Commento su Deuteronomio 15:17

עבד עולם [AND HE SHALL BE THY] SERVANT עולם — One might think that עולם has here its usual meaning: for ever! Scripture, however, states, (Leviticus 25:10) “[And ye shall sanctify the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof] and ye shall return every man unto his family”. Consequently, you learn that it (what Scripture terms here עולם), can only mean the period until the termination of that Jubilee cycle (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 21:6:6; cf. Rashi on that verse),

לך לעבד עולם, "for you as an eternal slave." Seeing that if the original master had died during the first six years of said servant's service he has to complete his term working for the master's son, the fact that he had his ear pierced לך, "for you," means that he will remain yours (the master's) forever but not your son's forever.

ואף לאמתך תעשה כן, to grant her a financial stake to establish herself.

ואף לאמתך תעשה כן, “and also to your servant maid you shall do likewise.” These words do not refer to the piercing of the ear-lobe of a female servant seeing there is no such procedure applicable to a woman. The words apply to the requirement to equip an outgoing female servant with a generous stake, not less than that of the male servant. Similarly, the words: “if he (the master) did not do either of these three things for her,” (Exodus 21,11) do not refer to the words כסות ועונה which appear next to it, but apply to the words אשר יעדה והפדה. A third example of the Torah writing words out of the immediate context is found in Exodus 22,2 אם זרחה השמש עליו, where the words שלם ישלם refer to the previous verse that four or five-fold payment has to be made, and not that payment depends on the deed having occurred in daylight.

Perhaps this follows the plain meaning? Etc. And we should not say: Perhaps this verse refers to a slave sold by the courts two or three years before the yovel — He goes free in the yovel, but a slave who has been pierced should serve forever, which is the plain meaning of the verse. For the answer is: A slave sold by the courts is set free because the verse says, “And he shall return to his family (Vayikra 25:41).” If so, then what is the verse, “Everyone shall return to his family, etc. (Vayikra 25:10),” referring to? It must mean that a slave who has been pierced is set free in the yovel. See Parshas Mishpatim (Shmos 21:6) and Parshas Behar (Vayikra ibid.).

ונתת באזנו ובדלת, “and you will thrust it (the awl) through his ear into the door;” the door frame is presumed to be made of wood and therefore can be pierced easily, as opposed to a door frame made of stone. (B’chor shor)

ואף לאמתך תעשה כן AND ALSO UNTO THY MAID SERVANT THOU SHALT DO LIKEWISE — i.e. furnish her out of thy property. One might think, however, that Scripture puts her on the same level with the man-servant concerning the piercing of the ear too! It however, states, (Exodus 21:5) “And if the man-servant (העבד) shall plainly say, [I love my lord … then … his lord shall bore his ear through with an awl]” — so you see that a man-servant must have his ear pierced, but a maid-servant does not have it pierced (Sifrei Devarim 122:6).