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.