Learning Torah for a Living

(18) And of Zebulun he said:
Rejoice, O Zebulun, on your journeys,
And Issachar, in your tents. (19) They invite their kin to the mountain,
Where they offer sacrifices of success.
For they draw from the riches of the sea
And the hidden hoards of the sand.

(2) שמח זבולן בצאתך ויששכר באהליך REJOICE, ZEBULUN. IN THY GOING OUT, AND, ISSACHAR, IN THY TENTS — Zebulun and Issachar entered into a partnership: Zebulun dwelt at the harbour of ships and went out in ships to trade; he made profit and used to provide food for Issachar who sat at home and occupied themselves with the Torah. Consequently he mentioned Zebulun before Issachar (although the latter was the elder) because Issachar’s knowledge of Torah was due to Zebulun (Genesis Rabbah 99:9).

(2) "Rejoice Zevulun in your going forth": For Zevulun was a broker, and he would take of his brothers and sell them to the Canaanites; and from the Cananites, and sell them to his brothers.

(3) "and Yissachar in your tents (of Torah)." We are hereby taught that the tribe of Yissachar was eminent in Torah, viz. (I Chronicles 12:33) "And from the sons of Yissachar, knowers of understanding for the times."

REJOICE, ZEBULUN, IN THY GOING OUT. To war. Similarly Zebulun is a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death (Jud. 5:18).

לחוף ימים TOWARDS THE COASTS OF THE SEAS — (לחוף is the same as על חוף): by the shore of the seas will be his land. הוף means “border” as Onkelos has it; old French marche; English border. [והוא לחוף אניות] means he will constantly be at the haven of ships — the port — whither the ships bring merchandise. For Zebulun was engaged in business and provided food for the tribe of Issachar whilst these engaged in the study of the Torah. It is to this that Moses alludes, (Deuteronomy 33:18) “Rejoice Zebulun in thy going out. and Issachar in thy tents”, — Zebulun goes forth to trade and Issachar studies the Torah in the tents (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayechi 11; cf. Rashi on Genesis ישב אהלים 25:27)

Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea (Gen. 49:13). Zebulun was mentioned before Issachar even though Issachar was the elder. Why? Zebulun was engaged in commercial activity, while Issachar devoted himself to the study of the Torah, and they had agreed that Zebulun’s earnings would be shared by Issachar. That is why Moses blessed them: Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out, and Issachar in thy tents (Deut. 33:18). Rejoice, Zebulun, in going about to do business, for Issachar is in your tents studying the Torah. Why should he rejoice? Because the Torah is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is everyone that holdeth her fast (Prov. 3:8). Therefore Zebulun preceded Issachar. If it had not been for Zebulun, Issachar could not have studied the Torah. Since Issachar engaged exclusively in the study of the Torah, and was not concerned with business nor did any kind of work, it is written about him: And the children of Issachar, men that had understanding of the times (I Chron. 12:33).

Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah said: Where there is no Torah, there is no right conduct; where there is no right conduct, there is no Torah. Where there is no wisdom, there is no fear of God; where there is no fear of God, there is no wisdom. Where there is no understanding, there is no knowledge; where there is no knowledge, there is no understanding. Where there is no bread, there is no Torah; where there is no Torah, there is no bread.

Rabbi Zadok said: do not make them a crown for self-exaltation, nor a spade with which to dig. So too Hillel used to say, “And he that puts the crown to his own use shall perish.” Thus you have learned, anyone who derives worldly benefit from the words of the Torah, removes his life from the world.

