Study Kiddushin folio 16A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
– בנכרי שישנו תחת ידך, או אינו אלא בנכרי שאינו תחת ידך? אמרת, וכי מה אפשר לעשות לו? הא אין הכתוב מדבר אלא בנכרי שישנו תחת ידך.
This indicates that the verse is stated with regard to a non-Jew who is under your authority, i.e., one who is subject to Jewish rule. Or perhaps you will say that the verse is stated only with regard to a non-Jew who is not under your authority. This is not possible, as you say: But what can be done to him to compel him to obey the Torah’s commands? Consequently, the verse must be speaking of nothing other than a non-Jew who is under your authority.
ובשטר. מנלן? אמר עולא: אמר קרא: ״אם אחרת יקח לו״ – הקישה הכתוב לאחרת, מה אחרת מקניא בשטר – אף אמה העבריה מקניא בשטר.
§ The Mishnah teaches: A Hebrew slave can be acquired by his master through money or through a document. The Talmud asks: From where do we derive that he can be acquired through a document? Ulla said: The verse states with regard to a Hebrew female slave: “If he takes himself another wife” (Exodus 21:10). The verse thereby juxtaposes a Hebrew female slave to another woman who is betrothed: Just as another woman can be acquired by her husband through a document (see 2a), so too, a Hebrew female slave can be acquired through a document.
הניחא למאן דאמר: שטר אמה העבריה אדון כותבו, אלא למאן דאמר: אב כותבו, מאי איכא למימר? דאיתמר: שטר אמה העבריה, מי כותבו? רב הונא אמר: אדון כותבו, רב חסדא אמר: אב כותבו. הניחא לרב הונא, אלא לרב חסדא מאי איכא למימר?
The Talmud asks: This works out well according to the one who says that the master writes the document of a Hebrew female slave, just as a betrothal document is written by the husband. But according the one who says that the father writes it, in the manner of a document of sale, what can be said? According to that opinion, the document of a Hebrew female slave is not similar to a betrothal document. As it was stated that amora’im disagreed about this matter: With regard to the document of a Hebrew female slave, who writes it? Rav Huna says: The master writes it. Rav Ḥisda says: The father writes it. This works out well according to the opinion of Rav Huna, but according to the opinion of Rav Ḥisda, what can be said?