daf bit: Kiddushin 22
The torah teaches that a slave who will not leave his master at the
end of his time of service is to be taken to the city gate, where his
ear is bored through with an awl. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai asks: why
is the ear singled out? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, said:
"this ear heard my voice on Mount Sinai when I proclaimed 'unto
me the children of Israel are servants', yet this man went and acquired
a master for himself!". And Rabbi Shimon ben Rabbi asked: why the
doorpost? Becuase the Holy One, blessed be He, said "the door and
doorpost were witnesses when I passed over the lintel in Egypt and
proclaimed 'the children of Israel are my servants', yet this man
acquired a master for himself!".
