A Hebrew slave seeking early freedom before the Jubilee year must financially redeem himself through a careful calculation of time and value. The payment for his release is strictly proportional to the time remaining until the Jubilee. The years the slave has already worked are deducted from his overall term, and the remaining balance dictates the amount required to secure his freedom [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This standard applies regardless of whether many years or only a few remain on his service [בכור שור].
A specific scenario arises when only a short time is left until the Jubilee. A master might attempt to block the early release by arguing that the slave spent his strongest, most productive years working for him. The master could claim that since the slave is now older and his future labor is worth very little, the redemption price should not be based on an evenly divided average of the original purchase price. To prevent this objection, the law mandates a straightforward financial calculation for the remaining time. The redeemer simply pays for the few years left, and the master is absolutely obligated to accept the funds and grant the release [ביאור יש״ר].
Beyond this basic calculation, the primary approach among commentators reveals an economic protection for a slave whose physical condition has declined. If the slave became ill or lost his strength over time, his current market value is naturally lower than what he was worth at the time of his original purchase [בכור שור]. In such cases, the financial assessment is always calculated in the slave's favor. The evaluation is highly personal, based strictly on his current worth rather than a generic assessment of the original price tag [רלב״ג]. Assessors determine exactly how much the slave is capable of earning in his present, weakened condition for the remainder of his term [בכור שור].
If the value of the labor the slave has already provided is greater than the proportional fraction of his initial sale price, his redemption cost is adjusted downward to reflect his current, lower value [ספורנו, תורה תמימה]. This system is designed specifically to make it easier for the slave to achieve his freedom. Furthermore, this lenient economic standard applies equally to a Hebrew slave who was sold to a Jewish master [תורה תמימה].