Deuteronomy 15:16 — 17, “But if your servant says to you, ‘I do not want to leave you,’ because he loves you and your household and is well off with you, then take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he will become your servant for life. And treat your maidservant the same way.” While most will focus on the piercing of the ear, where this takes place is very significant. The door is the entrance of the home, it is a place where people are greeted and establish an agreement. It is also where there is a separation between family and community, public and private. The door or a gate is where you get a glimpse of what is on the other side and make the choice to pass through it or not.