Mishnah
Mishnah

Chasidut for Pirkei Avot 2:2

רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הַנָּשִׂיא אוֹמֵר, יָפֶה תַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה עִם דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, שֶׁיְּגִיעַת שְׁנֵיהֶם מְשַׁכַּחַת עָוֹן. וְכָל תּוֹרָה שֶׁאֵין עִמָּהּ מְלָאכָה, סוֹפָהּ בְּטֵלָה וְגוֹרֶרֶת עָוֹן. וְכָל הָעֲמֵלִים עִם הַצִּבּוּר, יִהְיוּ עֲמֵלִים עִמָּהֶם לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁזְּכוּת אֲבוֹתָם מְסַיַּעְתָּן וְצִדְקָתָם עוֹמֶדֶת לָעַד. וְאַתֶּם, מַעֲלֶה אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה כְּאִלּוּ עֲשִׂיתֶם:

R. Gamliel, the son of R. Yehudah Hanassi says: Torah study is "becoming" with derech eretz [labor or business], for the toil of both causes sin to be forgotten. [For the Torah attenuates a man's strength and labor breaks the body, and, as a result, the evil inclination departs from him. And if you would ask: If so, let him toil in Torah always and its toil would banish sin. Why, then, is labor needed? It, therefore, must be stated:] And all Torah without labor is lost in the end and foments sin. [For one cannot live without a livelihood and his end will be to rob men, and his learning will be forgotten.] And all who toil with the congregation, let them toil with them for the sake of Heaven. For the merit of their [the congregation's] fathers and their righteousness (which) stands forever, [and not the exertions of the toilers] will help them, [the toilers, to bring their righteousness to light.] And you, [the toilers], I will bestow great reward upon you, as if you had done it. [Even though this good was effected not through your deeds, but through the merit of the fathers of the congregation, I will bestow reward upon you as if you had wrought this great salvation in Israel, since you toil for the sake of Heaven. Alternately: all who toil with the congregation to compel them to (the performance of) a mitzvah — to charity or the redemption of captives — let them do so for the sake of Heaven. For the merit of the fathers of the congregation will help them give what they (the toilers) impose upon them — even great wealth. And the charity that they (the congregation) do will stand for them forever. And you who compel the congregation towards this mitzvah — I shall bestow reward upon you as if you had performed the mitzvah with your very wealth. And Rambam explains: "And I will bestow upon you reward as if you had done them" — If in your toil with the congregation, you have omitted the performance of a certain mitzvah, I will bestow reward upon you as if you had performed that mitzvah.]

Chovat HaTalmidim

This is the matter about which we must warn you the most. We know very well that you will be careful even on your own against the inciters who explicitly want to push you away, God forbid, from the path of God, to the nethermost pit, the dark place of the other side, God forbid. Their words will be like a stinging fire and like the slings of arrows to you; so you will certainly keep your distance from them and anyone associated with them. Rather we must warn you strenuously about the hypocrites. They will come to you with the guise of innocence, saying, "We also fear the God of our fathers and we serve Him just like you. However this too is the will of God now at this time, that we compromise a little. You have already studied Torah. Now you should study a craft or business." And they will even have the temerity to use our holy words and say, "Even the Mishnah says (Avot 2:2), "It is good for the Torah to be with the way of the world (derekh eretz, usually understood as work)." And they will even seduce you to compromise about divine service by saying, "The times have changed, and we no longer need to be so particular about all of the commandments and Jewish practices and keep so much distance from murkiness, as we did in the past" - and that which is similar to this. And you should not argue or fight with them. Rather answer your words to them in your heart: "If what you are saying is true that times have changed, they have only changed for the worse. Earlier, even the businessman and the craftsman served God. But now, in almost all cases, as soon as the youth leave the yeshiva to do business or work a trade, they fall into the nethermost pit. Do you want to murder me too, to burn my pure soul in the fire of Gehinnom, and to throw my body - the pure young dove - into the cauldron of boiling dung? I will not listen to you! Under no circumstances will I agree to you! I will grab onto the Sefer Torah in which God resides and hug Him - as it were - through it with both of my arms. And I will not release it so long as my soul is within me.
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