איוב, פרק ל״א, פסוק י״ג

Job defends his moral integrity against accusations of exploiting the vulnerable. He asserts that his ethical standards extended far beyond merely avoiding the mistreatment of orphans and widows. He applied absolute fairness even to his servants and maids, individuals who were legally considered his financial property [מלבי״ם]. He never treated his household workers unjustly [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Although he held complete authority over them and possessed the power to deny them justice, he never abused his position to do so [מצודת דוד, תקות אנוש].

The primary approach among commentators is that Job actually provided his servants with the freedom to bring their grievances before him. He listened to their claims and engaged in fair negotiations, even when their disputes were directed personally against him [מלבי״ם]. A deeper perspective connects this behavior to the Biblical law granting freedom to a servant who is physically injured by their master. This approach suggests a scenario where the servants themselves initiated a conflict. In such a case, one might assume that if the master injured them during a fight they started, they would forfeit their right to be freed. Nevertheless, Job maintained their dignity and upheld their legal right to go free for the loss of a limb, regardless of who provoked the argument [אלשיך].

Job's dedication to this standard was driven by a profound spiritual understanding of his own relationship with his Creator. There is a traditional teaching that compares human suffering to the law of the injured servant: just as a servant gains freedom through physical injury, human suffering cleanses a person of their sins. If Job had decided that a rebellious servant loses the right to be freed, he would have undermined this entire principle, since a person who sins is essentially rebelling against God. By strictly protecting his servant's rights, Job ensured that when he eventually faced God's judgment, his own suffering would serve as an atonement for his sins [חנוכת התורה].

This dynamic between a master and a servant offers a broader lesson regarding human devotion to God. If a human master expects a servant to follow instructions precisely and becomes angry when the servant is slow or disobedient, a person should certainly apply this standard to themselves. It serves as a reminder to serve God, the Creator who constantly provides for him, with eagerness, perfection, and a complete heart [חומת אנך].