If a master sells his Canaanite slave to a gentile, what is the legal result?
Selling a slave to a gentile automatically frees the slave. The Rambam rules that the court compels the original master to provide a bill of release so the slave can marry a free Jewish woman.
Question 2
What happens to a slave when his master in Eretz Yisrael sells him to someone in the diaspora?
A slave sold to a diaspora master from Eretz Yisrael is freed. Jews are obligated to live in Eretz Yisrael, and moving a slave out of the Land is equivalent to surrendering him — the slave goes free.
Question 3
A slave flees from the diaspora to Eretz Yisrael. What is the halacha?
The Rambam rules that a slave who flees to Eretz Yisrael is not returned. He is treated as a righteous convert, and the Torah's specific warning 'do not return him' protects his freedom.
Question 4
If a master declares his slave 'ownerless' (hefker), what happens?
Declaring a slave ownerless (hefker) frees him. The Rambam rules that a bill of release must be written afterward so he can marry freely, but the hefker itself constitutes the manumission.
Question 5
Is it permitted to teach a Canaanite slave Torah?
The Rambam rules explicitly that it is forbidden to teach a Canaanite slave Torah. This is not merely a custom — it is a formal prohibition.