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] Rabbi 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" (Berakhot 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.' However the ones that drew strength to disagree with the truth and with simple and obvious verses by taking people's money - whether voluntarily or against their will - were misled by stories that are found in the Gemara about people that [were disabled] or elderly, having come up in days, such that it was impossible for them to do work. As there was no strategy for them [to survive] except for the taking of money from others. And if not, what would they do - should they die? And the Torah did not command this. And you will find that the story that they bring as a proof (Bava Metzia 84b) when they said 'she was like merchant ships, from far does she bring her bread,' is about [someone disabled] who was not able to do work. But with the ability [to do work], the Torah does not create [such] a path. And Rabbi Yosef would carry wood from place to place and would say, "(Beautiful) [Great] is work, as it heats up its master" - meaning to say with the effort of his limbs. Since by carrying the heavy wood, he would heat up his body without a doubt. And he would praise this and be happy with it. And he derived pleasure from that which God, may He be blessed, apportioned to him, that which was for him from the virtues of sufficing. And I have heard the crazy and confused ones base themselves on the proof that they bring from their saying (Berakhot 10b), "One who seeks to benefit, let him benefit like Elisha; and one who does not seek to benefit, let him not benefit like Shmuel from Rama." And this is not at all similar to what they are bringing. Rather, for me, it is a great mistake to bring a proof from it, as it is clear and there is no room for a person to make a mistake in it. As Elisha did not take money from people - all the more so did he not request [it] from them and establish rules for them, God forbid. Instead, he would only take honor when someone gave him lodging when he passed by, to be in his home. And he would eat his bread on that night or on that day and he would return to his affairs. But Shmuel would not enter the home of a person and would not eat from any man. And about something like this the sages, may their memory be blessed, said that if a Torah scholar wants to emulate this to the point that he not enter the house of [any] person, that right is in his hand. But if he wants to lodge with people in his passing by them for the needs of [his] travel expenses, that right is [also] in his hand. As they already warned about eating [as a guest of] any man when it is not necessary. And they said (Pesachim 49a), "A Torah scholar that proliferates his meal in every place, etc." And they [also] said, "It is forbidden for a Torah scholar to benefit from any meal that is not [pertinent] to a commandment." And why should I write at length about this matter. Instead, I will mention a story which elucidates it in the Gemara (Nedarim 62a). And it is that a [certain] man had a vineyard in which thieves would enter. And each time he would see them on each day he [would] find his fruit lessening progressively. And he did not have a doubt that one of the thieves put his eye upon it. And [so], he was pained by this all the days of the harvest until he harvested what [was left for him to] harvest. And he put them out to dry until they dried and he gathered in the raisins. And the way of people when they gather dried fruit is that a few individual figs or grapes would fall. And it is permissible to eat them because they are ownerless and the owners already left them for their finders due to their small quantity. And Rabbi Tarfon came one day to that vineyard by chance and he sat and took from the raisins that fell and ate them. And the owner of the field thought that this was the thief that stole from him the whole year - and he did not recognize [Rabbi Tarfon] but had heard of him. And [so] he immediately took him and overpowered him and placed him in a sack and placed him on his back to throw him into the river. And when Rabbi Tarfon saw this, he yelled out and said, "Woe to Tarfon, for this man is killing him." And when the owner of the vineyard heard, he left him and ran away, knowing that he had sinned a great sin. But Rabbi Tarfon was distressed from that day onwards all of his days and he mourned about that which happened to him, as he saved himself through the honor of the Torah, while he was very rich and could have said, "Leave me and I will give you such and such gold coins." And he could have given them to him and he did not need to inform him that that he was Rabbi Tarfon. And [that way] he would have saved himself with his money and not with Torah. And they said, "All the days of that righteous man, he was distressed over this matter, saying, 'Woe is me, for I made use of the crown of Torah'" - as anyone who use the crown of Torah does not have a share in the world to come and is uprooted from the world. And they said about this, "It was since Rabbi Tarfon was very rich, and he should have appeased him with money." And so [too, the story that] Rebbi (Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi) 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 Rabbi Yochanan 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. And Rabbi Yosef Halevi, may his memory be blessed, already instructed a man in a certain place who had gardens and orchards and was obligated to pay thousands of gold coins [in taxes] on their account - and he said that he would be exempted from giving anything on their account from all that we have mentioned, since he was a Torah scholar. And [this is so] although even a poor man in Israel would give this tax. And this is a law of the Torah, [just] like the Torah exempted the priests from the half shekel [that even the poor had to pay] - as we have elucidated in its place - and that which is similar to it.

