The antidote to objectification

“If a master beats his servant and causes the damage of a tooth, eye, or limb, then the servant must immediately be released.” (Shemot 21:26-27)

The Netziv, Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (1816 to 1893), asks why the Torah goes to such an extent to obligate that a servant be freed if the value of the servitude sometimes exceeds the value of the damage caused.

The Netziv reveals that the Torah teaches us a fundamental lesson about objectification. A master who can beat his slave sees the slave no differently to an object, and thus loses his right to retain any mastery over them.

Thankfully in most parts of the world, slavery no longer exists, although the Torah’s lesson about objectification still rings true.

Many of us are still enslaved by the trap of objectification.

We may “beat” ourselves or others up when we fail, or view ourselves or others as cogs in society, unworthy of respect and existence if we don’t function perfectly.

The antidote to objectification is found in the message the Torah has for the ultimate proclamation of objectification – a slave that chooses to enslave themselves forever.

The Torah says:

“The slave shall be brought to the door or the doorpost, and their master shall pierce their ear with an awl, and the slave shall then remain their master’s slave for life.” (Shemot 21:6)

The Rabbeinu Bahaya (Rabbi Bahya ben Asher (1255 to 1340)), questions the significance of piercing the ear of a slave on a door. He provides the following powerful insight:

The Hebrew word “delet” (door) is a reference to the Hebrew letter daled in the word “echad” (one). “Listen Israel … Hashem echad.” Piercing the ear of the slave on a door is a reminder to the slave that they have forgotten to listen to their true self, to remember never to objectify themselves, that they are intrinsically free because of their connection to their inner G-dliness, the undefinable self.

“And Hashem formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7)

The Torah is teaching us that to be freed from objectification, we need to recognise that who we are isn’t based only on our external appearance, successes or failure, and that we and others deserve basic love and respect by virtue of our inner G-dly soul.

The more a person becomes aware that they aren’t cogs in the machine of society and that at their core, they are a G-dly, expansive, undefinable soul, the less they will fall into the trap of objectification and the more they will be able to access true freedom.