Matir Asurim - Freeing the Prisoner

For T'ruah, Boston Workers Circle, and Kavod learning, May 21, 2023. For better formatting, go here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pUrTp_ydW2WW51HS2nV0BzWHfJDjyNy1knABZ0yFIao/edit?usp=sharing

ויקרא כ״ד:י״א-י״ב

(יא) וַ֠יִּקֹּ֠ב בֶּן־הָֽאִשָּׁ֨ה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֤ית אֶת־הַשֵּׁם֙ וַיְקַלֵּ֔ל וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ אֹת֖וֹ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וְשֵׁ֥ם אִמּ֛וֹ שְׁלֹמִ֥ית בַּת־דִּבְרִ֖י לְמַטֵּה־דָֽן׃ (יב) וַיַּנִּיחֻ֖הוּ בַּמִּשְׁמָ֑ר לִפְרֹ֥שׁ לָהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}

Leviticus 24:11-12

(11) The son of the Israelite woman pronounced the Name in blasphemy, and he was brought to Moses—now his mother’s name was Shelomith daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan— (12) and he was placed in custody, until the decision of יהוה should be made clear to them.

This passage is one of the few places in Torah (or the whole Bible) that refers to incarceration. Why might that be so? What are other options for punishing a wrongdoer (whether in Jewish tradition or elsewhere)? What are other options for holding people accountable for their actions? What are other options for allowing people make teshuvah for their mistakes? What does this passage suggest about the Torah's vision for the world?

תהילים קמ״ו:ה׳-ט׳

(ה) אַשְׁרֵ֗י שֶׁ֤אֵ֣ל יַעֲקֹ֣ב בְּעֶזְר֑וֹ שִׂ֝בְר֗וֹ עַל־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָֽיו׃ (ו) עֹשֶׂ֤ה ׀ שָׁ֘מַ֤יִם וָאָ֗רֶץ אֶת־הַיָּ֥ם וְאֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֑ם הַשֹּׁמֵ֖ר אֱמֶ֣ת לְעוֹלָֽם׃ (ז) עֹשֶׂ֤ה מִשְׁפָּ֨ט ׀ לָעֲשׁוּקִ֗ים נֹתֵ֣ן לֶ֭חֶם לָרְעֵבִ֑ים יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה מַתִּ֥יר אֲסוּרִֽים׃ (ח) יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ פֹּ֘קֵ֤חַ עִוְרִ֗ים יְ֭הֹוָה זֹקֵ֣ף כְּפוּפִ֑ים יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה אֹהֵ֥ב צַדִּיקִֽים׃ (ט) יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ שֹׁ֘מֵ֤ר אֶת־גֵּרִ֗ים יָת֣וֹם וְאַלְמָנָ֣ה יְעוֹדֵ֑ד וְדֶ֖רֶךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים יְעַוֵּֽת׃

Psalms 146:5-9

(5) Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
whose hope is in the LORD his God, (6) maker of heaven and earth,
the sea and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever; (7) who secures justice for those who are wronged,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free; (8) The LORD restores sight to the blind;
the LORD makes those who are bent stand straight;
the LORD loves the righteous; (9) The LORD watches over the stranger;
He gives courage to the orphan and widow,
but makes the path of the wicked tortuous.

These attributes of God are among those that we see throughout the prayer book (in the Morning Blessings, in Nishmat Kol Hai, in the Amidah, etc.). Why are these particular attributes repeated so often? What do they say about the kind of world the Torah envisions? What is the difference between "making the path of the wicked tortuous" and "punishing the wicked"? How might this inform our vision of "criminal" justice?

ישעיהו מ״ב:ה׳-ז׳

(ה) כֹּה־אָמַ֞ר הָאֵ֣ל ׀ יְהֹוָ֗ה בּוֹרֵ֤א הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְנ֣וֹטֵיהֶ֔ם רֹקַ֥ע הָאָ֖רֶץ וְצֶאֱצָאֶ֑יהָ נֹתֵ֤ן נְשָׁמָה֙ לָעָ֣ם עָלֶ֔יהָ וְר֖וּחַ לַהֹלְכִ֥ים בָּֽהּ׃ (ו) אֲנִ֧י יְהֹוָ֛ה קְרָאתִ֥יךָֽ בְצֶ֖דֶק וְאַחְזֵ֣ק בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְאֶצׇּרְךָ֗ וְאֶתֶּנְךָ֛ לִבְרִ֥ית עָ֖ם לְא֥וֹר גּוֹיִֽם׃ (ז) לִפְקֹ֖חַ עֵינַ֣יִם עִוְר֑וֹת לְהוֹצִ֤יא מִמַּסְגֵּר֙ אַסִּ֔יר מִבֵּ֥ית כֶּ֖לֶא יֹ֥שְׁבֵי חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

