you acquire the services of a Jewish labourer,” Nachmanides writes that the reason why the Torah commences the legislation following with this example of the details of setting such a labourer free from his obligations vis a vis you in the seventh year, is that this law contains reminiscences of the Jewish experience in Egypt. This is why the Torah (in Deut. 15,15) writes: “you shall remember that you were a serf in the land of Egypt and the Lord your G’d set you free; this is why I command you this thing this day.” In addition to the reminder of the bondage experience of the Jewish people in the legislation containing the treatment of Jews performing forced labour, there is also a reminder of the 6 days of Creation followed by the Sabbath, the same cycle (in terms of years) applies to the period that a man who has sold himself, or been sold by the Court, has to serve out his term with the same master. The element of the sanctity of the seventh time seven years surfaces once more if said servant voluntarily extends his term of service for the same master. The entire legislation reflects symbolisms, seeing that the number seven surfaces as something intrinsically holy, or as something to be sanctified in terms of years or multiples of shemittah cycles. This is also why the prophet Jeremiah 34,13 warns the Jews that they will be punished with exile (becoming slaves again) for collectively violating the law which required them to release their servants not later than after 49 years, i e in the Jubilee year, as well as the law governing the abstention from working one’s land or orchard every seventh year. The Torah continues with laws governing murder or killing through negligence, which is the most serious of crimes committed against one’s fellow man, followed by the laws about not treating parents with the respect due them, even bodily harming them, followed by the laws about stealing property, etc., one after another in logical sequence.

IF THOU BUY A HEBREW SERVANT. G-d began the first ordinance with the subject of a Hebrew servant, because the liberation of the servant in the seventh year contains a rememberance of the departure from Egypt which is mentioned in the first commandment, just as He said on it, And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Eternal thy G-d redeemed thee; therefore I command thee this thing today.²¹Deuteronomy 15:15. It also contains a remembrance of the creation, just as the Sabbath does, for the seventh year signals to a servant a complete rest from the work of his master, just as the seventh day of the week does. There is in addition a ‘seventh’ amongst the years, which is the jubilee, for seven is the chosen of the days [to be the Sabbath], and of the years [to be the Sabbatical year], and of the [seven] Sabbaticals [to be the jubilee]; and they all point to one subject, namely, the secret of the days of the world — from bereshith (in the beginning) till vayechulu (and they were finished).²²Genesis 2:1. See Ramban Vol. I, pp. 61-64. Therefore this commandment deserved to be mentioned first, because of its extreme importance, alluding as it does to great things in the process of creation.²³Ramban’s reticent and challenging language is illuminated in an essay by I. Weinstock (B’maglei Haniglah V’hanistar, pp. 151-241) where he traces the development of this Cabalistic doctrine: The universe is subject to cycles of seven thousand years; after each six thousand years of growth and activity the seventh thousand is one of “rest” — destruction. This process repeats itself seven times — representing a total of forty-nine thousand years, the fiftieth thousand being the jubilee when all existence returns to its beginnings. This phenomenon applies to the planet on which we live as well as to the worlds above us. One can thus get a glimpse into the meaning of Ramban’s words before us, that this commandment “alludes to great things in the process of creation.” This is why the prophet Jeremiah was very stringent about it and said, Thus saith the Eternal, the G-d of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers;²⁴Jeremiah 34:13. At the end of the seven years ye shall let go every one his manservant, and every one his maidservant.²⁵Ibid., Verses 14 and 10 (Ramban combined here parts of these verses). And on account of its violation, G-d decreed the exile,²⁶Ibid., Verses 17-22. just as the Torah decreed exile for the Sabbatical rest of the land which was not observed,²⁷Leviticus 26:34-35. as I will yet write,²⁸Ibid., 25:2. with the help of the Rock.
When He finished stating the ordinance of this [first] commandment as it applies to Hebrew servants, He began the ordinance of the commandment, Thou shalt not murder,²⁹Above, 20:13. since it is the worst [sin] and then [He stated the ordinances of the commandments] to honor one’s parents, and of Thou shalt not steal,²⁹Above, 20:13. and then He went back to the ordinance of one who smites his fellow-man but did not kill him,³⁰Further, Verses 18-19. and then to the murder of a bondman, which is worse than the killing of an offspring,³¹See further Verse 22 — that for killing an unborn child a fine is paid, while in the case of the bondman, if he did not survive for twenty-four hours after he was struck by the master, the master is liable to death (Verses 20-21). and after that to [injury to] the limbs of Israelites and bondmen,³²Ibid., Verses 24-27. and then to cases of death inflicted by cattle which cause injury.³³Ibid., Verses 28-32. All the sections are thus arranged in logical sequence and in proper order.

He made a memorial He set down for Israel Sabbaths and festivals and commandments, of which was stated (Deut. 5:15): “And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt,” because He is gracious and merciful to His children, and He wishes to make them righteous.