Why Not Torah Without M'lacha (Profession)?: Making Torah Study A Full-Time Occupation

(13) He [Hillel] would say, "Spread a name, lose his name. And one who does not increase [knowledge] ceases. And one who does not study is liable to die. And one who makes use of the crown [of learning] passes away."

(2) Rabban Gamliel the son of R' Yehudah HaNasi said: Excellent is the study of the Torah together with a worldly occupation; for the exertion [expended] in both of them causes sin to be forgotten. And all [study of the] Torah in the absence of a worldly occupation comes to nothing in the end and leads to sin. And all who work for the community, let them work for the [sake of the] name of Heaven; for the merit of their ancestors sustains them, And their righteousness (tsidkatam) will endure forever. And as for you [who work for the community, God says:] I credit you with a great reward, as if you [yourselves] had done it [on your own].

"Worldly occupation (derekh erets, literally the way of the world)": A craft or business.

"For the exertion [expended] in both of them causes sin to be forgotten": As Torah [study] dulls the strength of a man and work pulls apart and breaks the body, and as a result of this the evil impulse is rendered idle for him.

"And all [study of the] Torah in the absence of a worldly occupation": And if one might ask, let him work in Torah [study] and its exertion will cause sin to be forgotten, therefore it is required to say, "all [study of the] Torah in the absence of a worldly occupation comes to nothing in the end." As it is impossible for him without food, and [so] he will rob the creatures and forget his study.

"let them work for the [sake of the] name of Heaven": and not in order to take a crown [for themselves], to say, "I did such and such for the community."

(17) R' Elazar ben Azariah says: If there is no Torah, there is no worldly occupation; if there is no worldly occupation, there is no Torah. If there is no wisdom, there is no fear; if there is no fear, there is no wisdom. If there is no understanding, there is no knowledge; if there is no knowledge, there is no understanding. If there is no flour, there is no Torah; if there is no Torah, there is no flour....

... R' Tzadok says: Do not make it [the Torah] into a crown with which to aggrandize yourself, and not into a spade with which to dig into them. And thus Hillel used to say: And one who makes use of the crown [of learning] passes away. From here you learn that any one who benefits from the words of the Torah removes his life from the world.

(5) After I decided not to speak about this testament because it is clear and since, according to my opinion, my words will not please most of the great Torah sages - and perhaps any of them - I went back on my decision and I will speak about it, without paying attention to the earlier or contemporary [rabbis]. Know that that which he said not to make the Torah into a spade with which to dig - meaning to say, do not consider it a tool to live by - he explained and said that anyone who benefits in this world from the honor of Torah removes his life from the world - the explanation of which is, from life in the world to come. Yet people have missed this obvious language and thrown it over the backs. And they have depended upon understandings of the words that they [themselves] did not understand - and I will explain them. And they established rules for themselves upon individuals and upon communities, and they brought people to think in their total foolishness that it is mandatory and fitting that they help the sages and their students and the people involved in Torah, and for whom their Torah [study] is their craft. And this is all a mistake, and nothing is found in the Torah or in the words of the rabbis, may their memory be blessed, that substantiates it or gives it a basis to rest upon at all. As when we look into the words of the rabbis, may their memory be blessed, we do not find among them that they were requesting money from people and they did not collect money for the honored and precious academies, nor for the heads of the exiles, nor for their judges, nor for the promulgators of Torah - not for one of their greats and not for any people of the nation. Rather, we find in each and every generation in all of their communities that there were among [the Torah scholars] poor men of extreme poverty and wealthy men of extreme wealth. And God forbid that I should suspect those generations of not being doers of kindness and givers of charity. As if such a poor man had extended his hand to receive it, they would have filled his house with gold and pearls; but he did not want [it]. Rather he sufficed with [the earnings from] the work in which he engaged - whether comfortably or with duress - and he was loath of what [came from] the hand of people, since the Torah prevented him from it. And you already know that Hillel the Elder was a wood chopper and that he studied in front of Shemaya and Avtalyon and he was extremely poor. And his rank was such that you know that some of his students were compared to Moshe, Aharon and Yehoshua; and the least of his students was Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai. And there is no doubt to the intelligent one that if he had instructed the people of his generation to let him benefit from them, they would not have allowed him to be a wood chopper. And [also] R' Chaninah ben Dosa - about whom a heavenly voice went out and said, "The whole world is only nourished for the sake of my son, Chaninah; and my son, Chaninah, has enough with a kav of carobs from one Shabbat eve to [the next] Shabbat eve" (Ber. 17b) - yet he did not request [anything] from people. And Karna was a judge in the Land of Israel and he was a water drawer. And when litigants would come in front of him, he would say, "Give me someone to draw [the water] in my place or [the wage from] my absence and I will adjudicate for you." And the Jews in that generation were not cruel and were not lacking in doing kindness. And we do not find any sage of the poor sages that reviled the people of his generation for not making them rich - God forbid for them [to have done so]. Rather they believed in God, may He be blessed, and in the Torah of Moshe, through which a person merits life in the world to come. And [so] they did not allow themselves to request money from people. And they saw that taking it was a desecration of [God's] name in the eyes of the masses, because they would think that Torah is a profession from the professions though which a person lives and it will become disgraced in their eyes. And [so] the one that would do this, 'the word of God, he will disgrace.'

