(Devarim 15:17) "Then you shall take the awl and place it": Whence is it derived that also valid for this purpose are thorn, glass, and reed haulm? From "then you shall take" (anything that lends itself to "taking." These are the words of R. Yossi b. R. Yehudah. Rebbi says: Just as an awl is distinct in being of metal, so all that are of metal (may be used).
R. Eliezer Yuden Berebbi was wont to expound: The boring is done only in the ear-lap. R. Meir says: in the helix. For a Cohein is not bored in that this would render him "blemished," and if boring were in the ear-lap, how would he be rendered blemished thereby? We are hereby taught that boring is only in the height of the ear.
"his ear": It is written here "his ear," and, elsewhere (in respect to a leper) (Vayikra 14:14) "his ear." Just as there, the right ear (is specified), so, here, the right ear (is intended).
"in his ear": I might think, at the side of his ear; it is, therefore, written (Devarim 15:17) "in his ear and the door," whereby we are apprised that he pierces his ear (with the top of the awl) until it reaches the door.
"and he shall be unto you a servant forever" — the "forever" of Yovel. — But, perhaps, "forever" literally! — It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 25:10) "And each one of you will return to his holding" (at the Yovel). Why, then, is it written "a servant forever"? For I might think that (after his ear is bored) he serves only six years, so that his end (i.e., the end of his servitude) not be graver than his beginning; it is, therefore, written "a servant 'forever'" — even thirty years, even forty, until the Yovel. "and he shall be unto you a servant forever," and, elsewhere, (Vayikra 21:5) "and he shall serve him forever" — not his son and not his daughter — whence it is ruled: A Hebrew man-servant serves the son, but not the daughter. One whose ear was bored and one who was sold to a gentile serves neither the son nor the daughter. Whence is it derived that what is stated here (Devarim) applies there (Vayikra), and what is stated there applies here? From "forever" (Devarim 15:17) - "forever" (Vayikra 21:5), for an identity (gezeirah shavah ).
"and to your maid-servant, too, shall you do thus": to bestow. I might think, also to bore the ear; it is, therefore, written (Shemoth 21:5) "And if the man-servant say, etc." The man-servant, and not the maid-servant.
(דברים טו יז) וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת הַמַּרְצֵעַ, מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַקּוֹץ וְאֶת הַזְּכוּכִית וְאֶת הַקְּרוּמִית שֶׁל קָנֶה? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְלָקַחְתָּ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה. רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: מַרְצֵעַ, מַה מַּרְצֵעַ הַמְיֻחָד מִן הַמַּתֶּכֶת – אַף אֵין לִי אֶלָּא מִן הַמַּתֶּכֶת. מִכָּן הָיָה רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת הֲלָכָה עוֹקֶפֶת הַמִּקְרָא. הַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה (ויקרא יז יג): ״וְשָׁפַךְ אֶת דָּמוֹ וְכִסָּהוּ בֶּעָפָר״, וַהֲלָכָה אָמְרָה: בְּכָל דָּבָר שֶׁמְּגַדֵּל צְמָחִים. הַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה (דברים כד א): ״וְכָתַב לָהּ סֵפֶר כְּרִיתוּת״, וַהֲלָכָה אָמְרָה: בְּכָל דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא בְּתָלוּשׁ. הַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה: בַּמַּרְצֵעַ, וַהֲלָכָה אָמְרָה: בְּכָל דָּבָר. רַבִּי אוֹמֵר (שמות כא ו): ״בַּדֶּלֶת אוֹ בַמְּזוּזָה״ – מְעֻמָּד.
(Devarim 15:17) "Then you shall take the awl and place it": Whence is it derived that also valid for this purpose are thorn, glass, and reed haulm? From "then you shall take" (anything that lends itself to "taking." These are the words of R. Yossi b. R. Yehudah. Rebbi says: Just as an awl is distinct in being of metal, so all that are of metal (may be used).
מַרְצֵעַ, זֶה מַרְצֵעַ גָּדוֹל.
"the awl": This is the large awl.
וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת הַמַּרְצֵעַ, שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות כא ו): ״וְהִגִּישׁוֹ אֲדֹנָיו אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים״, אֵצֶל הַדַּיָּנִים, שֶׁיִּמָּסֵר בַּמּוֹכְרִים.
