One Above and Seven Below The Meaning of Toil

The fact is that this very issue is a subject of an intense debate between two Tannaic scholars,
Rabbi Yishmael ben Alisha and Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai as recorded in the Talmud:1
The Rabbis taught: And you shall gather your grain harvest.2 What does this teach us? In
accordance to the verse, “This Torah scroll shall not budge from your mouth”, 3 I would
assume these words to be accepted [literally] as written. This teaching (verse) tells us: “And
you shall gather your grain harvest”, behave in the manner that is the way of the earth (i.e.,
engage in lucrative occupations for sustenance). Such are the words of Rabbi Yishmael.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says: It is possible for a man to [be ceaselessly occupied, to] plow
at the plowing time, to plant at the planting time, to reap at the reaping time, to thresh at the
threshing time, to winnow at the winnowing time[, etc. If so,] what will be with [his study
of] Torah? Rather, at a time when [the nation of] Israel fulfills the will of G-d, their tasks are
performed by others as it states, “And foreigners will stand and graze your flocks…”4 and at
a time when [the nation of] Israel does not fulfill the will of G-d, they perform their own
tasks as it states “And you shall gather your grain harvest”. What’s more, the tasks of others
will be performed by them as it states, “And you shall serve your enemies…”5
This debate is one of the most central themes of chareidi ideology as it illustrates the opinions
of two of the foremost Talmudic sages as to how to prioritize our lives. Our problem is that, at
this point, we face conflicting opinions. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai maintains that the
individual is enjoined to devote all of his energies toward Torah study and to forsake any
other endeavor. Rabbi Yishmael maintains that it is expected for the individual to look after
his personal needs at the inevitable expense of full-time uninterrupted study – akin to the well
known adage, “Yaffa Torah im derech eretz”. And we are torn – what’s a body to do?
Thankfully, three Amoraic scholars step in to referee:6
Abaye says: Many have attempted to follow the opinion of Rabbi Yishmael and have
succeeded, and many have attempted to follow the opinion of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai and
have not succeeded.7
Rava said to his disciples: I beg of you on the ordinary days of Nissan and the ordinary days
of Tishrei not to appear before me so that you should not be distracted throughout the year
by your needs for sustenance.8
Rabba bar bar Chana said that Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda b”r Eloyi:
Come and observe that the earlier generations are not like the later generations. The earlier
generations made their Torah study regular and their tasks erratic. [As a result] both
1
Talmud Bavli Berachot 35b

2
Deuteronomy 11:14

3
Joshua 1:8

4
Isaiah 61:5

5
Deuteronomy 28:48

6
Talmud Bavli Ibid

7
For those readers who are psychology students and may be familiar with the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type
Indicator) system of personality typing, it may be of interest to note that in order to be successful in the style of
Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai it is all but imperative that one must be predisposed to the N (Intuitive) characteristic
versus the S (Sensory) characteristic. Statistical analysis has shown that the percentage of the general population
that favors the N type is only 24% versus 76% for the S type – less than 1 out of 4. In the broader picture, it would
seem that the Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai personality would call for an (E or I)NTJ typology which further reduces
the percentage to under 10%.

8
Nissan was the time of wheat harvest and Tishrei was the time for pressing grapes and olives. As such, the
producers of these commodities needed additional manpower for these seasonal tasks. It was customary for the
scholars to hire themselves for these temporary jobs and the earnings would provide for them during the remaining
months so they would be free to study.

© Yechezkel Hirshman 2007-9

One Above and Seven Below The Meaning of Toil

endeavors flourished. The later generations who made their tasks regular and their Torah
study erratic, both endeavors failed to flourish.
The common denominator seems to be that all these sages concur that while Rabbi Shimon
ben Yochai may be idealistically correct, the common man is not capable of attaining such
perfection. What remains is a spiritually weaker level of man for whom the primary pursuit in
life is Torah study, however, due to his chronic affliction of ‘physical need’, this pursuit must
be supplemented with regular doses of derech eretz - “the way of the land” (what I call
‘occupational therapy’) - once every six months or as needed.

© Yechezkel Hirshman 2007-9