The commandment of work with a Canaanite slave forever: That we have a Canaanite slave work forever, meaning that we should never manumit him; and he should only go free for [suffering the loss of] a tooth or limb, as it appears in Scripture (Exodus 21:26-27) — or from the main limbs that are similar to them, meaning limbs that do not grow back, as the accepted traditional explanation comes about this (Kiddushin 24a) — as it is stated (Leviticus 25:46) “you shall work them forever.” And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Gittin 38a), “Rav Yehudah said, ‘Anyone who manumits his slave is in violation of a positive commandment, as it says, “you shall work them forever.”’” And [any] one from all of the [other] nations who was acquired by a Jew as a slave is called a Canaanite slave. But all slaves are attached with the name, Canaan, because Canaan was cursed to be a slave — he and his progeny — forever. And even though this section in which we were commanded to subjugate them is speaking about Canaanites — as it is written (Leviticus 25:44), “from the peoples that surround you may you purchase a slave or maid-servant,” and it is written earlier (Leviticus 25:38), “to give to you the Land of Canaan” — it was known to the Sages, may their memory be blessed, that it was not only Canaan and those in their land that were called Canaanite slaves. As the law is the same for all the rest of the nations — that they have the status of a Canaanite slave in every matter.
Also, if an Israelite has intercourse with a Canaanite slave woman — that is, a woman from the [other] nations who was purchased by an Israelite — behold the offspring from her is a Canaanite slave for all purposes (Yevamot 22a), and even if she is the slave of that Israelite that had intercourse with her. Similarly, [in the case of a free man] from the nations that had intercourse with a Canaanite slave woman of ours, the child is a Canaanite slave — as it is stated (Leviticus 25:45), “that they begot in your Land.” However [in the case of] one of our slaves that has intercourse with a [free woman] from the nations, the child is not a slave — as a slave has no [paternity]. And so [too,] a resident alien — that is, one that has accepted not to worship idolatry and he is living in our Land — who sold himself to an Israelite, behold his status is that of a Canaanite slave. And they, may their memory be blessed, said regarding a Canaanite slave (Yevamot 48b) that his master takes care of him up to twelve months; if he wants to deny and abandon idolatry, get circumcised and immerse for the sake of slavery and accept the commandments that Jewish women are obligated, it is good. But if not, it is forbidden for us to hold him in our homes longer than twelve months. Rather we sell him immediately. And [it is] about those slaves that were circumcised and immersed for the sake of slavery that we were commanded to work them forever.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that] since the people of Israel are the choicest of the human species and they were created to recognize their Creator and to serve in front of Him, it is fitting that they should have slaves to serve them. And if they do not have slaves from the nations, they would nonetheless need to subjugate their brethren, and [those subjugated] would be unable to strive in His service, blessed be He. We were therefore commanded to retain these for our use — after they have been readied and have had idolatry removed from their mouths, lest they be a snare in our homes. And this [is the meaning of] the verse afterwards (Leviticus 25:46), “and as for your brothers, the Children of Israel, a man shall not subjugate his brother.” That is to say that with this, you will not need to subjugate your brethren and you will all be prepared for the service of God. And even though the understanding of the verse is to warn not to subjugate a Hebrew slave with oppressive labor, there are seventy faces to the verses.
And given that the foundation of this commandment is in order to proliferate people’s service of their Creator, the Sages, may their memory be blessed, permitted [to transgress] this commandment whenever its nullification would cause [the fulfillment of] another commandment — and even for the sake of a rabbinic commandment, such as if there were not ten (a quorum) in the Synagogue and they needed to free the slave to complete the quorum. (See Berakhot 47b.) And let it not be difficult to you, how we can forsake this positive biblical commandment for the sake of a rabbinic one. As it is because the foundation of the commandment is only the proliferation of His service, blessed be He: Since by manumitting him now, a commandment will be fulfilled. Moreover, he personally will be increased in commandments that he was not obligated before the freeing. And this is [the understanding of] their, may their memory be blessed, saying (Berakhot 47b) that it is permissible to free him — as they received the matter like this.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Kiddushin 22b) that he may acquire [his freedom] though money, a contract, or [an injury to] the main limbs that will not grow back — and they are twenty-four. And even though the law pertaining to him is to go out for the main limbs that do not grow back, he [still] requires a contract of manumission from the [master]; and we force the master to write [it] for him, since he caused him to lack one of the twenty-four well-known limbs. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Gittin 43b) that [in a case of] one who sells his slave to gentiles or Kuthites, or even to a resident alien, [the] slave goes out to freedom. And so [too, in the case of] an Israelite who lives in the Land [of Israel] who sold him to an Israelite who lives outside of the Land, in order that he take him outside of the Land — [the] slave goes out to freedom. And similarly, they, may their memory be blessed, said (Gittin 40a) that if his master marries him to a free woman, or if he lays tefillin on him, or [if] his master tells him to read three verses in a Torah scroll before the congregation or anything that is similar to these things about which only free men are obligated, [the slave] goes out to freedom with these and we force his master afterwards to write him a contract of manumission. And therefore the master must be careful not to do any of these things at all, so that he will not violate this positive commandment, unless he did this for the honor of [another] commandment, as we explained. And the laws of the writing of the contract, its instruction and the rest of its details are in Kiddushin/ and Gittin. (See Tur, Yoreh Deah 267 and Tur, Choshen Mishpat 197.)
