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Why must an employer give a departing eved a gift after paying his full wages? The Torah (תורה)'s law of hanacha reveals that personal service diminishes self-esteem. The gift restores dignity by showing respect and appreciation for the service rendered.
This shiur explores the Torah (תורה)'s commandment of hanacha - the obligation to give a gift to an eved ivri (Hebrew servant) when he completes his six years of service. The fundamental question addressed is why such a gift is required when the employer has already paid the servant's full wages upfront at the beginning of his service. Rabbi Zweig develops his answer through a modern analogy about tipping practices. He observes that people universally tip for curbside baggage check-in at airports but not for indoor counter service, even though the actual service performed is essentially the same. The key distinction is that tips are given specifically when someone performs personal service, which inherently involves some degree of self-diminishment or loss of dignity.
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Parshas Re'eh - laws of eved ivri
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Why didn't Noach daven for his generation while Avrohom advocated for Sedom? Noach viewed each person as an independent island responsible only for their own teshuvah. Avrohom understood that all humanity is interconnected through shared perspective and values, making prayer for others both possible and necessary.
