פירוש על אבות 4:5

ONE WHO STUDIES IN ORDER TO TEACH. “To teach” does not mean to the exclusion of actually doing, for of such a one “G-d says, Why should you speak of my laws?” (Psalms 50:16).¹⁴⁵The verse there discusses a wicked person. Cf. what I write below in the name of Kesef Mishne.

Rabbi (Shimon, his son,) [the editor said that the text in front of us is Yishmael] says: One who studies Torah in order to teach: The explanation is not, God forbid, that this is speaking about studying in order to teach and not to do - since such a one is given into his hand neither to learn nor to teach. Rather it is in order to do [according to] that which is forbidden and that which is permissible, and not to toil and look into it much; (rather) [as maybe] he will find something forbidden in the permissible things. Instead, he takes things according to their simple meaning. Because of that, he will only "be given the opportunity" according to his thought, [which is] to study and to teach.

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 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.

"To teach, etc": This is not so as to deduce [that the mishnah means], "to teach" but not to observe - 'for to a man who has such things,' 'says the Lord, "What is it to you that you should recount my statutes?"'

"One who studies Torah in order to teach will be given the opportunity both to study and to teach": is the textual variant that we have. And this is its explanation: one who studies in order to always be involved in Torah study and does not have in mind to do kindness with the creations - like Rabbah (Rosh Hashanah 18a), who was involved in Torah study and was not involved with doing kindness - even though he needs to be involved in doing kindness, nonetheless he is afforded [the time] to teach and to learn and [so] his plan will be fulfilled. "But the one who studies in order to observe" who wants to be involved in Torah study and to also be doing kindness - like Abbaye (Ibid.) who was involved in Torah study and in doing kindness - is afforded [the time] to fulfill his plan and he will merit "to study, to teach, to observe, and to practice." And there are some commentaries that [understand], "One who studies in order to teach," [to mean] in order to be called Rabbi, and they have the textual variant, "he is not given the opportunity to study and teach." But in most books, I have found the first variant, and it is the main one.

