To what extent were the rabbis of the Midrash and Talmud aware of, paid attention to, or were in dialogue with members of professional guilds? And to what extent did this awareness or interaction impact on their understanding of the Jewish tradition (e.g., their perception of God or the purpose of the commandments)? Unsurprisingly, the array of Jewish sources lend themselves to a complex perspective:*
- Source #1: Firstly, there is a romanticised view of Jewish communal life that is organised by the professional guilds (see Tosefta Sukkah below). Implied in this view is the notion that the sacredness of the synagogue is not diminished even when it is used for the mundane purpose of supporting the careers of tradespeople.
- Source #2 and #3: The rabbis also demonstrate an intimate awareness of various trades and use this knowledge to describe God (see Bereshit Rabbah and Talmud Yerushalmi below).
- Source #4: And finally, there is an admittedly elitist streak among some rabbis who seem to view those working in various professions as inadequately committed to the Jewish tradition (see Kohelet Rabbah below). However, it is unclear to what extent the rabbis as a class are comfortable with this view. Other rabbis are known to vigorously oppose this perspective and praise individuals who work in all areas of trade.
*Based on Hirshman, M. (2017). The Rabbis, Trade Guilds, and Midrash. In M. B. A. Siegal, T. Novik & C. Hayes (Eds.) The faces of Torah: Studies in the texts and contexts of ancient Judaism in honor of Steven Fraade. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht (pp. 351-358).
(ד) [אמר רבי יהודה כל שלא ראה בדפלסכיון של אלכסנדריא של מצרים לא ראה כבוד לישראל מימיו כמין בסלקי גדולה היתה סטיו לפנים מסטיו פעמים היה שם כפלים כיוצאי מצרים ושבעים ואחת קתדראות של זהב היו שם כנגד ע' וא' זקן כל אחת מעשרים וחמש ריבוא ובימה של עץ באמצע וחזן הכנסת עומד והסודרין בידו החל לקרות והלה מניף בסודרין והיו עונין אמן על כל ברכה וברכה ולא היו יושבין מעורבבין אלא זהביים בפני עצמן וכספיים בפני עצמן וגרדיים בפני עצמן וטרסיים בפני עצמן ונפחיים בפני עצמן וכל כך למה כדי שיהא אכסניא בא ונטפל לאומנתו ומשם פרנסה יוצאה].
(4) Rabbi Yehudah said: Whoever has not seen the basilica-synagogue of Alexandria has never seen the great glory of Israel. It is something like a large colonnade, with porches within porches, and accommodating sometimes double the number of those that followed Moses from Egypt. There were seventy-one golden chairs there, corresponding to the seventy-one elders, and each of the chairs was worth twenty-five myriad talents of gold. In the center was a wooden dais, and the sexton stood upon it with a scarf (as a flag) in his hand. At the close of each benediction he waved the scarf, and all the people answered “Amen”. The people were not seated together, but the goldsmiths were by themselves, the blacksmiths by themselves, the embroiderers by themselves, so that when a poor man came in he joined his fellow tradesmen, and in this way was enabled to obtain a means of livelihood.
