Monday, August 12, 2013

Hillel's commitment to labor?

Hi,

"They say regarding Hillel the Elder that he would work each day and earn a tarpeik [I don't know the proper Roman name corresponding to this talmudic term]. With half he would pay the guard at the study hall, and with half he would support himself and his household."

(Talmud, Yoma 35b)

"Before he would go to the study hall, he would go earn money, to fulfill the lesson we have learned, 'Any Torah which is with labor will endure. That which is without labor will not endure.' Also, he needed to earn this in order to pay the guard at the study hall."

(Maharsha, Chiddushei Aggadot to Yoma 35b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

2 comments:

  1. If Hillel wouldn't have had to pay to enter the bet midrash would he have still worked for the extra parnassa or spent more time on limmud Torah?

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  2. David-
    Based on Maharsha, I could go either way.

    ReplyDelete