Introduction part one Since this mishnah is really two mishnayoth, I will treat each piece separately. Rabbi Ishmael of this mishnah is the son of Rabbi Yochanan ben Baroka. He was a student of those rabbis who founded the yeshiva in Yavneh after the destruction of the Temple. Rabbi Ishmael his son said: He who learns in order to teach, it is granted to him to study and to teach; But he who learns in order to practice, it is granted to him to learn and to teach and to practice. Rabbi Zadok said: do not make them a crown for self-exaltation, nor a spade with which to dig. So to 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. Although one who learns Torah only in order to teach is not really learning for “the sake of heaven”, he is nevertheless rewarded by God, by having the opportunity to learn and teach. However, one who learns in order to practice, which is an even higher commitment, is rewarded by even having the opportunity to practice the commandments. Note again that this mishnah considers the performance of the commandments a reward unto those who perform them. In other words, the one who learns, teaches and studies is rewarded not with material wealth or with other promises, but with the opportunity to continue to perform these commandments. He will not be persecuted by the ruling authorities, which would and did prevent many people from learning Torah throughout Jewish history. Introduction section two Rabbi Zadok lived before the destruction of the Temple. According to legend he fasted for forty years before the destruction, praying that the Temple should not be destroyed. When Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai fled Jerusalem and was granted three requests by Vespasion, the Roman general turned emperor, one of them was that a doctor be provided for Rabbi Zadok. The teaching of Rabbi Zadok is connected thematically to Rabbi Ishmael’s teaching from the previous mishnah. Rabbi Zadok’s first warning is clear. One should not use Torah learning as means for self-aggrandizement. Torah should be studied for the sake of God, and in the end honor will come of itself. To use the Torah as a spade means to use the Torah for a means to earn a living. The Talmud teaches that just as God taught the children of Israel for free, so too should you teach for free. We should note that although this was an ideal that Torah should be taught for free it has rarely been followed throughout Jewish history. There were certain exemptions sought for this rule, and in practice, due largely to the exigencies of history, rabbis were often paid for their work. Furthermore, Torah study and teaching is difficult enough that it often requires one to devote full time to its pursuit. However, despite this, Maimonides excoriates those who earn a living teaching Torah. He writes, “There is no basis at all for this [for earning a living teaching Torah] in the Torah.” According to Maimonides the sages of the Talmud did not accept charity from their neighbors and were content to live a life of poverty, so devoted were they to Torah. “They never permitted themselves this begging people for money. They saw, indeed, that this taking founds would be profaning the Name of God in the sight of the masses because then people come to regard the study of Torah as no more than another occupation by means of which a man makes a living.” Other medieval scholars vehemently disagreed with Maimonides and stated that Torah scholars who earn a living are not guilty of any transgression. Speaking personally, I believe that Maimonides rule is somewhat impractical, and would potentially lead to a deterioration in the study of Torah. If people could not feed their families while studying Torah, they would not be able to study, nor teach. However, I think that the spirit of his warning should remain in the ears of those who engage in the study of Torah or work as rabbis. While it may be necessary to earn a living doing so, the primary motivation cannot be profit. A rabbi who turns his training into a way to earn a buck and does not do so “for the sake of Heaven” seems to me to have broken this transgression. In the second half of this mishnah, Rabbi Zadok quotes Hillel. This quote is taken from chapter one, mishnah thirteen. This is the first time we have seen in our mishnah one rabbi quoting another. Rabbi Zadok treats Hillel’s saying almost as if it were a prooftext from the Bible. By Rabbi Zadok’s time, Hillel’s statements had become “sanctified” and were good enough to prove things. This phenomenon is very important as we trace the development of Torah study and rabbinic literary compositions. According to Rabbi Zadok, one who receives financial compensation in this world for teaching Torah, will not get a reward in the world to come. It is as if he uses up the reward which he deserves.

IS GIVEN THE ABILITY TO BOTH STUDY AND TEACH. I.e., he is given the ability to study and to fulfill his plan of teaching. The mishna needs not speak of one who studies in order to learn, for his good intent to study will certainly come to fruition. Our case tells us something more: when his intent is to teach, he is given the ability to teach and his own studies will also succeed, so that neither will suffer, for G-d will give him wisdom¹⁴⁶Based on Proverbs 2:6.—so Midrash Shmuel.
Maharal writes in Derech Chaim that one who studies only in order to learn for himself does not need much learning, and is indeed not given the ability to do all that he plans, for even if he learns a single law he has learnt.¹⁴⁷If his only intent is to learn, he will not receive Divine assistance to do anything more than the bare minimum of learning. If his intent is to teach, however, he will be given much more; see Derech Chaim.
Kesef Mishne writes in Hilchot Talmud Torah 3:10 that “in order to teach” here means that he does not study for learning’s sake but to gain honor by becoming a rosh yeshiva, based on the Talmud in Nedarim 62a: “To love Hashem, your G-d, to listen to His word and cleave to Him”—a person should not say, “I will study Tanach in order that people call me chacham; I will study the Mishna and Talmud in order that people call me rabbi; I will continue my studies so that I will be one of the elders and sit in council.” Alternatively, his intent is to study and earn money the way that one would in learning any trade. In this case, he is given the ability to study and teach as he planned, but not more. Whereas one who studies in order to do is studying with pure intentions. R. Tzadok then tells us that it is sinful to study only in order to teach, which is what he means by “do not make them into a crown, etc.”¹⁴⁸ Kesef Mishne there says that the two parts of R. Tzadok’s warning apply to the two kinds of intent he mentioned earlier: learning in order to gain honor (making Torah into a crown), and learning in order to earn money (making Torah into a spade).

