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What is the halachic status of an eved between the time of shichrur and tevilah? According to most Rishonim, an eved is already Jewish and only needs to remove the din of avdus. The Rambam (רמב"ם), however, maintains that he becomes a ger who requires tevilah to become fully Jewish.
The shiur explores a fundamental machlokes about the status of an eved (Jewish slave) who has been freed but has not yet done tevilah. The discussion begins by examining several difficult questions (kashas) raised by Tosafos (תוספות) on Rashi (רש"י)'s explanation in Kesubos. The first kasha concerns whether an eved is considered "hefker and nechalah" (available and accessible). According to Rabbi Meir, it's a chovah (obligation), while according to the Chachamim it's chos (forbidden) for an eved. Rashi explains that an eved is subject to improper behavior because of "zeh lo shaleiach" - the shifchos (female slaves) are readily available to him, creating tremendous temptation. However, this explanation is problematic when applied to a goy, as a goy doesn't have the same level of availability to shifchos that an eved does.
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Why does halacha forbid entering dangerous places if everything happens by Divine decree? The shiur examines the debate between Rashi and Tosfos on traveling at night, developing a fundamental distinction: Rashi holds one must avoid even deserved punishments that Hashem delays through mercy, while Tosfos holds the prohibition addresses self-inflicted harm through free will. This framework reveals how people rationalize self-destructive behavior as "hashgacha."
Why does the Gemara praise hospitality to scholars as a unique mitzvah rather than ordinary hachnasas orchim? The shiur distinguishes two mitzvahs: hachnasas orchim (providing for those in need) and connecting to talmidei chachamim (cleaving to God through scholars). Yisro's meal for the Jewish leaders wasn't charity—it was his way of bonding with those transformed by Torah, teaching that learning must fundamentally change who we are.
Kesubos 12
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