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You are here: Experts > Arts/Humanities > Political Science > Israel/Middle East (News & Politics) > SERVING THE MASTER AT DINNER
Expert: David
Date: 4/2/2008
Subject: SERVING THE MASTER AT DINNER
Question
Hi Dave
Can you confirm if this is true in Jewish/Hebrew tradition please.
I was told that when the master of the house was about to dine his servant would of course set his master's table. Afterwards the servant would disappear. When the master was finished with his meal he would wipe his face and bread with the napkin and leave the table. The servant seeing the ruffled-up napkin his master left on the table indercating the he (the master) would not be coming back to the table. Now the servant would start cleaning up the table.
However, if the servant's master wiped his mouth and bread and then folded-up his napkin. This would indicate that the master would be coming back to the table and the servant would not come out to clean-up the table.
David is this tradition true?
Thank You David
GOD BLESS
Ray M.
Answer
Hi Ray,
To be quite honest, I know of no such tradition. I don't remember seeing anything like that in either the Bible or Talmud. But Jewish law does state that all servants must be treated justly and receive a reasonable wage. Servants were required to be treated as part of the family. This was true regardless of whether he/she was a Jew or Gentile although in Biblical times, Gentile male servants had to be circumcised. And unless he would clearly state that he wished to stay with his master, at the beginning of the seventh year, a servant was required to be set free but not go away empty-handed. In today's standards, this would mean a severance pay.
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