...

And so [too, the story that] Rebbi (R' Yehuda Hanasi) opened his storehouses in a year of drought and said, "Anyone who wants to come and take his sustenance, let him come and sustain himself, but only if he is a Torah scholar." And R' Yonatan ben Amram came and stood in front of him and he did not recognize him; he said, "Rebbi, sustain me." He said [back] to him, "Have you read [scripture]?" "No." "Have you studied mishnah?" "No." "[If so], with (in the merit of) what should I sustain you?" He said, "Sustain me like a dog or a raven" - meaning to say, even though there is no wisdom in me, just like God, may He be blessed, sustains the impure animal and the impure bird - as an ignoramus is no less than them. And he gave him. But afterwards he regretted [it], since he had seduced him with his words and he said, "Woe to me, since I benefited an ignoramus from my possessions." And the listeners of what happened to him said to him, "Maybe it was Yonatan ben Amram, your student, who does not want to benefit through the honor of Torah, when he could avoid it - and even with a ruse." And he investigated and found that it was so. And these two stories will silence anyone who disagrees about this matter. The things that the Torah did, however, permit to the Torah scholar are that they should give their money to a man to do business according to his choice and the profit will be all for them, if he wants. And one who does this has a great reward for it - and this is "the one who puts merchandise into the 'pocket' of a Torah scholar." And [also] that their merchandise be sold before all [other] merchandise, and that [things] be purchased for them at the beginning of the market [session]. These are rules that God, may He be blessed, established, [just] like He established the gifts for the priest and the tithes for the Levite - according to that which has been received by tradition. As these two actions are done by some businessmen towards each other by way of honor and even though there is no wisdom [to be honored] - a Torah scholar is worthwhile to be like an honored ignoramus. And the Torah eased the rules upon Torah scholars [regarding] taxes and quartering troops and [taxes] specific to each person, and that is called the poll tax - the community pays it for them. And so [too] with [revenue for] the building of walls and similar to them. And even if a Torah scholar is endowed with money, he is not obligated in anything of all this. ...

"Do not make [the Torah] into a crown with which to aggrandize yourself": such that you should not say, "I will study so that I will be called, 'Rabbi' and that they place me at the head," but rather learn out of love and in the end the honor will come.

"and don't use it as a spade with which to dig": And do not study Torah in order to make from it a craft from which to earn a living, like a spade to dig with. As one that does this misappropriates the sanctity of the Torah and is liable for the death penalty from the Heavens, like one who derives [tangible] benefit form holy things (hekdesh). And teachers of small children receive payment for watching the children so that they will not err and cause damage; and payment for breaking up the cantillation, as a [Torah] teacher is not responsible to exert himself and to teach the students how verses are divided into clauses. But payment for teaching is forbidden to take, as it is written, (Deut. 4:14), "And I did the Lord command at that time to teach you the statutes and the judgments, like the Lord, my God commanded me" - just as I [was taught] for free, so too are you [to be taught] for free. And so [too] is a judge forbidden to take payment for his legal decisions, but rather only for the opportunity cost of his time - the amount that he loses by giving up time from his work to hear the claims of the litigants, and [this is] only if he takes from both of them equally. But if he takes more than this, his decisions are nullified. And that which the Torah permitted the Torah scholar to derive [tangible] benefit from the words of Torah is that he may sell his merchandise in the marketplace before any [other] man, and also that he should be exempt from all taxes, yokes and property assessments. And the public is obligated to even give the poll tax for him. And even if he is wealthy and has much money, he is able to legally request that they exempt him. And if a Torah scholar is sick and suffering from afflictions and people bring many large portions for him out of respect for his Torah, he should accept, and this does not at all constitute benefiting from words of Torah, since it is impossible for him to earn a livelihood otherwise. And so [too] a Torah scholar whom the [community] appoints upon itself [as an] officer or the head of the group and he involves himself in communal needs, may take a reward from them; and even much more payment then he needs for his livelihood, so that his foods should be healthy. And through this, he will be great and feared and awesome in their eyes, as we find with the high priest, about whom it is written, "higher than his brothers" - and the sages expounded (Yoma 18a), "They should make him great from his brothers" -- his brother priests should make him wealthy from their [assets]. And the early sages who abstained from this did so out of piety, not as a matter of law.