And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. Even though women are forbidden to purchase slaves for themselves because of suspicion; if they did purchase them, it is forbidden for them to free them, but they must sell them instead. One who transgressed this and freed his slave not for the sake of a commandment — as we said — has violated this positive commandment.
מִצְוַת עֲבוֹדָה בְּעֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי לְעוֹלָם – שֶׁנַּעֲבֹד בְּעֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי לְעוֹלָם, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁלֹּא נְשַׁחְרֵר אוֹתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וְשֶׁלֹּא יֵצֵא לְחֵרוּת כִּי אִם בְּשֵׁן וְעַיִן כְּמוֹ שֶׁבָּא בַּכָּתוּב (שמות כא כו כז), אוֹ בְּרָאשֵׁי אֵבָרִים הַדּוֹמִין לָהֶם, כְּלוֹמַר, אֵבָרִים שֶׁאֵינָן חוֹזְרִין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבָּא עַל זֶה הַפֵּרוּשׁ הַמְּקֻבָּל (קידושין כד, א), שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה מו) לְעוֹלָם בָּהֶם תַּעֲבֹדוּ. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּמַסֶּכֶת גִּטִּין בְּפֶרֶק הַשּׁוֹלֵחַ (גיטין לח, ב) אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה כָּל הַמְשַׁחְרֵר עַבְדּוֹ עוֹבֵר בַּעֲשֵׂה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "לְעֹלָם בָּהֶם תַּעֲבֹדוּ". וְעֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי נִקְרָא, אֶחָד מִכָּל הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁקָּנָהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעַבְדוּת, אֲבָל נִתְיַחֲסוּ כָּל הָעֲבָדִים בְּשֵׁם כְּנַעַן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכְּנַעַן נִתְקַלֵּל לִהְיוֹת עֶבֶד הוּא וְזַרְעוֹ לְעוֹלָם. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁפָּרָשָׁה זוֹ שֶׁנִּצְטַוִּינוּ בָּהּ לְהִשְׁתַּעְבֵּד בָּהֶם תְּדַבֵּר בִּכְנַעֲנִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב מֵאֵת הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתֵיכֶם מֵהֶם תִּקְנוּ עֶבֶד וְאָמָה, וּכְתִיב לְמַעְלָה מִזֶּה לָתֵת לָכֶם אֶת אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן, יָדוּעַ לַחֲכָמִים זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, דְּלָאו דַּוְקָא מִשְׁפַּחַת כְּנַעַן וַאֲשֶׁר בְּאַרְצָם נִקְרָאִים עֲבָדִים כְּנַעֲנִים, דְּהוּא הַדִּין לְכָל שְׁאָר הָאֻמּוֹת, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם דִּין עֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי לְכָל דָּבָר.
The commandment of work with a Canaanite slave forever: That we have a Canaanite slave work forever, meaning that we should never manumit him; and he should only go free for [suffering the loss of] a tooth or limb, as it appears in Scripture (Exodus 21:26-27) — or from the main limbs that are similar to them, meaning limbs that do not grow back, as the accepted traditional explanation comes about this (Kiddushin 24a) — as it is stated (Leviticus 25:46) “you shall work them forever.” And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Gittin 38a), “Rav Yehudah said, ‘Anyone who manumits his slave is in violation of a positive commandment, as it says, “you shall work them forever.”’” And [any] one from all of the [other] nations who was acquired by a Jew as a slave is called a Canaanite slave. But all slaves are attached with the name, Canaan, because Canaan was cursed to be a slave — he and his progeny — forever. And even though this section in which we were commanded to subjugate them is speaking about Canaanites — as it is written (Leviticus 25:44), “from the peoples that surround you may you purchase a slave or maid-servant,” and it is written earlier (Leviticus 25:38), “to give to you the Land of Canaan” — it was known to the Sages, may their memory be blessed, that it was not only Canaan and those in their land that were called Canaanite slaves. As the law is the same for all the rest of the nations — that they have the status of a Canaanite slave in every matter.
