שמות, פרק כ״א, פסוק ז׳

In ancient times, extreme poverty sometimes drove families to desperate measures, including a father selling his own child to survive. However, Biblical law profoundly reshapes this harsh social reality. The arrangement is not intended to be a system of physical bondage, but rather a protective framework designed to secure a young girl's future, usually with the hope that the master or his son will eventually marry her.

The authority to initiate this arrangement rests exclusively with the father; a mother is not permitted to sell her daughter [אור החיים, תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, this is a unique legal right the father holds specifically over his daughter, as he is not allowed to sell his son in the same manner [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם, חזקוני]. Commentators stress that such a drastic step is taken only under the pressure of extreme financial distress. In fact, in severe situations, entering this arrangement is considered preferable to borrowing money with interest, because an interest debt constantly grows, whereas the young girl's remaining time of service steadily decreases [תורה תמימה].

This framework applies strictly to a young girl. The moment she develops physical signs of maturity, she passes out of her father's authority, and he no longer has the power to sell her [אבן עזרא, רש״י, מלבי״ם]. Once she enters the master's home, she assumes a respected position that is distinctly higher than that of a common servant. While a regular servant is assigned to hard, lower-level labor, she is designated for lighter tasks and household management [הכתב והקבלה, שטיינזלץ]. Her standing is actually much closer to that of a concubine or a designated bride [עמק דבר, אדרת אליהו].

Her eventual departure from the master's home differs significantly from the standard release of servants, a distinction understood through several complementary approaches. The primary approach among commentators contrasts her situation with that of a Canaanite slave. If a master physically harms a Canaanite slave, such as knocking out a tooth or blinding an eye, the slave is immediately freed as compensation. In contrast, the young Hebrew maidservant is not released for such an injury. Instead, the master must pay her for the damages, and she remains in his household [רמב״ן, רש״י, טור הארוך, כלי יקר]. This rule is ultimately for her own benefit. An early release sparked by a master's momentary anger would strip her of the original purpose of the arrangement, which is marriage. Therefore, the master is forbidden from dismissing her in this way and must continue to support her, keeping alive the hope that she will find favor in his eyes and become his wife [רמב״ן, טור הארוך].

Additionally, her timeline for freedom is different. While standard servants are released after six years of labor or during the Jubilee year, she also gains her freedom the moment she reaches physical maturity or immediately upon the master's death [רש״י, רשב״ם, שד״ל, אור החיים]. Another perspective focuses on her dignity and the nature of her daily work. The master is not allowed to send her out into the streets or the fields to perform public labor like common slaves. Her duties must remain entirely within the privacy of the home, preserving her honor [טור הארוך, תורה תמימה, הדר זקנים, דעת זקנים].

Finally, if the master fulfills the ultimate goal of the arrangement and marries her, she completely sheds the status of a servant. From that point on, she cannot be released under any conditions of servitude. She is treated exactly like any married woman, meaning she only leaves her husband's home through a formal divorce or with the financial payout of her marriage contract [עמק דבר, קאסוטו, בכור שור, חזקוני].