(10) Anyone who believes in his heart that occupying oneself with Torah and not working, but supporting oneself with charity, behold, this one desecrates the Divine name, dishonors the Torah, extinguishes the light of faith, brings evil to oneself and forfeits life in the world to come because it is forbidden to benefit from the words of Torah in this world. Our sages say, "All who benefit from the words of Torah forfeit life in the world." And furthermore, they commanded and said, "Do not make a crown to make oneself great and do not make an ax to chop with it." And furthermore they commanded and said, "Love work and hate authority and all Torah that is not accompanied by work in the end will be negated and will lead to sin. Such a person will ultimately steal from others.

(10) Anyone who believes in his mind ... Our master, z"l, opened his mouth and his tongue in commenting on the Mishna, Avot chapter 4, regarding subsidies given to students and teachers, and even though it seems from his words that most of the great Torah sages of that time, or all of them, did that. And here also he follows his same reasoning.
And there he cites a proof from Hillel the Elder (Yoma 35b), who was a wood-cutter and studied. But there is no proof from that example, because that was specifically at the beginning of his studies; because in their times there were thousands and myriads of students, perhaps they gave [subsidies] only to the famous [prominent] among them, or that anyone who was able [to get along] without benefiting [from study] did so. However, when he [Hillel] achieved wisdom and taught knowledge to the people, would you imagine that he [still] chopped wood?
Likewise the example that he cited of R' Hanina ben Dosa (Ber. 17b) is no proof, for if he had wanted to become wealthy, he would not have needed to ask people, but rather Heaven would have provided for him, as is mentioned in Ta'anit (25a). But rather he, z"l, did not want to benefit from this world, and our words apply only to those who do want to benefit from this world except not in a prohibited way.
And Karna (Ket. 105a) who received compensation [for adjudicating cases], for he was an aroma-tester in a wine storage facility, determining which [barrels] were fit to maintain. That work was good and entailed little effort.
And there is no doubt that one whom God, may He be blessed, has graced with the ability to sustain himself from his work is prohibited from taking compensation. And Rav Huna, who was a water drawer, Rashi z"l has already explained that he drew water to irrigate his fields. There is no disgrace in this, and also, according to this, he had real estate and did not need to take compensation....
(11) ... And corresponding to the intent to gain wealth it says [Avot 1:13] "one who makes use of the crown passes away," and here are included all sorts of benefiting from words of Torah. This applies to one who devotes his study from the beginning to these ends, or if he can sustain himself without taking compensation for his study. But if he studies for the sake of heaven but ultimately cannot sustain himself without accepting compensation, it is permitted....
The principle that emerges is that anyone who lacks a means of sustaining himself may accept his compensation for teaching, whether from the students themselves or from the community. And it is likewise permitted to take compensation from the public for judging, or from the litigants, after observing the conditions mentioned in the laws of Sanhedrin. And since God has made all this known to us, one might say that our Master's intent here is that one must not cast off the yoke of work in order to sustain oneself from other people in order to study, but rather one should learn a trade that sustains him; if it suffices for him, well and good, and if not, he may take sufficient from the community, and there is no problem. This is why he wrote, "Anyone who takes it into his mind, etc," and he cited several mishnayot showing that is proper to study a trade. And even if we do not say that this is our Master's view, but rather what appears from his words in his Mishna Commentary, we still have the principle that wherever the halacha is weak [uncertain] in your hands, go according to the practice. And we have seen that all the sages of Israel, before our Master's time and after him were accustomed to take compensation from the public. And even if we affirm that the halacha is according to our Master in the Mishna Commentary, it is possible that all the sages of the generations agreed, based on "A time to act for God, they have overturned Your Torah" (Ps. 119:126), for if sustenance for students and teachers were not available, they could not labor in Torah appropriately, and the Torah would be forgotten, God forbid, and it [sustenance] being available, they can engage, and "He will magnify and glorify Torah." (Isa. 42:21) (rf)