Isaiah 42:5-7

(5) Thus said the ETERNAL God,
Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread out the earth and what it brings forth,
Who gave breath to the people upon it
And life to those who walk thereon: (6) I GOD, in My grace, have summoned you,
And I have grasped you by the hand.
I created you, and appointed you
A covenant people, a light of nations — (7) Opening eyes deprived of light,
Rescuing prisoners from confinement,
From the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

These verses are the beginning of the Haftarah for Parashat Bereishit--the stories of the creation of the world and of all humanity. Why does Isaiah (and, by extension, do the rabbis) link Israel's specific mission to a statement of God's creation of the entire world? Why are the tasks in verse 7 the ones that take precedence over all others? What does this say about Isaiah's vision for the world we live in? How does it inform our attitude towards incarceration?

משנה תורה, הלכות מתנות עניים ח׳:י׳

(י) פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים קוֹדֵם לְפַרְנָסַת עֲנִיִּים וְלִכְסוּתָן. וְאֵין לְךָ מִצְוָה גְּדוֹלָה כְּפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים שֶׁהַשָּׁבוּי הֲרֵי הוּא בִּכְלַל הָרְעֵבִים וְהַצְּמֵאִים וַעֲרוּמִּים וְעוֹמֵד בְּסַכָּנַת נְפָשׁוֹת. וְהַמַּעֲלִים עֵינָיו מִפִּדְיוֹנוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה עוֹבֵר עַל (דברים טו ז) "לֹא תְאַמֵּץ אֶת לְבָבְךָ וְלֹא תִקְפֹּץ אֶת יָדְךָ" וְעַל (ויקרא יט טז) "לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ" וְעַל (ויקרא כה נג) "לֹא יִרְדֶּנּוּ בְּפֶרֶךְ לְעֵינֶיךָ". וּבִטֵּל מִצְוַת (דברים טו ח) (דברים טו יא) "פָתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת יָדְךָ לוֹ". וּמִצְוַת (ויקרא כה לו) "וְחֵי אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ". (ויקרא יט יח) "וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ". (משלי כד יא) "וְהַצֵּל לְקֻחִים לַמָּוֶת" וְהַרְבֵּה דְּבָרִים כָּאֵלּוּ. וְאֵין לְךָ מִצְוָה רַבָּה כְּפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִים:

Mishneh Torah, Gifts to the Poor 8:10

(10) The redemption of captives receives priority over sustaining the poor and providing them with clothing. [Indeed,] there is no greater mitzvah than the redemption of captives. For a captive is among those who are hungry, thirsty, and unclothed and he is in mortal peril. If someone pays no attention to his redemption, he violates the negative commandments: "Do not harden your heart or close your hand" (Deuteronomy 15:7 , "Do not stand by when the blood of your neighbor is in danger" (Leviticus 19:16 , and "He shall not oppress him with exhausting work in your presence" (ibid. 25:53). And he has negated the observance of the positive commandments: "You shall certainly open up your hand to him" (Deuteronomy 15:8 , "And your brother shall live with you" (ibid. 19:18), "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18 , "Save those who are taken for death" (Proverbs 24:11 , and many other decrees of this nature. There is no mitzvah as great as the redemption of captives.

This source, along with the others on this sheet, are for your future reference and ongoing study. I will just mention here that Maimonides seems to be following Isaiah in proclaiming that redeeming the captive is the greatest mitzvah, although he is more explicitly following Baba Batra 8b and Jeremiah (see below). One question I have is to what degree we can equate matir asurim (freeing the prisoner--Isaiah's language) with pidyon shevuyim (redeeming captives--Baba Batra's and Jeremiah's language). Is there, for example, a sense in which a "prisoner" is somehow responsible for some offense while a "captive" is a blameless victim? If so, why would Isaiah and the Psalmist focus on the prisoner rather than the captive?

