Midrash su Levitico 25:55

(Fol. 23) Our Rabbis were taught (Deut. 15, 16) Because he (the servant) is well with thee; i.e., well with food and well with drinks with you (the employer). This means that thou shalt not eat white bread while thy servant eats dark bread; that thou shalt not drink old wine while thy servant drinks fresh wine; that thou shalt not sleep upon cushions while thy servant sleeps on straw. From this, remarked our Rabbis, we may infer that whoever buys a Hebrew slave, it is as if he were buying a master over himself, (Ib. b) (Ex." 21, 6) And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, etc. R. Jochanan b. Zakkai interpreted this passage in a symbolical way (giving an ethical signification to the Biblical law about perforating the slave's ear). "Why was the ear chosen to be bored, above all the other members of the body? The Holy One, praised be He! said: 'The ear which heard on Mt. Sinai (Lev. 25, 55) For unto Me are the children of Israel servants, but not servants under servants, and this one went and purchased another master upon himself, therefore must the ear be bored for not remembering what it heard."' (Ex. 21, 6) And he shall bring him at the door, etc. Simon b. Rabbi interpreted this in a symbolical way: "Why was the door and the door-post upon which the slave's ear shall be bored chosen in preference to any other place in the house? The Holy One, praised be He, said: 'The door and the door-post which were witnesses in Egypt at the time when I passed over the lintel and the doorposts, when I said, all the children of Israel are My servants and not servants under servants, for which purpose I have also redeemed them from slavery unto freedom, and this one went and bought a master upon himself, therefore shall his ear be bored before the lintel and the door-posts.'"

We are taught in a Baraitha, R. Maier says: "If a common questioner discusses, 'If your God likes the poor, why then does He not sustain them?' answer him, 'for the purpose of saving us [through the charity] from the punishment of Gehenna.'" The same question did Tarnusruphus ask of R. Akiba: "If your God likes the poor, why then does he not sustain them?" And R. Akiba answered him: "For the purpose of saving us [through the charity] from the punishment of Gehenna." To which Tarnusruphus rejoined: "On the contrary, for this you deserve to be punished with Gehenna; and I will give you a parable from which you will understand why. A frail king who became angry at his slave and put him in prison, announced his desire that nobody should give him either food or drink. In spite of this, a person fed him and gave him drink. When the king becomes aware of it, would the king not be angry at that man? And ye Israelites are called servants, as it is written (Lev. 25, 55) For unto Me are the children of Israel servants." R. Akiba answered: "I will give you another parable, to which my previous answer is to be compared: A frail king became angry with his son, put him in prison, and commanded that nobody should give him either food or drink; in spite of this command, a man fed him and gave him drink. When the king became aware of it, would he not be grateful to this person and even send him a present? And we Israelites are called children, as it is said (Deut. 14, 1) Ye are the children of the Lord," etc. Tarnusruphus, however, said: "You are named children and also servants; i.e., children, when you are doing the Omnipotent's will, and servants when you act against the Omnipotent's will. And you will admit, that now you are acting against His will [since your Temple is destroyed and you are in exile].." R. Akiba answered: "With regard to this, the passage says (Is. 58, 10) Is it not to distribute thy bread to the hungry and the afflicted souls with the members of thy house. The afflicted souls [you will admit] refer to us in our present circumstances, and nevertheless, it says there, Is it not to distribute thy bread to the hungry?"

4) (Vayikra 25:55) "For to Me are the children of Israel servants. They are My servants, whom I took out of the land of Egypt": so that they not subject them to servitude. "I am the L–rd your G d": What is the intent of this (in this context)? We are hereby taught that all who subject them to servitude below are regarded as doing so (to Him) above.