וְכֵן יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבָּא עַל שִׁפְחָה כְּנַעֲנִית, כְּלוֹמַר, עַל אִשָּׁה מִן הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁקָּנָה אוֹתָהּ אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל הֲרֵי הַנּוֹלָד מִמֶּנָּה וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל כְּעֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי לְכָל דָּבָר (יבמות כב א), וַאֲפִלּוּ הִיא שִׁפְחָתוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבָּא עָלֶיהָ, וְכֵן אֶחָד מִן הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁבָּא עַל שִׁפְחָה כְּנַעֲנִית שֶׁלָּנוּ הֲרֵי הַבֵּן עֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֲשֶׁר הוֹלִידוּ בְּאַרְצְכֶם. אֲבָל עֶבֶד שֶׁלָּנוּ שֶׁבָּא עַל אַחַת מִן הָאֻמּוֹת אֵין הַבֵּן עֶבֶד, שֶׁהָעֶבֶד אֵין לוֹ יִחוּס. וְכֵן גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁקִּבֵּל שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהוּא שׁוֹכֵן בְּאַרְצֵנוּ שֶׁמָּכַר עַצְמוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הֲרֵי דִּינוֹ כְּעֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (יבמות מח ב) בְּעִנְיַן עֶבֶד כְּנַעֲנִי שֶׁמִּטַּפֵּל בּוֹ אֲדוֹנָיו עַד שָׁנָה אִם רוֹצֶה לִכְפֹּר בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וּלְהַנִּיחָהּ וְשֶׁיִּמּוֹל וְיִטְבֹּל לְשֵׁם עַבְדוּת וְשֶׁיִּתְחַיֵּב בַּמִּצְוֹת שֶׁהַנָּשִׁים יִשְׂרְאֵלִיּוֹת חַיָּבוֹת בָּהֶן מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו אָסוּר לָנוּ לְהַשְׁהוֹתוֹ בְּבָתֵּינוּ יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ, אֶלָּא מוֹכְרִים אוֹתוֹ מִיָּד, וְעַל אֵלֶּה הָעֲבָדִים שֶׁמָּלוּ וְטָבְלוּ לְשֵׁם עַבְדוּת נִצְטַוִּינוּ לַעֲבֹד בָּהֶן לְעוֹלָם.
Also, if an Israelite has intercourse with a Canaanite slave woman — that is, a woman from the [other] nations who was purchased by an Israelite — behold the offspring from her is a Canaanite slave for all purposes (Yevamot 22a), and even if she is the slave of that Israelite that had intercourse with her. Similarly, [in the case of a free man] from the nations that had intercourse with a Canaanite slave woman of ours, the child is a Canaanite slave — as it is stated (Leviticus 25:45), “that they begot in your Land.” However [in the case of] one of our slaves that has intercourse with a [free woman] from the nations, the child is not a slave — as a slave has no [paternity]. And so [too,] a resident alien — that is, one that has accepted not to worship idolatry and he is living in our Land — who sold himself to an Israelite, behold his status is that of a Canaanite slave. And they, may their memory be blessed, said regarding a Canaanite slave (Yevamot 48b) that his master takes care of him up to twelve months; if he wants to deny and abandon idolatry, get circumcised and immerse for the sake of slavery and accept the commandments that Jewish women are obligated, it is good. But if not, it is forbidden for us to hold him in our homes longer than twelve months. Rather we sell him immediately. And [it is] about those slaves that were circumcised and immersed for the sake of slavery that we were commanded to work them forever.