The Jewish Attitude toward Slavery

Slavery was a standard practice throughout the world until relatively modern times. The Torah forbids us to treat a fellow-Jew as a slave, even if he has come down in the world and has had to sell himself; he must be treated like an employee, not like property, and must eventually be set free. The Jews are G-d’s servants, whom he took out of [slavery in] Egypt; they must never be sold into slavery or treated harshly (Lev. 25:39-43). In a country that still permits slavery, Jews would be permitted to have non-Jewish slaves (ibid. 44-46); but if a Jew were bought by a non-Jew as a slave, we would be required to redeem him (ibid. 47-55).