Q&A: “She shall not go out as the slaves go out” — a positive-form prohibition
“She shall not go out as the slaves go out” — a positive-form prohibition
Question
Hello Rabbi!
In Conceptual Analysis lesson 4, you said that it is unlikely to say that the author of Halakhot Gedolot meant that “she shall not go out as the slaves go out” is a positive-form prohibition—that if the master injured her, he is forbidden to send her away [because if he is allowed to send her away when he did not injure her, then why would he be forbidden to send her away after he injured her].
But in my opinion, it is possible to say that this is reasonable, because if he sends her away she will be out on the street and no one will want her as a maidservant. So we tell a person that if he harms her, he must provide for her all her days and take her under his protection.
Like one who rapes a virgin, whom they obligate to marry her.
Answer
They won’t want her because of the injury? In the end, after six years she leaves anyway. Sounds doubtful to me, but perhaps.