One who studies in order to practice will be given the opportunity to study, to teach and to practice: He wants to say that his intention is to analyze his learning so as to know the truth of the matters and his will is to toil several days and [even] years to fathom a small thing and to conduct himself according to the truth; behold, this is one who studied in order to practice - as the whole thrust of his intent is only that his action be truthful. Therefore, he "will be given the opportunity to study, to teach and to practice" - as it is all included in action.

"and to teach": which is to say that he is afforded [the opportunity] that he will study and that his plan to teach will be successful. And [about one who] studies [only] in order to study, it is not necessary to let us know, as he will certainly be able to fulfill his good plan - that he wanted to study. But in our case, we are finding out a novelty: that if his plan is in order to teach, he is afforded [the opportunity] to learn - and even his study by himself is successful, and not a thing will be reduced, as 'the Lord gives wisdom' - Midrash Shmuel. And See Tosafot Yom Tov.

"Do not make [the Torah] into a crown with which to aggrandize yourself": such that you should not say, "I will study so that I will be called, 'my Rabbi' and they will have me placed at the head," but rather learn out of love and in the end the honor will come.

TO KEEP AND TO DO. Even though his intent was only “to do”, he is given the ability “to keep” away from sin, in order that he not be “one who immerses while holding a rodent”¹⁴⁹Touching a rodent makes one impure. To purify himself he must immerse in a mikveh. Immersing in the mikveh while holding the rodent is an exercise in futility, as he is still touching the rodent and remains impure. In the rabbinic idiom, one who “immerses while holding a rodent” is acting in order to achieve some outcome while simultaneously doing something else that prevents the outcome. Here, the desired outcome of performing positive commandments, doing G-d’s will, is being counteracted by the regular transgression of negative commandments.—so Midrash Shmuel.
In a copy of Avot from the land of Israel the word “to keep” does not appear, and this seems to be the correct text. For “to do” would obviously include keeping away from sin; as I wrote earlier, far be it that that doing positive commandments but not keeping away from negative ones be good in G-d’s eyes and an expression of His will! “To do”, rather, means simply to keep all the laws of the Torah.

Rabbi Tzadok says: Do not make it [the Torah] into a crown with which to aggrandize yourself, and not into a spade: That he not make his words of Torah like a spade to aggrandize himself and be honored on their account in this world, as that is benefit from honor. The exception is if he has the intention that if be for the Torah's honor. (Like they show) [As when they show] him honor, the Torah is honored by it. And if the whole-hearted intention of the sage is for the honor of the Torah - and not for his honor - it is permitted.

"to observe (guard), and to practice": As even though his intention was only to practice, he is afforded the opportunity also to guard [himself] from sins, so that he should not be like one who dips [into purifying waters] and has an [impure animal] in his hand - Midrash Shmuel. And in a text from the Land of Israel, "to observe" is not what we [have]. And that is the main [version], since certainly "to practice" is to keep [all of the commandments] of the Torah. And see Tosafot Yom Tov.

