Kiddushin 17 - August 30, 12 Elul

Today’s daf is dedicated by the Kerzner and Greenstone families in honor of Halleli Miriam Rosenblum, newly born to Rivka and Sruly Rosenblum. "You should raise Halleli in the spirit of Mom’s/Auntie Miriam’s memory: with love, happiness, and commitment to family, community, and to constant growth through learning." The master is required to give gifts to a Jewish slave when he/she leaves (severance pay). In what cases does the slave not receive these gifts? If a Jewish slave misses work because he/she sick, does he/she have to make up sick days? What is the amount of the gift that is given to the slave upon leaving? There are three different opinions. From what other law does each derive his opinion? What types of items can/should be given? Do slaves get passed down as inheritance? A male slave is passed down to sons but not to daughters or brothers (in the event the owner has no sons). A female maidservant, a male whose ear is pierced, and a male slave sold to a gentile are passed down to sons and not to daughters or brothers. From where are these laws derived? By Torah law, a gentile inherits from his father. However, a convert only inherits from his gentile father by rabbinic law, not by Torah law. The rabbis ruled that he inherits from his father to prevent him from wanting to go back to being a gentile to receive an inheritance.