בבא בתרא ח׳ ב:א׳-ד׳

פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִם מִצְוָה רַבָּה הִיא אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי מְנַָא הָא מִילְּתָא דַאֲמוּר רַבָּנַן דְּפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִם מִצְוָה רַבָּה הִיא אֲמַר לֵיהּ דִּכְתִיב וְהָיָה כִּי יֹאמְרוּ אֵלֶיךָ אָנָה נֵצֵא וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ אֲשֶׁר לַמָּוֶת לַמָּוֶת וַאֲשֶׁר לַחֶרֶב לַחֶרֶב וַאֲשֶׁר לָרָעָב לָרָעָב וַאֲשֶׁר לַשְּׁבִי לַשֶּׁבִי וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן כׇּל הַמְאוּחָר בְּפָסוּק זֶה קָשֶׁה מֵחֲבֵירוֹ חֶרֶב קָשָׁה מִמָּוֶת אִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא וְאִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא אִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא הַאי קָא מִינַּוַּול וְהַאי לָא קָא מִינַּוַּול וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא יָקָר בְּעֵינֵי ה׳ הַמָּוְתָה לַחֲסִידָיו רָעָב קָשֶׁה מֵחֶרֶב אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא הַאי קָא מִצְטַעַר וְהַאי לָא קָא מִצְטַעַר אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא טוֹבִים הָיוּ חַלְלֵי חֶרֶב מֵחַלְלֵי רָעָב שֶׁבִי [קָשֶׁה מִכּוּלָּם] דְּכוּלְּהוּ אִיתַנְהוּ בֵּיהּ:

Bava Batra 8b:1-4

that redeeming captives is a great mitzva. Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: Concerning this matter that the Sages stated, that redeeming captives is a great mitzva, from where is it derived? Rabba bar Mari said to him: As it is written: “And it shall come to pass, when they say to you: To where shall we depart? Then you shall tell them: So says the Lord: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for famine, to famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity” (Jeremiah 15:2). And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Whichever punishment is written later in this verse is more severe than the one before it. Rabbi Yoḥanan explains: The sword is worse than death. If you wish, say that this is learned from a verse; if you wish, say instead that it is derived by way of logical reasoning. If you wish, say that this is derived by way of logical reasoning: This punishment, i.e., death by sword, mutilates the body, but that punishment, i.e., natural death, does not mutilate it. And if you wish, say that the fact that the sword is worse than death is learned from a verse: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His pious ones” (Psalms 116:15). Famine is worse than the sword. If you wish, say that this is derived by way of logical reasoning: This one, who dies of famine, suffers greatly before departing from this world, but that one, who dies by the sword, does not suffer. If you wish, say instead that the fact that famine is worse than the sword is learned from a verse: “More fortunate were the victims of the sword than the victims of famine” (Lamentations 4:9). And captivity is worse than all of them, as it includes all of them, i.e., famine, the sword, and death.

ירמיהו ט״ו:ב׳

(ב) וְהָיָ֛ה כִּי־יֹאמְר֥וּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ אָ֣נָה נֵצֵ֑א וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר לַמָּ֤וֶת לַמָּ֙וֶת֙ וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר לַחֶ֙רֶב֙ לַחֶ֔רֶב וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר לָרָעָב֙ לָרָעָ֔ב וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר לַשְּׁבִ֖י לַשֶּֽׁבִי׃

Jeremiah 15:2

(2) And if they ask you, ‘To what shall we go forth?’ answer them, ‘Thus said GOD:
Those destined for the plague, to the plague;
Those destined for the sword, to the sword;
Those destined for famine, to famine;
Those destined for captivity, to captivity.

ברכות נ״ד ב:י״ב

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: אַרְבָּעָה צְרִיכִין לְהוֹדוֹת: יוֹרְדֵי הַיָּם, הוֹלְכֵי מִדְבָּרוֹת, וּמִי שֶׁהָיָה חוֹלֶה וְנִתְרַפֵּא, וּמִי שֶׁהָיָה חָבוּשׁ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים וְיָצָא.

Berakhot 54b:12

Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: Four must offer thanks to God with a thanks-offering and a special blessing. They are: Seafarers, those who walk in the desert, and one who was ill and recovered, and one who was incarcerated in prison and went out. All of these appear in the verses of a psalm (Psalms 107).

תהילים ק״ז:ח׳-י׳

(ח) יוֹד֣וּ לַיהֹוָ֣ה חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו לִבְנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ (ט) כִּֽי־הִ֭שְׂבִּיעַ נֶ֣פֶשׁ שֹׁקֵקָ֑ה וְנֶ֥פֶשׁ רְ֝עֵבָ֗ה מִלֵּא־טֽוֹב׃ (י) יֹ֭שְׁבֵי חֹ֣שֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָ֑וֶת אֲסִירֵ֖י עֳנִ֣י וּבַרְזֶֽל׃

Psalms 107:8-10

(8) Let them praise the LORD for His steadfast love,
His wondrous deeds for mankind; (9) for He has satisfied the thirsty,
filled the hungry with all good things.
(10) Some lived in deepest darkness,
bound in cruel irons,