The Talmudic sages held labour in great honour.

R' Samson Raphael Hirsch

 

164      JUDAISM ETERNAL

 

The Talmudic sages held labour in great honour. Their principle was: "Great is work, for it honours him who does it." They said : "Skin a dead animal in the street to earn your bread, but do not say, ' I am a priest, a great man, it is not fitting for me' ." "Live on the Sabbath as on a weekday, but do not be dependent on others.'" "Hire yourself out to do work that would otherwise be repulsive to you, and remain independent of others."
 

The sages of the Talmud held wisdom and learning in too high esteem to degrade it by making it, as they said, a spade to dig with." They themselves taught without payment, and most of them worked for their living, in handicraft, agriculture or trade. They taught that others should do the same. As it is a father's duty to instruct his son in the religious laws, so it is his duty to teach him a trade."

 

According to one view any respectable occupation was on a par with handicraft; according to another it was in any case necessary to teach the son a handicraft, even if he was to pursue some other calling, because only a handicraft was a sure means of livelihood.  A son should be taught a trade that would keep him as far as possible from temptation, and which would also leave him some leisure for study." He should not be taught a trade that will bring him in contact with women.
 

Handicraft, work with one's hands, was especially esteemed. All handicrafts are permanently useful, happy is he who is skilled in one." There may be famine for seven years, but it will not find the door of an artisan;" Love work and do not seek high place.' The God-fearing man who lives by the work of his hands is doubly well off; he is happy in this life and in the next. 
 

Agriculture also was very highly regarded, though some, it is true, preferred business. One of the Rabbis passed a field where the ears of grain seemed to nod to him and greet him. " Nod as much as you like," he said jestingly, " a good stroke of business is better than dealing with you." But the general opinion was different. A man who has no field, it was taught, is no man, for it says : "God gave the earth to the children