A Jewish man has a child with his Canaanite maid-servant. What is the status of the child?
The child of a Jewish man and a Canaanite maid-servant follows the mother's status and is born a slave. This is a unique case where the child's status follows the lower parent.
Question 2
May a master assign excruciating (crushing) labor to a Canaanite slave?
The Rambam rules that while excruciating labor is forbidden for Hebrew servants, it is technically permitted for Canaanite slaves — the Torah makes an explicit distinction between the two categories.
Question 3
Why should a woman not purchase male slaves?
The Rambam rules that a woman should not purchase male slaves, even minors, due to the prohibition of yichud (seclusion between men and women not permitted to be alone together).
Question 4
When a gentile purchases another gentile as a slave, what does he acquire?
The Rambam rules that when a gentile purchases a gentile slave, he acquires only the labor rights, not the physical person. This is different from a Jewish master's acquisition of a Canaanite slave.
Question 5
What does the Rambam say a person of good character should do even when the law permits harsh treatment of a Canaanite slave?
The Rambam closes Hilchot Avadim with a powerful ethical statement: even where the law permits hard treatment, a person of good character and wisdom is compassionate and generous. Cruelty marks ignoble lineage, not the children of Avraham.