(10) Anyone who comes to the conclusion that he should involve himself in Torah study without doing work and derive his livelihood from charity, desecrates [God's] name,1In Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah, Chapter 5, and Hilchot Teshuvah 1:4, the Rambam mentions the severity of the sin of desecrating God's name. dishonors the Torah, extinguishes the light of faith, brings evil upon himself, and forfeits the life of the world to come, for it is forbidden to derive benefit from the words of Torah in this world.2See the commentary on Chapter 1, Halachah 7, which quotes the Rambam's commentary on Avot at length, strongly decrying the deriving of material benefit from one's Torah knowledge.
These convictions are also expressed in Hilchot Matnot Ani'yim 10:18, which states:
Even a dignified Sage who becomes poor should work in a profession, even a degrading profession, rather than seek public assistance. It is better to skin the hides of dead animals than to tell the people, "I am a Sage, support me."Our greatest Sages were wood-choppers, porters, water-drawers... They did not ask anything from the public and refused to accept anything that was given to them.
The Kessef Mishneh takes issue with the Rambam's statements and states that there is no prohibition against a Torah Sage receiving support from others. Though the Rambam quotes many examples of sages who performed simple labors to earn their livelihood, the Kessef Mishneh explains how none of them can be taken to be conclusive proof of the Rambam's position.
For example, the Rambam quotes Yoma 35b, which relates how Hillel would do simple work to earn his sustenance. The Kessef Mishneh explains that the Talmud's statements about Hillel were made before his greatness was appreciated. There is no proof that he continued working as a common laborer afterwards.
The practice of taking payment for Torah study has its source in Tosafot, Ketubot 106a, which relates that individuals who give up the opportunity to earn their livelihood in other professions so that they can teach Torah or serve as judges are able to receive remuneration, because, in essence, they are not receiving payment for their Torah, but for their time.
The Kessef Mishneh concludes:
It is possible to explain that our master's intention is that a person should not cast off the yoke of labor in order to receive his livelihood from others in order to study. Rather, first, he should learn a profession with which he can sustain himself. If that is sufficient for him, it is good. If not, he may receive his livelihood from the community...Even if this is not our master's intention, as apparent from his Commentary on the Mishnah, whenever one is in doubt about the halachah, one should follow the custom. We have seen all the Sages of Israel, both before and after our master, accepting their livelihood from the community.Furthermore, even if the halachah followed our master..., it is possible that all the sages of the [previous] generations agreed to do so because...if the livelihood of the scholars and the teachers were not available, they would not be able to labor in Torah as is fitting, and the Torah would be forgotten, Heaven forbid. Since it is available, they are able to study, "and Torah is magnified and becomes stronger."
These ideas are quoted as halachah by the Shulchan Aruch and the Ramah (Yoreh De'ah 246:5). It must be noted that even the Rambam (Chapter 6, Halachah 10, Commentary on the Mishnah, ibid.,Hilchot De'ot 6:2) allows a person to give a sage money to invest, or to afford him other benefits in commerce and trade.
Our Sages declared:3Avot 4:5. "Whoever benefits from the words of Torah forfeits his life in the world."4The Kessef Mishneh quoted above refers to the Rambam's commentary on this Mishnah. Major portions of the Rambam's statements are cited in our commentary on Chapter 1, Halachah 7. Also, they commanded and declared:5Avot, ibid. The Rambam reverses the order of the statements in the Mishnah, perhaps, because the first clause is more explicit. Alternatively, because chronologically, Hillel, the author of the latter clause, preceded Rabbi Tzadok, the author of the former. "Do not make them a crown to magnify oneself,6a source of honor, nor an axe to chop with."7i.e., a means of deriving a livelihood. Also, they commanded and declared:8Avot 1:10. "Love work and despise Rabbinic positions."9In his commentary on that Mishnah, the Rambam writes: "Without work, it will be difficult for him for him, and he will steal and cheat. Seeking positions of honor will bring about challenges."
Similarly, Avot 2:2 teaches: All Torah that is not accompanied by work will eventually be negated and lead to sin.10That Mishnah begins: "Torah is beautiful when accompanied by work." Ultimately, such a person will steal from others.11The commentaries cite Kiddushin 29a: "Whoever does not teach his son a profession is as if he taught him to steal," as the source for the Rambam's statements.

Every Jewish man is obligated in studying Torah, whether poor or rich, whether completely healthy or suffering, whether young or very old. Even a poor man who frequents doorways (to beg) and even one with a wife and children is obligated to set a time for himself to study Torah, by day or by night, as it says, "And you shall meditate in it day and night." (And in a pressing time, even if he only read Shem"a in the morning or evening, it is called "It shall not be moved..." (HG"M 1 & SM"G Asin 12). And one that it is impossible for him to learn because he does not know how to at all or because of troubles that he has, should support others who study. Haga"h:

And it will be considered for him as if he learned himself (Tur) And a person is able to make a condition with his friend, that he will study Torah and he will support him, and he will split the reward with him. But if he already toiled in Torah, he is unable to sell him his portion for the money he will give to him. (TA"V? path 2 from Bavli Sotah)