שבת Date: 8 Shevat, 5777 (2/4/17) – Bava Basra Daf 13 ~ Eliezer Guterman

CHERISHED CHAINS

[13a bottom] Beis Hillel agrees with Beis Shammai: If someone is half slave and half free-man (he was jointly owned by two men, and one of them set him free), he cannot marry a Canaanite slavewoman (as his free side is a freeman, who is forbidden to marry a slavewoman) and he cannot marry a regular Jewish girl (who cannot be with his slave half). Since, “The world was not created by G-d to be empty; it was created to be populated,” we force his remaining master to free his slave half as well [and we have the slave write for the master a document stating that he owes the master the rest of his value].

D-E-ep Thoughts: True FREEDOM means being able to choose independently. Most people incorrectly assume that following laws are ‘restrictive.’ By overpowering lusts and desires we become unshackled to be able to serve our Creator without restrictions. Living a life of Holiness and clinging to G-dliness is the truest form of freedom we can attain.

Today’s P.I.P. (Put Into Practice) TIP: The next time the evil inclination prompts to get excited about something improper, imagine breaking free from its tight chains and declaring, “I am FREE from you and Choose willingly to be super-spiritual right now instead!”