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁעַם יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם מִבְחַר הַמִּין הָאֱנוֹשִׁי וְנִבְרְאוּ לְהַכִּיר בּוֹרְאָם וְלַעֲבֹד לְפָנָיו וּרְאוּיִים לִהְיוֹת לָהֶם עֲבָדִים לְשַׁמֵּשׁ אוֹתָם, וְאִם אֵין לָהֶם עֲבָדִים מִן הָאֻמּוֹת, עַל כָּל פָּנִים יִצְטָרְכוּ לְהִשְׁתַּעְבֵּד בַּאֲחֵיהֶם וְלֹא יוּכְלוּ לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, עַל כֵּן נִצְטַוִּינוּ לְהַחֲזִיק בָּאֵלּוּ לְתַשְׁמִישֵׁנוּ אַחַר שֶׁהֻכְשְׁרוּ וְנֶעֶקְרָה עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מִפִּיהֶם וְלֹא יִהְיוּ לְמוֹקֵשׁ בְּבָתֵּינוּ. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב אַחַר כֵּן וּבְאַחֵיכֶם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִישׁ בְּאָחִיו לֹא תִרְדֶּה וְגוֹ'. כְּלוֹמַר, וּבְכֵן לֹא תִּצְטָרְכוּ לְהִשְׁתַּעְבֵּד בְּאַחֵיכֶם, וְתִהְיוּ נְכוֹנִים כֻּלְּכֶם לַעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּמַשְׁמָעוּת הַכָּתוּב שֶׁיָּבֹא לְהַזְהִיר שֶׁלֹּא לְהִשְׁתַּעְבֵּד בַּעֲבוֹדַת פֶּרֶךְ בְּעֶבֶד עִבְרִי, שִׁבְעִים פָּנִים לַכְּתוּבִים.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that] since the people of Israel are the choicest of the human species and they were created to recognize their Creator and to serve in front of Him, it is fitting that they should have slaves to serve them. And if they do not have slaves from the nations, they would nonetheless need to subjugate their brethren, and [those subjugated] would be unable to strive in His service, blessed be He. We were therefore commanded to retain these for our use — after they have been readied and have had idolatry removed from their mouths, lest they be a snare in our homes. And this [is the meaning of] the verse afterwards (Leviticus 25:46), “and as for your brothers, the Children of Israel, a man shall not subjugate his brother.” That is to say that with this, you will not need to subjugate your brethren and you will all be prepared for the service of God. And even though the understanding of the verse is to warn not to subjugate a Hebrew slave with oppressive labor, there are seventy faces to the verses.
וּמֵהֱיוֹת יְסוֹד הַמִּצְוָה כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּרְבּוּ בְּנֵי אָדָם בַּעֲבוֹדַת בּוֹרְאָם בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִתִּירוּ חֲכָמִים זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה [לַעֲבֹר] עַל מִצְוָה זוֹ בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁבִּטּוּל מִצְוָה זוֹ יִהְיֶה גּוֹרֵם לְמִצְוָה אַחֶרֶת, וַאֲפִלּוּ בִּשְׁבִיל מִצְוָה דְּרַבָּנָן אִם הִיא מִצְוָה דְּרַבִּים, כְּגוֹן שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ עֲשָׂרָה בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וּצְרִיכִים לְשַׁחְרֵר הָעֶבֶד וּלְהַשְׁלִים הַמִּנְיָן (עי' ברכות מז ב). וְאַל יִקְשֶׁה עָלֶיךָ, וְאֵיךְ נִדְחֶה מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה זוֹ דְּאוֹרָיְתָא בִּשְׁבִיל מִצְוָה דְּרַבָּנָן, כִּי מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיְּסוֹד הַמִּצְוָה אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא כְּדֵי לְהַרְבּוֹת עֲבוֹדָתוֹ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַחַר שֶׁבְּשִׁחְרוּרוֹ עַכְשָׁו נַעֲשֵׂית מִצְוָה, וְעוֹד שֶׁגַּם הוּא מִתְרַבֶּה בְּגוּפוֹ בְּמִצְוֹת שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה חַיָּב קֹדֶם הַשִּׁחְרוּר כֵּן, וְזֶה אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם) שֶׁמֻּתָּר לְשַׁחְרְרוֹ, שֶׁכֵּן קִבְּלוּ הָעִנְיָן.
