Doorposts as a Place of Decision

I've become very intrigued by the symbol of the DOORPOST in the Torah, for it appears to be a symbol of both freedom and servitude. At the doorpost (during the Ten Plagues), we mark our doorpost so that the angel of death will pass over us. At the doorpost (both outside and inside a dwelling) we are to fix a mezzuzah, which contains a passage of Torah scroll which contains a promise to God. And now, in this week's Torah portion, (Mishpatim; Exodus 21:9-24:15) we learn that this is where a slave who doesn't want to be free must proclaim his loyalty and servitude to his master while standing under a doorpost.

From the second paragraph of Exodus 21:5-6, we read that:

"If a slave declares, 'I love my master, and my wife, and my children: I do not wish to go free', his master shall take him before God. He shall be brought to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall remain a slave for life"

At first I took a modern look at this, envisioning the door as a portal to another world: an entry to a different place. Images of Doctor Strange come to mind! Walking through doorways is a potent symbol; you pass though a doorway, and you are changed; it's a transition. Give that interpretation, it makes sense that a doorway or a doorpost would be a good place to take an oath, with the location adding meaning to the oath.

I was just struck by the fact that doorways have a very serious quality about them: they can lead to good places or bad places; they they symbolize change and transition. So of course, what does this tell us about comics? That the use of the doorway and the doorpost is very potent imagery.

We tend to laugh when we read of another form of Biblical oath-taking: holding the cajones of the oath-taker while uttering a promise (that will make any man suddenly serious), but doorway imagery is very potent. In fact, if you ever want to represent change, or moving to a different place (in all its possibilities and variations) think about doorways and doorposts.

Ya got that...y'awl?