RABBI
PINTO TEACHINGS
Question 23
Topic:
Pandemic, Livelihood.
“Dear
Rabbi, should we be going out to work or wait until the pandemic ends?”
Answer 23:
A person
can't remain home with financial obligations on their shoulders. Everyone must
continue in their occupation, whether they are laymen Torah scholars or people
who combine work with daily Torah study.
However,
one must be true to themselves as to what they should be doing. There are many
who wear the title of Torah scholar, but are insincere in their study and are
only in that environment to take advantage of the benefits that come by being
associated to the Torah. The Torah has been turned into a metaphorical
"shovel" to draw benefit from society through the respect and good
that comes to Torah scholars.
Those who
dedicate themselves solely to Torah study have their place and so to those that
combine Torah with work, all the while keeping the Torah the essence of their
lives. Great men like Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar (goldsmith) and Rabbi Yochanan
Hasandlar (shoemaker)-of the Talmud- held jobs while focusing themselves on
their Torah study. They would work just enough to run their households.
Whichever
category a person stands in, they must invest dedicated effort to fulfill their
financial responsibilities. Yes, the times may be particularly difficult with
many jobless and others transitioned to different job sectors, but one must
have it etched in their minds that sustenance comes from God, and God only.
Man's obligation is only to invest the effort. A person can invest themselves
in one area with little result, but find blessing and success in another area
with relatively little effort. God requires that we toil, but He provide the
result, through the means He sees most fit for that person.
Regarding
the value of Torah scholars, the Talmud recounts that Rabbi Yochanan
relinquished enormous wealth to be freed of the accompanying worries and focus
on Torah study. His students pitied him, but he explained that he had given up
something (material wealth) which was created in six days (the six days of
creation) for the Torah, which was transmitted to Moses over forty days.
Before he
became the great Torah sage, Rabbi Yochanan and his colleague, Ilfa decided to
go into commerce. On the way to their first business affair, they entered a
dilapidated building which was haunted by spirits. The spirits attempted to
harm the sages but refrained because it was revealed to them that Rabbi
Yochanan would one day become a great sage.
Rabbi
Yochanan heard their conversation, realized his life's mission was in Torah and
decided to accept it. He thus revealed his love for the Torah and was lauded by
his contemporaries with the verse in Song of Songs 8:7, "for love (of
Torah), man gave up all his household possessions;" Rabbi Yochanan gave up
all his wealth for his love of the Torah.
Torah
scholars who share Rabbi Yochanan's love and dedication to Torah should continue
on. Those, however, that only take advantage of the benefits that come with the
Torah should reexamine their objectives.
By Rabbi
Pinto.
Permission
granted by the Instagram/Telegram administrator to the Journal Mitzvah.
The
President of Rabbinical Court of Morocco.
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