And given that the foundation of this commandment is in order to proliferate people’s service of their Creator, the Sages, may their memory be blessed, permitted [to transgress] this commandment whenever its nullification would cause [the fulfillment of] another commandment — and even for the sake of a rabbinic commandment, such as if there were not ten (a quorum) in the Synagogue and they needed to free the slave to complete the quorum. (See Berakhot 47b.) And let it not be difficult to you, how we can forsake this positive biblical commandment for the sake of a rabbinic one. As it is because the foundation of the commandment is only the proliferation of His service, blessed be He: Since by manumitting him now, a commandment will be fulfilled. Moreover, he personally will be increased in commandments that he was not obligated before the freeing. And this is [the understanding of] their, may their memory be blessed, saying (Berakhot 47b) that it is permissible to free him — as they received the matter like this.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (קידושין כב, ב) שֶׁהוּא קוֹנֶה עַצְמוֹ בְּכֶסֶף, וּבִשְׁטַר שִׁחְרוּר, וּבְרָאשֵׁי אֵבָרִים שֶׁאֵינָן חוֹזְרִין, וְהֵם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה אֵבָרִים, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁדִּינוֹ לָצֵאת בְּרָאשֵׁי אֵבָרִים שֶׁאֵינָן חוֹזְרִין צָרִיךְ גֵּט שִׁחְרוּר מִן הָאָדוֹן, וְכוֹפִין אֶת רַבּוֹ לְכָתְבוֹ לוֹ אַחַר שֶׁחִסְּרוֹ מֵאֶחָד מֵעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה אֵבָרִים הַיְּדוּעִים. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (גיטין מג ב) שֶׁהַמּוֹכֵר עַבְדּוֹ לְגוֹיִם אוֹ לְכוּתִים אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ לְגֵר תּוֹשָׁב יָצָא בֶּן חוֹרִין, וְכֵן יִשְׂרָאֵל הַדָּר בָּאָרֶץ שֶׁמְּכָרוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הַדָּר בְּחוּצָה לְאָרֶץ כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוֹצִיאֶנּוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ, יָצָא בֶּן חוֹרִין. וּכְמוֹ כֵן אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם מ, א) שֶׁאִם הִשִּׂיאוֹ רַבּוֹ לָעֶבֶד בַּת חוֹרִין אוֹ הִנִּיחַ לוֹ תְּפִלִּין בְּרֹאשׁוֹ אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ רַבּוֹ לִקְרוֹת שְׁלשָׁה פְּסוּקִים בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה בִּפְנֵי הַצִּבּוּר, וְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בְּאֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאֵינָן חַיָּבִין בָּהֶן אֶלָּא בְּנֵי חוֹרִין יָצָא לְחֵרוּת בְּכָךְ, וְכוֹפִין אֶת רַבּוֹ אַחַר כָּךְ לִכְתֹּב לוֹ גֵּט שִׁחְרוּר, וּלְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ הָרַב לְהִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ מִכָּל אֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים כְּלָל, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְבַטֵּל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה זֶה, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן עָשָׂה כֵּן לִכְבוֹד מִצְוָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ. וְדִינֵי כְּתִיבַת גֵּט הַשִּׁחְרוּר וְתוֹרָתוֹ וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ בְּקִדּוּשִׁין וְגִטִּין [יו"ד סימן רסז וח"מ סימן קצו].
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Kiddushin 22b) that he may acquire [his freedom] though money, a contract, or [an injury to] the main limbs that will not grow back — and they are twenty-four. And even though the law pertaining to him is to go out for the main limbs that do not grow back, he [still] requires a contract of manumission from the [master]; and we force the master to write [it] for him, since he caused him to lack one of the twenty-four well-known limbs. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Gittin 43b) that [in a case of] one who sells his slave to gentiles or Kuthites, or even to a resident alien, [the] slave goes out to freedom. And so [too, in the case of] an Israelite who lives in the Land [of Israel] who sold him to an Israelite who lives outside of the Land, in order that he take him outside of the Land — [the] slave goes out to freedom. And similarly, they, may their memory be blessed, said (Gittin 40a) that if his master marries him to a free woman, or if he lays tefillin on him, or [if] his master tells him to read three verses in a Torah scroll before the congregation or anything that is similar to these things about which only free men are obligated, [the slave] goes out to freedom with these and we force his master afterwards to write him a contract of manumission. And therefore the master must be careful not to do any of these things at all, so that he will not violate this positive commandment, unless he did this for the honor of [another] commandment, as we explained. And the laws of the writing of the contract, its instruction and the rest of its details are in Kiddushin/ and Gittin. (See Tur, Yoreh Deah 267 and Tur, Choshen Mishpat 197.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַנְּקֵבוֹת אֲסוּרוֹת לָהֶן לִקְנוֹת עֲבָדִים מִפְּנֵי הַחֲשָׁד, מִכָּל מָקוֹם, אִם קָנוּ אוֹתָן אָסוּר לָהֶן לְשַׁחְרְרָן, אֶלָּא יִמְכְּרוּ אוֹתָם. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְשִׁחְרֵר עַבְדּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא לִדְבַר מִצְוָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ, בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה זֶה.
And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. Even though women are forbidden to purchase slaves for themselves because of suspicion; if they did purchase them, it is forbidden for them to free them, but they must sell them instead. One who transgressed this and freed his slave not for the sake of a commandment — as we said — has violated this positive commandment.