ירמיהו, פרק ל״ד, פסוק ט׳

The legal and moral duty to free an Israelite slave after six years of labor had been completely forgotten. Although the right to freedom existed on paper, in practice it was entirely ignored, leaving people enslaved to their own brothers for many long years [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

To correct this deep historical injustice, a sweeping, two-part reform was established, addressing both the immediate present and the future. First, there was a demand for the immediate release of all slaves and maidservants currently held by their masters, regardless of whether they had completed their six years of service. Second, a strict, permanent ban was put in place to ensure that no person would ever enslave a fellow Jew again [מלבי״ם]. The primary approach among commentators understands this as a complete break from the past, ensuring that no individual should ever subjugate his brother again [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. This sweeping command serves a dual purpose: it strictly forbids the re-enslavement of those who were just granted their freedom, while also protecting anyone from being forced into servitude in the future [מלבי״ם].

A different perspective highlights the unique nature of this servitude to show how the reform impacted both sides. Traditional thought notes that the laws of slavery required a master to provide living conditions for the slave that were entirely equal to his own, leading to the concept that buying a slave is essentially like buying a master. From this angle, the institution of slavery was a heavy burden of care and responsibility not just for the laborer, but for the master as well. Therefore, the mandated release of slaves was not merely a social correction to rescue the oppressed; it was also a step that deeply benefited the masters, freeing them from an overwhelming daily obligation [נחל שורק, חומת אנך].