(ג) כְּתִיב יהוה צַדִּיק יִבְחָן וְרָשָׁע וְאֹהֵב חָמָס שָׂנְאָה נַפְשׁוֹ (תהלים יא, ה): אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן הַיּוֹצֵר הַזֶּה אֵינוֹ בּוֹדֵק קַנְקַנִּים מְרוֹעָעִים, שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַסְפִּיק לָקוּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם אַחַת עַד שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹבְרָם, וּמִי הוּא בּוֹדֵק בְּקַנְקַנִּים יָפִים, אֲפִלּוּ מֵקִישׁ עֲלֵיהֶם כַּמָּה פְעָמִים אֵינָם נִשְׁבָּרִים, כָּךְ אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְנַסֶּה אֶת הָרְשָׁעִים אֶלָּא אֶת הַצַּדִּיקִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יהוה צַדִּיק יִבְחָן, וּכְתִיב (בראשית כב, א): וְהָאֱלֹהִים נִסָּה אֶת אַבְרָהָם, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן חֲנִינָה הַפִּשְׁתָּנִי הַזֶּה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַפִּשְׁתָּן שֶׁלּוֹ יָפָה כָּל שֶׁהוּא כּוֹתְשָׁהּ הִיא מִשְׁתַּבַּחַת וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁהוּא מַקִּישׁ עָלֶיהָ הִיא מִשְׁתַּמֶּנֶת, וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַפִּשְׁתָּן שֶׁלּוֹ רָעָה, אֵינוֹ מַסְפִּיק לָקוּשׁ עָלֶיהָ אַחַת עַד שֶׁהִיא פּוֹקַעַת, כָּךְ אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְנַסֶּה אֶת הָרְשָׁעִים אֶלָּא אֶת הַצַּדִּיקִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יהוה צַדִּיק יִבְחָן, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר מָשָׁל לְבַעַל הַבַּיִת שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ שְׁתֵּי פָּרוֹת אַחַת כֹּחָהּ יָפֶה וְאַחַת כֹּחָהּ רַע, עַל מִי הוּא נוֹתֵן אֶת הָעֹל לֹא עַל זֹאת שֶׁכֹּחָהּ יָפֶה, כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְנַסֶּה אֶת הַצַּדִּיקִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יהוה צַדִּיק יִבְחָן, יהוה צַדִּיק יִבְחָן זֶה נֹחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֹּאמֶר יהוה לְנֹחַ. כִּי אֹתְךָ רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק לְפָנַי...
It is written “God will test the righteous [but] the wicked and the one who loves violence is utterly loathed” (Psalms 11:5). Rabbi Yonatan said, this potter does not test weak jugs which cannot withstand even one knock lest he breaks them. But one who inspects well-crafted jugs can knock them many times without breaking them. So too, the Holy One blessed be He does not test the wicked but the righteous. As it says “God will test the righteous.” And it is written "And God tested Abraham" (Genesis 22:1). Rabbi Yose bar Chaninah said, This flax merchant, when he knows that his flax is of good quality, he beats it and it improves and thickens. But when it is of poor quality, it only takes but one knock and it splits. So too, the Holy One blessed be He does not test the wicked but the righteous. As it says “God will test the righteous.” Rabbi Elazar said, consider it a parable like a homeowner who had two cows, one who was strong and the other one was weak. Upon whom does he place the yoke? Upon the strong one. So too, the Holy One blessed be He does not test the wicked but the righteous. As it says “God will test the righteous.” [Another interpretation:] “God will test the righteous.” This is Noah. As it is says “And God said to Noah, for I have seen you to be righteous in this generation…” (Genesis 7:1).
רִבִּי קְרִיסְפָּא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. לְשֶׁעָבַר אֶלֶּא מֽוֹעֲדֵ֣י יְי. מִיכָּן וָאֵילַךְ אֲשֶׁר־תִִּקְרְא֥וּ אוֹתָם. אָמַר רִבִּי אִילָא. אִם קְרִיתֶם אוֹתָם הֵם מוֹעֲדַיי. וְאִם לָאו אֵינָן מוֹעֲדַיי. אָמַר רִבִּי סִימוֹן. כָּתוּב רַבּ֤וֹת עָשִׂ֨יתָ ׀ אַתָּ֤ה יְי אֱלֹהַיי נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתֶיךָ אֵ֫לֵ֥ינוּ. לְשֶׁעָבַר רַבּ֤וֹת עָשִׂ֨יתָ. מִיּכָּן וְהֵילַךְ נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתֶיךָ אֵ֫לֵ֥ינוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי לֵוִי. לַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ אוּרְלוֹגִין. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָמַד בְּנוֹ מְסָרָהּ לוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵה בַּר חֲנִינָה. לַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ שׁוֹמֵרָה. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָמַד בְּנוֹ מְסָרָהּ לוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי אָחָא. לַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ טַבַּעַת. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָמַד בְּנוֹ מְסָרָהּ לוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי חִייָה בַּר בָּא. לְנַגָּר שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ כְלֵי נַגָּרוּת. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָמַד בְּנוֹ מְסָרָהּ לוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק. לַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ אוֹצָרוֹת כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָמַד בְּנוֹ מְסָרָם לוֹ. וְרַבָּנִן אָֽמְרֵי. לְרוֹפֵא שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ נַרְתִּיק שֶׁלְרְפוּאוֹת. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָמַד בְּנוֹ מְסָרָהּ לוֹ.