בַּמַּרְצֵעַ – בְּכָל דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא רוֹשֵׁם.
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: וַהֲלֹא יוּדָן בְּרַבִּי הָיָה דוֹרֵשׁ שֶׁאֵין רוֹצְעִים אֶלָּא בְמִילָת, וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: אֵין כֹּהֵן נִרְצָע, שֶׁמָּא נַעֲשֶׂה בַּעַל מוּם. אִם בְּמִילָת הוּא נִרְצָע, הֵיאַךְ נַעֲשֶׂה בַּעַל מוּם? אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאֵין רוֹצְעִים אֶלָּא בַּגָּבוֹהַּ שֶׁבָּאֹזֶן. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: אַף מִן הַסְּחוּס; שֶׁהָיָה רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: אֵין כֹּהֵן נִרְצָע.
R. Eliezer Yuden Berebbi was wont to expound: The boring is done only in the ear-lap. R. Meir says: in the helix. For a Cohein is not bored in that this would render him "blemished," and if boring were in the ear-lap, how would he be rendered blemished thereby? We are hereby taught that boring is only in the height of the ear.
אָזְנוֹ, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן אָזְנוֹ, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (ויקרא יד יד) אָזְנוֹ, מָה אָזְנוֹ הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן יְמָנִית, אַף אָזְנוֹ הָאָמוּר כָּאן יְמָנִית, בַּגָּבוֹהַּ שֶׁבָּאוֹזֶן.
"his ear": It is written here "his ear," and, elsewhere (in respect to a leper) (Vayikra 14:14) "his ear." Just as there, the right ear (is specified), so, here, the right ear (is intended).
בְּאָזְנוֹ וּבַדֶּלֶת, יָכוֹל בְּצַד אָזְנוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: בְּאָזְנוֹ וּבַדֶּלֶת, מַגִּיד שֶׁנּוֹתֵן בָּאֹזֶן עַד שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ לַדֶּלֶת.
"in his ear": I might think, at the side of his ear; it is, therefore, written (Devarim 15:17) "in his ear and the door," whereby we are apprised that he pierces his ear (with the top of the awl) until it reaches the door.
וְהָיָה לְךָ עֶבֶד עוֹלָם, כָּל יְמֵי עוֹלָמוֹ שֶׁל אָדוֹן, אֲפִלּוּ נִמְכַּר שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וְאַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה לִפְנֵי הַיּוֹבֵל. מִכָּן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: עֶבֶד עִבְרִי עוֹבֵד אֶת הַבֵּן וְאֵינוֹ עוֹבֵד אֶת הַבַּת, נִרְצָע – לֹא אֶת הַבֵּן וְלֹא אֶת הַבַּת. מִנַּיִן לִתֵּן אֶת הָאָמוּר כָּאן לְהַלָּן וְאֶת הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן כָּאן? – תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות כא ו) עוֹלָם עוֹלָם לִגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה.
"and he shall be unto you a servant forever" — the "forever" of Yovel. — But, perhaps, "forever" literally! — It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 25:10) "And each one of you will return to his holding" (at the Yovel). Why, then, is it written "a servant forever"? For I might think that (after his ear is bored) he serves only six years, so that his end (i.e., the end of his servitude) not be graver than his beginning; it is, therefore, written "a servant 'forever'" — even thirty years, even forty, until the Yovel. "and he shall be unto you a servant forever," and, elsewhere, (Vayikra 21:5) "and he shall serve him forever" — not his son and not his daughter — whence it is ruled: A Hebrew man-servant serves the son, but not the daughter. One whose ear was bored and one who was sold to a gentile serves neither the son nor the daughter. Whence is it derived that what is stated here (Devarim) applies there (Vayikra), and what is stated there applies here? From "forever" (Devarim 15:17) - "forever" (Vayikra 21:5), for an identity (gezeirah shavah ).
וְאַף לַאֲמָתְךָ תַּעֲשֶׂה כֵּן – לְהַעֲנִיק. יָכוֹל אַף לָרְצִיעָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות כא ה): ״וְאִם אָמֹר יֹאמַר הָעֶבֶד״, הָעֶבֶד וְלֹא הָאָמָה.
"and to your maid-servant, too, shall you do thus": to bestow. I might think, also to bore the ear; it is, therefore, written (Shemoth 21:5) "And if the man-servant say, etc." The man-servant, and not the maid-servant.