"and don't use it as a spade with which to dig": And do not study Torah in order to make from it a craft from which to earn a living, like a spade to dig with. As one that does this misappropriates the sanctity of the Torah and is liable for the death penalty from the Heavens, like one who derives [tangible] benefit form holy things (hekdesh). And teachers of small children receive payment for watching the children so that they will not err and cause damage; and payment for breaking up the cantillation, as a [Torah] teacher is not responsible to exert himself and to teach the students the breaking up of cantillation. But payment for teaching is forbidden to take, as it is written, (Deuteronomy 4:14), "And I did the Lord command at that time to teach you the statutes and the judgments, like the Lord, my God commanded me" - just like I [was taught] for free, so too are you [to be taught] for free. And so [too] is a judge forbidden to take payment for his legal decisions, but rather only for [not doing something else at that time] - [for] something that it is clear how much he would lose from the cessation of his work in order to hear the claims of the litigants, and [this is] only if he takes from both of them equally. But if he takes more than this, his decisions are nullified. And that which the Torah permitted the Torah scholar to derive [tangible] benefit from the words of Torah is that he may sell his merchandise in the marketplace before any [other] man, and also that he should be exempt from all taxes, yokes and property assessments. And the public is obligated to even give the poll tax for him. And even if he is wealthy and has much money, he is able to legally request that they exempt him. And if a Torah scholar is sick and suffering from afflictions and people bring many large portions for him on account of the honor of the Torah, he is [obligated] to accept, since it is impossible for him to earn a livelihood in another way. And so [too] a Torah scholar who the [community] appoints upon itself [as an] officer or the head of the group and he involves himself in the needs of the [community], it is permissible for him to take a reward from them; and even much more payment then he needs for his livelihood, so that his foods should be healthy. And through this, he will be great and feared and awesome in their eyes, as we find with the high priest, about whom it is written, "high (great) from his brothers" - and the sages expounded (Yoma 18a), "They should make him great from his brothers, such that his brothers, the priests, should make him wealthy from their [assets]. And the early sages who would abstain from this [were doing so out of piety] but not according to the [letter of the] law.

DO NOT MAKE THEM INTO A CROWN ETC. Not to gain honor through them and not to earn money through them, and both are necessary to say—Maharal in Derech Chaim.

and not into a spade with which to dig into them: That he not have benefit of money, as one should not benefit from them at all.

As it is written, "like He commanded me," meaning to say that he commanded me to study (teach) for free. For were it not [understood this way], to what is "like He commanded me" referring - as one cannot say that it is [referring to teaching] for payment, and did He command him that it is insufficient not to take reward? And one also cannot say that this is what it means - "'like He commanded me' and I am not saying [the commandments] on my own," as surely the Israelites were not doubting this, as behold, it is written, "they will believe you forever" - Rabbenu Nissim.

NOR A SPADE WITH WHICH TO DIG. Rav: it is forbidden to take money for teaching Torah, as the verse says “and G-d commanded at that moment to teach you laws and statutes” (Deuteronomy 4:14), and another verse earlier¹⁵⁰Tosafot Yom Tov clarifies that these are two separate verses that Rav wrote as one. says “...as Hashem my G-d commanded me” (Deuteronomy 4:5)—just as I learnt for free, you must learn for free. This is based on the Talmud in Nedarim 37a, where Ran writes (s.v. uchtiv re’eh): “As He commanded me.” I.e. he commanded me to teach for free. Otherwise, to what could “as He commanded me” be referring to? We cannot say that it means “[as He commanded me] to teach for pay”, for how could Moses say “as he commanded me”—had G-d commanded him this? Is it impossible to teach without taking pay? We also cannot say that he meant G-d commanded him these things and they were not of his own invention, for the people certainly would not have entertained such doubts, as the verse says “they will believe in you forever” (Exodus 19:9). We must say, rather, that “as He commanded me” must mean that He commanded me to teach for free.
Rav also writes: similarly, a judge may not take money for rendering judgment… and if [he does], his rulings are void. This is a mishna in Bechorot 4:6, see our comments there.
Rav also writes: the Torah has allowed him to benefit… in that his merchandise should be sold in the market first, and that the first customers in the market be directed to him.¹⁵¹Our editions of Rav do not have this second benefit, but Rambam includes it in his commentary on the mishna, which is Rav’s source. Rambam in his commentary here: ...for merchants regularly honor one another by doing these two things, even though there is no learning among them. A Torah scholar is not worse than a respected ignoramus.
Rav also writes: he is also exempt from all taxes and burdens. This is based on a verse in Ezra 7:24: “We also declare to you that it is unlawful to levy minda, b’lo, and halach¹⁵²Types of taxes. on all the priests and Levites, singers and gatekeeprs, Nethinim and whoever serves in this Temple of God.”

And thus Hillel used to say: And one who makes use of the crown (taga) [of learning] passes away: Taga is an expression that means crown, as [crown is rendered] in its [classical Aramaic] translation.