Rebbi Crispus in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: In the past, the festive times of the Eternal, from then and onwards which You shall declare. Rebbi Ila said, if you declare them they are My festive times, otherwise they are not My festive times. Rebbi Simon said, it is written, great things You did, You, Eternal my God, Your wonders and intentions regarding us. In the past, great things You did; from then onwards, Your wonders and intentions regarding us. Rebbi Levi said, a parable of a king who had a watch; when his son came of age, he handed it to him. Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina said, a parable of a king who had a watch-box; when his son came of age, he handed it to him. Rebbi Aḥa said, a parable of a king who had a ring; when his son came of age, he handed it to him. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said, a parable of a carpenter who had carpenter’s tools; when his son came of age, he handed them to him. Rebbi Isaac said, a parable of a king who had treasures; when his son came of age, he handed them to him. But the rabbis say, a parable of a healer who had a box of medicines; when his son came of age, he handed it to him.
(א) מַה יִּתְרוֹן הָעוֹשֶׂה וגו',
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רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ הֲוָה לָעֵי בְּאוֹרָיְיתָא כָּל צָרְכֵּיהּ בַּהֲדָא אֱלִיסַס דִּטְבֶרְיָא, וַהֲוָה פַּיְילָדָה נָהֵיג מְעַתֵּיד לֵיהּ חַד מַשְׁקוֹיֵי דְמַיִם בְּכָל יוֹם, וַהֲוָה עָלֵיל מְשַׁלְהֵי מְשַׁלְהֵי וְנָסֵיב בֵּיהּ וְשָׁתֵי לֵיהּ, חַד זְמַן עָל וִיתֵיב גַּבֵּיהּ וַעֲבֵיד עִמֵּיהּ אֲוִיר קַלִּיל, אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי, נָהוֹר אַתְּ דַּהֲוֵינָא אֲנָא וְאַתְּ אָזְלִין לִכְנִשְׁתָּא כַּחֲדָא, אַתְּ זְכֵית וְהַהוּא גַבְרָא לָא זָכֵי, צַלֵּי עֲלַי דְּיֶהֱוֵי חוּלָקִי עִמָּךְ לְעַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וּמַה נְּצַלֵּי עֲלָךְ דְּנֶהֱוֵי לָךְ, דְּאָתֵת עִם בְּנֵי אוּמָּנוּתָךְ, דְּכָל אֵינָשׁ וְאֵינָשׁ לָא מַשְׁרִין אֶלָּא עִם בַּעֲלֵי אוּמָנוּתֵיהּ.
(1) “What is the advantage of one who works, in that he toils?” (Ecclesiastes 3:9).
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Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish was toiling in Torah study to the fullest extent in the forest* [alt.: glassworks] of Tiberias. There was a potter there who would prepare him a vessel of drinking water each day. [Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish] would enter very tired, and take it and drink it. One time, [the potter] entered and sat with him and fanned him lightly. He said to him: ‘Rabbi, do you remember that you and I would go to the synagogue together? You merited and this man did not merit. Pray for me that my portion will be with you in the World to Come.’ He said to him: ‘What will I pray for you that you should have it? You will come with people whose actions are like yours. Each and every person is situated only with those whose actions are like his.’