Avodas Perech: Gender Identity and Self-Definition in Egyptian Slavery

Rabbi Zweig explores the concept of Avodas Perech in the enslavement of the Jewish people in Egypt, presenting two interpretations of why Pharaoh commanded men to do women's work and women to do men's work. He first mentions a psychological approach he previously taught: that switching gender roles confuses sexual identity, reducing the desire for intimacy and procreation. He compares this to the story of Cham either emasculating or sodomizing Noah—both acts aimed at preventing future children, one physically and one psychologically. The shiur then pivots to a new interpretation based on the prohibition "lo sa'avod bo avodas perech" regarding Jewish slaves. The Torah (תורה) forbids making a slave do work you don't need—not because you don't own his time, but because purposeless work is purely about control and domination. When work produces no benefit, it becomes a statement: "You are a slave." This destroys a person's self-esteem and sense of humanity. Avodas Perech means work that breaks a person emotionally by stripping away any sense of fulfillment or accomplishment.