Parashat Mishpatim and the mess in America
Parashat Mishpatim/Exodus chapter 21, verses 7-11 (copied from Sefaria):
"When a parent sells a daughter as a slave, she shall not go free as other slaves do.
אִם־רָעָ֞ה בְּעֵינֵ֧י אֲדֹנֶ֛יהָ אֲשֶׁר־[ל֥וֹ] (לא) יְעָדָ֖הּ וְהֶפְדָּ֑הּ לְעַ֥ם נׇכְרִ֛י לֹא־יִמְשֹׁ֥ל לְמׇכְרָ֖הּ בְּבִגְדוֹ־בָֽהּ׃
If she proves to be displeasing to her master, who designated her for himself, he must let her be redeemed; he shall not have the right to sell her to outsiders, since he broke faith with her.
וְאִם־לִבְנ֖וֹ יִֽיעָדֶ֑נָּה כְּמִשְׁפַּ֥ט הַבָּנ֖וֹת יַעֲשֶׂה־לָּֽהּ׃
And if the master designated her for a son, he shall deal with her as is the practice with free maidens.
אִם־אַחֶ֖רֶת יִֽקַּֽח־ל֑וֹ שְׁאֵרָ֛הּ כְּסוּתָ֥הּ וְעֹנָתָ֖הּ לֹ֥א יִגְרָֽע׃
If he takes another [into the household as his wife], he must not withhold from this one her food, her clothing, or her conjugal rights.
וְאִ֨ם־שְׁלׇשׁ־אֵ֔לֶּה לֹ֥א יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה לָ֑הּ וְיָצְאָ֥ה חִנָּ֖ם אֵ֥ין כָּֽסֶף׃ {ס}
If he fails her in these three ways, she shall go free, without payment."
This is a big favor, that a female slave who's been betrayed by her master should be freed without having to buy her freedom? And how, exactly, is this freed slave supposed to make a living?
Meanwhile, leaving Mishpatim and returning to the mess in America, federal employees are going to work in the morning and returning home unemployed the same day. And how, exactly, are thousands of suddenly-unemployed people supposed to make a living?
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