And that they can purchase [merchandise] at the opening of the marketplace, because [this and selling at the opening are] two actions that some merchants do for each other as a matter of honor, even without [taking] wisdom into consideration. And a Torah scholar is worthy of being [treated as well] as an honored ignoramus - Rambam.

AS HILLEL USED TO SAY. 1:13.

From here you learn that any one who benefits from the words of the Torah: One who benefits from words of Torah in this world, behold he removes his life from the world to come. And it is not only benefit from honor and benefit of money that they spoke about, but it is forbidden even to save oneself [with Torah]. As behold, they tied up Rabbi Tarfon to throw him into the river, as they thought that he was a thief. And he (only) said, "Woe to Tarfon, as this one is killing him." And since they [then] recognized that he was Rabbi Tarfon, they let him go and he ran away. All of the days of that righteous one, he was anguished about this thing and said, "Woe is to [me] that I have made use of the crown of Torah" - since anyone who makes use of the crown of Torah does not have a portion in the world to come. And we say the reason is because Rabbi Tarfon was very rich and he could have appeased him with money (Nedarim 62a). And we also say in Bava Batra in the first chapter (Bava Batra 8a) [that] Rabbi (Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi) opened his storehouses in a year of drought. He said, "Let the masters of scripture, the masters of Mishnah and the masters of Talmud enter! Let the ignoramuses not enter!" Rabbi Yochanan ben Amram pushed and entered; he said, "Rabbi, sustain me." He said [back] to him, "Have you read [scripture]?" "No." "Have you studied mishnah?" "No." "And if so, with (in the merit of) what should I sustain you?" He said, "Sustain me like a dog or a raven." He got up and sustained him. But after he left, he said, "Woe to me, since I gave from my money to an ignoramus." Rabbi Shimon beRabbi said to him, "Maybe that was Yonatan ben Amram, your student, who does not want to benefit (with the honor) [from the honor] of Torah." They checked and found that it was like his words. [Hence], Rabbi said, "Let all enter!" But [didn't] Rabbi also say [he wanted] to sustain [based] on the honor of Torah? Rather it was a year of drought, when it is a commandment to sustain whoever is lacking his needs; and the one who needs may take. However Rabbi did not want to give benefit from his money to ignoramuses. And Rabbi followed his reasoning, as Rabbi said, "Punishment only comes to the world because of ignoramuses." And nonetheless Yonatan ben Amram [went] beyond the letter of the law. As since he saw that they were only sustaining Torah masters, he said, "If so, they are sustaining based on the honor of Torah" - and he did not want to benefit from the honor of Torah. And it appears that maybe if they had not been willing to sustain him on the condition that he was an ignoramus, he would have sustained himself through the honor of Torah - as this transgression is no greater than all of the commandments in the Torah, about which it is stated (Leviticus 18:5), "and live by them" and not that he die by them, except for the three known ones (Yoma 85b). And that which they said (Ketuvot 105b), "From here, [we see] that the verse counts one who brings a gift to Torah scholars as if he brings up the first fruits" - they only said it about something to which commoners are [also] accustomed, as it is the way of people to bring a gift to an important person even if he is an ignoramus. And that which the sages said (Berakhot 10b), "[A scholar] who wants to benefit, he may benefit like Elisha" - this is [referring to] one who puts his merchandise into the 'pocket' of Torah scholars (for them to resell for a profit), their reward for which is great and it is permissible. And the verse also exempts them from types of taxes and fees and even from money for the poll tax, and other [benefits] that are known from tradition that the Holy One, blessed be He, allowed Torah scholars. And so did Rabbi Meir (Halevi), may his memory be blessed, arrange the matter.

As is found in Ezra 7:24, "all priests, etc. the king's tax, the poll tax and the meal tax, no one is empowered to place upon them."

"from the world": The explanation [of this] is, from life in the world to come - Rambam.