"They shall be your bondsmen forever"

Synopsis

We are told that it is a commandment to have a Canaanite slave as a bondsman because they come from the side of Ham who uncovered nakedness. Yet Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, was Righteous even though he was the descendant of Ham because God approved of the blessing that Laban gave him.

Abraham Blessing Eliezer Jubilee Laban Nakedness Righteous Shepherd Slavery Torah

63. Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd). "And you shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you... they shall be your bondsmen forever" (Vayikra 25:46). It is a commandment to have a Canaanite slave as bondsman, as it is written: "they shall be your bondsmen for ever." They come from the side of Ham, who uncovered nakedness, of whom it says, "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brethren" (Beresheet 9:25). Why a servant of servants? Because he is a servant to the servant for ever (lit. 'the world'), which is the world of Jubilee. THAT IS, WHEN HE IS A SERVANT TO A SERVANT, YISRAEL'S EAR IS BORED, BUT HE WILL BE SET FREE AT THE WORLD OF JUBILEE. BUT HE WILL NOT BE SET FREE, EVEN AT THE JUBILEE. It may be said that as he is a brother to Shem and Japheth, why should he not be like them? Also, seeing that Eliezer, Abraham's servant, was the descendant of Ham, why was he not like HAM, BUT instead turned out to be righteous? The Holy One, blessed be He, approved of the blessing Laban gave him, AS IT SAYS OF HIM IN THE TORAH, "YOU BLESSED OF HASHEM" (BERESHEET 24:31). SINCE IT IS WRITTEN IN THE TORAH, THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, TESTIFIES IT IS TRUE.

63. (רעיא מהימנא) וְהִתְנַחֲלְתֶם אוֹתָם לִבְנֵיכֶם וְגוֹ,' לְעוֹלָם בָּהֶם תַּעֲבוֹדוּ וְגוֹ.' פִּקּוּדָא דָּא לַעֲבוֹד בְּעֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי, דִּכְתִּיב, לְעוֹלָם בָּהֶם תַּעֲבוֹדוּ וְאִינּוּן מִסִּטְרָא דְּחָם דְּגַלֵּי עֶרְיָין דְּאִתְּמַר עָלֵיהּ אָרוּר כְּנָעַן עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים יִהְיֶה לְאֶחָיו. אֲמַאי עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים. אֶלָּא עֶבֶד לְהַהוּא עֶבֶד עוֹלָם, דְּאִיהוּ עוֹלָמוֹ שֶׁל יוֹבֵל. וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּהָא אָחוּהָּ דְּשֵׁם וְיֶפֶת הֲוָה, אֲמַאי לָא הֲוָה הָכִי כְּוָותַיְיהוּ. וְהָכִי מִזַּרְעָא דְּחָם הֲוָה אֱלִיעֶזֶר עֶבֶד דְּאַבְרָהָם, אֲמַאי לָא הֲוָה כְּוָותֵיהּ, דְּנָפַק צַדִּיק, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אוֹדֵי בְּבִרְכָתֵיהּ, כַּד בָּרִיךְ לֵיהּ לָבָן.