When does an Eved Knani become bar mitzvah, at age 12 like a woman or 13 like a man?
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2Why would not just depend on their gender?– Double AA ♦Commented May 30, 2016 at 3:01
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1@DoubleAA A slave is exempt from time-bound mitzvohs like a women.– AviCommented May 30, 2016 at 3:27
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1So what? [15char]– Double AA ♦Commented May 30, 2016 at 3:55
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The age of mitzvos is not a time bound mitzvah itself, it is a legal status.– sabbahillelCommented May 30, 2016 at 10:29
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1 Answer
Yes of course. the Chiuv mitsvot (duty, legislative responsibility) follows the happening of the daat (faculty of judgment). And the daat is linked with maturity (a step in psycho-physiological development) corresponding to the age of puberty. Naturally, females reach puberty (approximately after the age of 12) earlier than males (approximately after the age of 13). The fact that a human being is a Kenaani slave or a free Jew does not intervene on the process.
An other topic, I do not really come to the question is the unicity of age. I want only to show a Mishna in Sheviit, containing a sobering statement of Rabbi Shim'on (2, 1):
עַד אֵימָתַי חוֹרְשִׁין בִּשְׂדֵה הַלָּבָן עֶרֶב שְׁבִיעִית. עַד שֶׁתִּכְלֶה הַלֵּחָה, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם חוֹרְשִׁים {ב} לִטַּע בַּמִּקְשָׁאוֹת וּבַמִּדְלָעוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, נָתַתָּ תּוֹרַת כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד בְּיָדוֹ, אֶלָּא בִּשְׂדֵה הַלָּבָן עַד הַפֶּסַח, וּבִשְׂדֵה הָאִילָן עַד עֲצֶרֶת:
...You gave to every body his own legislation...
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2After doing a little searching, I found that Reb Elchonon poses this question and doesn't come to a close conclusion.– AviCommented May 30, 2016 at 4:28
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2@Avi the fact is that from the rishonim and early acharonim it is clear that these dates are approximations of stages of maturity. They may or many not replace certain sign of physical maturity. It is not a mere "din" that may be liberally applied. It seems inconceivable that the Rishonim would say anything other than kouty's answer.– mevaqeshCommented May 30, 2016 at 4:39