Koheles (09:09) Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of the life of your vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all the days of your vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun.
Maharal (Arachin 16b): A man should not change from the traditional occupation of his family because that is where he will be must successful. Our Sages (Sanhedrin 81a) described a man’s occupation “his wife” and stated that interfering with another’s livelihood is comparable to being involved with another man’s wife. Therefore they prohibited interfering with another’s livelihood since it is as unique to him as his wife. Furthermore just as a son has a unique relationship with his father he has a unique relationship with the occupation of his father since it is referred to as the wife of his father. Therefore a person should not change from the traditional occupation of his family…
Koheles Rabbah (09:08) ENJOY LIFE WITH THE WIFE WHOM THOU LOVEST (IX, 9). Rabbi [Judah ha-Nasi] said in the name of the holy brotherhood: Acquire a handicraft for yourself together with Torah.2 What is the reason [for this teaching]? ENJOY LIFE WITH THE WIFE WHOM THOU LOVEST. Why does he call them ' the holy brotherhood’? Because it included R. Jose b. Meshullam and R. Simeon b. Menasia who used to divide the day into three parts-a third for Torah, a third for prayer, and a third for work. Others declare that they labored in the Torah throughout the winter and in their work throughout the summer. R. Isaac b. Eleazar used to call R. Joshua b. R. Timi and R. Borkai ‘a holy brotherhood’, because they divided the day into three parts--a third for Torah, a third for prayer, and a third for work.
Rashi (Kesubos 5a) ללמדו אומנות - מצוה הוא דכתיב (קהלת ט׳:ט׳) ראה חיים עם אשה אשר אהבת למוד אומנות שתחיה הימנו עם התורה ואמרינן בקידושין (דף כט.) שאביו חייב ללמדו אומנות:
Rashi (Koheles 09:09) See life with the wife you love. See and understand to learn a skill by which to earn a livelihood, together with Torah study that you possess. That is your lot to be sustained in This World and the next. Because the struggle in both of them causes sin to be forgotten
Sanhedrin (81a) Neither hath defiled his neighbor's wife, indicating that he did not competitively enter his neighbor's profession; neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, meaning that he did not benefit from the charity fund.
Kiddushin (30b) ‘To teach him a craft.’ Whence do we know it? — Said Hezekiah: Scripture saith, See to a livelihood with the wife whom thou lovest. If ‘wife’ is literal, this teaches just as the father is bound to take a wife for him, so is he bound to teach him a craft for a livelihood; if it is a metaphor for Torah, then just as he is bound to teach him Torah, so is he bound to teach him a craft.‘And some say, He must teach him to swim in water too. What is the reason? — His life may depend on it.
That's why we were taught in medical school that Medicine is a jealous mistress. Now it makes sense.
ReplyDeletePerhaps they are alluding to some kind of Patent law? Or is it anti-competition? However, they do not seem to have thought through the argument very well - the traditional business might be wool, but that could also be the neighbour's business, so you are still competing with him.
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