Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Is a worker superior to a talmid chochom?

Berachos (8a) And Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Ami said in the name of Ulla: One who benefits from his hard labor is greater than a God-fearing person, i.e., one who is so enthralled by his fear of God that he sits idly by and does not work. As with regard to a God-fearing person, it is written: “Happy is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly desires His mitzvot” (Psalms 112:1), while with regard to one who benefits from his hard work, it is written: “By the labor of your hands you will live; you are happy and it is good for you” (Psalms 128:2). The Gemara explains this verse to mean that you are happy in this world, and it is good for you in the World-to-Come. And regarding a God-fearing person, happy is the man, is written about him but and it is good for you, is not written about him.
 It seems obvious this is saying  that a parnossah gives a sense of security in Olam Hazeh and this can provide an opportunity for Torah study and mitzvos and thus he also will get Olam Habah while a person without parnossah does not enjoy this world but only has Olam Habah. This is discussed by the Netziv and by Rav Moshe regarding Yissachar Zevulun partnership  It is also obvious that if a person devotes himself exclusively to a job and does not study Torah and do mitzvos he will only have Olam hazeh but not Olam Habah
 Also see Maharsha (Berachos 8a)גדול הנהנה כו'. נראה לפרש ע"פ מ"ש בתענית (כה.) בר"ח בן דוסא דדחיקא ליה מלתא ובעי רחמי ויהבי ליה משמיא חד כרעא דפתורא דדהבא וחזא בחלמא דהוה מחסר ליה האי כרעא בעוה"ב וז"ש גדול הנהנה בעוה"ז מיגיע כפו שאינו מחסר בזה חלקו בעוה"ב כדכתיב ביה וטוב לך יותר מירא שמים דבעי להנות משכר מעשיו בעה"ז כר"ח בן דוסא דבזה מחסר מחלקו בעה"ב וע"כ לא כתיב ביה וטוב לך ועוד יש לכוין בזה לענין הרואה טריפה לעצמו ועי' בפ' אלו טרפות (חולין מד:): 

 Rabbeina (Yona  Avos 2:2)And all [study of the] Torah in the absence of a worldly occupation comes to nothing in the end: Like the matter that they said in our treatise (Avot 3 17), "If there is no flour, there is no Torah." The matter is like its simple understanding - when he neglects work, it brings him to poverty and it drags along several sins and its evil is great. As on account of it, he will 'love gifts and not live,' and flatter people even if they are evildoers, in order that they give to him. Also when the money from the gifts runs out, he will become a thief or a kidnapper (or gambler) and will bring 'home loot taken from the poor' so that he not die of hunger. And when a person reaches these traits, his spirit knows no restraint and he will not rest and not be still until he transgresses all of the commandments that are stated in the Torah, since 'one sin brings along [another] sin.' And about this, the sages said in Tractate Chullin 44b (see also Berakhot 8a), "Anyone who benefits from his toil, the verse states about him (Psalms 128:2), 'If you eat the toil of your hands you shall be happy and it will be good for you' - happy in this world, and good for you in the world (to come)." Therefore it is necessary for a sage to know a craft, as it is stated (Ecclesiastes 7:11), "Good is wisdom with an inheritance."

6 comments:

  1. Rabbeinu Yona - "Also when the
    money from the gifts runs out, he will become a thief or a kidnapper
    (or gambler) and will bring 'home loot taken from the poor' so that he
    not die of hunger. And when a person reaches these traits, his spirit
    knows no restraint and he will not rest and not be still until he
    transgresses all of the commandments that are stated in the Torah, since
    'one sin brings along [another] sin.'"


    This is exactly what the Secular israelis accuse the Hareidim of.

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  2. And so it must be true?!
    Arabs just got a massive grant in the proposed budget but only Chareidim get labeled as parasites - so it must be true?!

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  3. I'm only interested in pure Torah opinions

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  4. Arabs don't choose unemployment and dependency on the state as a way of life.

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  5. Given my experience with all the "talmid chochom" shnorrers who have come to my home over the year, I'll go with the worker being superior.

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  6. Funny thing. I saw this post, went to make the exact same comment as I did two years ago

    ReplyDelete

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