Monday, July 12, 2010

A reason for destruction: Low salaries for teachers of Torah?

Hello,

"It is written (Yirmiyah 9), 'Who is wise, who will understand this? Why is the land lost? HaShem declared: Because they abandoned the Torah.'

"R' Shimon bar Yochai said: If you see cities uprooted from their places in Israel, know that they did not properly reward teachers of Tanach and Mishnah."

(Midrash, Eichah Rabbah, Petichta 2)

May we soon see the rebuilding of the Beit haMikdash,
Mordechai

5 comments:

  1. Why should anyone accept remuneration for the mitzvah of talmued torah?

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  2. Why should anyone accept remuneration for the mitzvah of talmued torah?

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  3. David-
    Are you familiar with the discussion in Hilchot Talmud Torah 1:7?

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  4. Rabbi- The Rambam is I think alone in his opinion.This not a simple question either halachically or morally and the two are of course connected. IMHO as a reason for the churban this ranks pretty low on the list. Itis certainly trumped by sinat chinam.

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  5. Hi David,
    What gave you the idea the Rambam was alone in this? It's right out of the gemara, and brought in Shulchan Aruchת Yoreh Deah 246:5.

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