Can you please explain me Judaism’s stance on slavery? If the Torah stands for freedom and liberty why were laws regarding slavery given? I also want to know how were the slaves being treated? I know the native slaves were treated very justly but what about the foreign slaves? Somewhere in Torah Ive also read a chapter where it was stated that when a father decides to sell his daughter as a slave he is permitted to do so. So under what circumstances was this allowed. Can a father sell his daughter as a slave?
Hi,
First of all, you might like to see the essay I wrote on the subject over here. I believe that addresses some of your questions (dealing, as it does, with foreign slaves).
Regarding a father selling his daughter as a slave, some details might be worth considering. First of all, the “sale” was not really of servitude, but was a preliminary (and conditional) marriage contract. In other words, the girl would, when she grew older, likely be able to marry the “owner” � in fact, this seems to have been the primary intention of the institution: to provide indigent families who lacked the socially crucial dowry funds to, nevertheless, find decent families for their daughters.
In any case, the length of the “servitude” was never longer than six years and would certainly end with her twelfth birthday (after which, if the marriage option was refused, she would become a fully free woman). In addition, the rights of the girl were sufficient to ensure that she would be most generously treated throughout.
In an imperfect world where some face poverty, this institution offered a pretty good avenue out for some, at least.
With regards,
Rabbi Boruch Clinton
Ottawa, Canada