The Sages taught: What is the meaning of that which the verse states: “And you shall gather your grain”? Because it is stated: “This Torah shall not depart from your mouths, [and you shall contemplate in it day and night]” (Josh. 1:8), I might have thought that these matters are to be understood as they are written; Therefore, the verse states: “And you shall gather your grain”; assume in their regard, the way of the world. This is the statement of R' Yishmael. R' Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Is it possible that a person plows in the plowing season and sows in the sowing season and harvests in the harvest season and threshes in the threshing season and winnows in the windy season; what will become of Torah? Rather, when Israel performs God’s will, their work is performed by others, as it is stated: “And strangers will stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners will be your plowmen and your vinedressers” (Isa. 61:5). When Israel does not perform God’s will, their work is performed by them themselves, as it is stated: “And you shall gather your grain,” and moreover, others’ work will also be performed by them, as it is stated: “You shall serve your enemy, etc.” (Deut. 28:48). Abaye said: many have acted in accordance with R' Yishmael, and were successful in . Many have acted in accordance with R' Shimon ben Yoḥai and were not successful.

R' Levi observed: Come and see how acceptable was the mediation of the mandrakes before the One Who spoke and the world came into being, for through these mandrakes there arose two gret tribes in Israel, Yissachar and Z'vulun. Yissachar sat and studied Torah while Z'vulun went out to sea and came and placed [food] in Yissachar's mouth, and so the Torah spread in Israel; thus it is written, "The mandrakes give forth fragrance." (Song. 7:14).
"And Leah said: God has given me my reward, etc., and she called his name Yissachar." (Gen. 30:18). Yissachar was the ninth of the tribes, yet he offered [his sacrifices] the second after the king [i.e., Yehudah], as it says, "On the second day, Netanel the son of Zoar, prince of Yissachar, offered." (Num. 7:18) This was because he was learned in the Torah, as it is written, "And of the children of Yissachar, men that had understanding of the times, etc." (I Chron. 12:33). What does "of the times" mean? R' Tanhuma said, of the seasons; R' Yosi ben Keitzari said: of intercalation. "The heads of them were 200." (ibid.) Yissachar produced 200 heads of Sanhedrin. "And all their brothers were at their commandment" (ibid.): All their brothers agreed to the halacha as they stated it, and he instructed them as though it were a halacha to Moshe on Sinai.
Whence all this greatness to Yissachar? From Z'vulun, who engaged in his trade and fed Yissachar, who was devoted to the Torah; thus it is written, "Z'vulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea." (Gen. 49:13). And when Moshe came to bless the tribes, he gave precedence to the blessing of Z'vulun over that of Yissachar: "Rejoice Z'vulun in your going out, and Yissachar in your tents" (Deut. 33:18), meaning, because Yissachar is in your tents. And some say "There is reward [yesh sachar] in Z'vulun's tents. [based on Soncino]

(5) "each day's ration in its day": for the day and the morrow, e.g., on Friday, for Friday and Sabbath. R. Eliezer Hamoda'i says: So that one not gather for the day and the morrow, e.g., on Friday for Sabbath. "each day's ration in its day": He who created the day created its sustenance — whence R. Eliezer Hamodai was wont to say: Whoever has what to eat today and says "What will I eat tomorrow?" is lacking in faith. (Ibid. 4) "so that I may try them, whether or not they will walk in My law": From here R. Shimon b. Yochai was wont to say: Torah was given to be expounded only by the eaters of manna, as with one who sits and expounds without knowing whence he will eat and drink and whence he will clothe and cover himself. Torah was given to be expounded only by the eaters of manna, and, second to them, the eaters of terumah (i.e., Cohanim).

REMA: ... For it is forbidden to derive benefit from words of Torah, and any Torah that does not have work along with it, it attracts sin and he winds up robbing people. And all of this applies to one who is healthy and can engage in his work or in a profession a little and provide for his livelihood. However, an elder or a sick person is permitted to derive benefit from his Torah such that they will provide for him. And some say that it is permitted even for a healthy person. And therefore the practice in all Jewish communities has been that the Rav of the city has an income and provisions from the other people of the city, so that he will not have to engage in work in front of other people, so that the Torah becomes degraded in front of the multitude. And [this applies] specifically to the sage who needs it, but for a wealthy person it is prohibited. And some are more lenient, saying that it is permitted for a sage and his students to accept subsidies from those who donate in order to strengthen the hands of those who study Torah, since in this manner they can engage in Torah in affluence. Nevertheless, one who is able to provide for himself well from the work of his own hands and to engage in Torah, it is a pious quality and a gift of God, but this is not the nature of all persons, for it is impossible for everyone to engage in Torah and to become wise in it and to provide for himself by himself.... (rf)