Slavery Re-run

Here are some thoughts posted last year about a topic that always comes up this time of year:

Each year, at פרשת משפטים, the subject of the Torah allowing and regulating slavery troubles many of us. While this issue is clearly bigger than can be adequately addressed in a blog post, here are a couple of notes. First, just because the Torah allows something, doesn't mean that it endorses it. There some things that are permitted, but are still considered to be a bad idea. For example, we all know that polygamy is permitted by Torah law, but what is its attitude towards polygamy? Being that every case in Tanach (am I missing any?) in which we learn about a man marrying multiple wives ends badly, I don't think we should consider that an endorsement.


Another idea to consider is one that I found from Rav Kook. Don't worry, it's not very long.

While neither of these fully address this complicated issue, to me they are a starting point in trying to better understand the Torah's position.