Chapter 1
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SHEMAYA AND AVTALYON RECEIVED THE MESORAH FROM THEM [Yehuda Ben Tabai and Shimon Ben Shatach] SHEMAYA SAYS: LOVE WORK [Me'lacha] AND HATE AUTHORITY, AND SEEK NO INTIMACY WITH THE RULING POWER. |
Shemaya and Avtalyon: These two scholars, the President and the Dean of the Sanhedrin, respectively, were descendants of converts. But they were no ordinary gerim. The Talmud states that they were descendants of Sancheriv, King of Assyria, who destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Israel about 150 years prior to the destruction of Judea by Babylonia.
The Talmud relates that the grandchildren of Sancheriv taught Torah publicly, as did their progeny, Shemaya and Avtalyon.
It is noteworthy that Torah is public property; it was never meant to be the property of the privileged classes. The very first verse taught to a Cheder child was the verse: "Moshe commanded us the Torah as an inheritance to the Community of Israel!"
It was open to all those who thirsted to drink from its waters and absorb its teaching. A convert who sought to study Torah had the same privileges and opportunities as a Jew from birth. Some of the great gerim who have contributed to Jewish life are Onkeles, whose translation of the Tanach into Aramaic and his commentary became the standard for study and is known as Targum Onkelos. King David also descended from the convert, Ruth, who has become the prototype of our approach to conversion. Shamaya and Avtalyon reached the highest pinnacle of leadership in Jewish society as was previously noted.
The Talmud generally reflects two oscillating attitudes towards gerim. On the one hand, the Talmud states: ...converts are as difficult for Israel as the plague.... At another time the Talmud reverses that attitude and states: ...Converts are dear to Israel. During different periods in our history each of these attitudes alternately gained dominance over the other.
They seem to reflect the test of sincerity of the convert. In times when the nation of Israel was on the ascendancy and it was popular to "jump on the bandwagon", the Torah scholars of that period were suspicious of conversions because of the aforementioned motive. Accordingly, during the golden period of the reign of King Solomon converts were not accepted into Israel. That suspicion was a result of our first experience with converts, those who joined us in our triumphant march out of Egypt... the Ayrev rav (the great mixture of converts).
Think about it a moment. Here was a mass of at least two and a half million men, women, and children who left Egypt in the climactic conclusion of heretofore unheard of miracles. Here was a nation safely crossing through a sea, while their pursuers drowned. Here was a nation who heard on Sinai the voice of G-d, pronouncing... I AM THE LORD YOUR G-D, WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, OUT OF THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE. YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME!!!!... on the 6th day of Sivan... and 40 days later, when Moshe was delayed by only a few hours, in returning to them from his stay on the mountain... they panicked and thought he died. They then approached Aaron pleading... Make us a god who will go before us... for this man Moses who brought us out of Egypt... we don't know what happened to him! (Exodus 31:1)
How could they have changed and forgotten the immediate past so quickly and backslide into such idolatry?
The answer lies in understanding who these people were. Chazal, our Torah scholars have the kababala that these were the Ayrev rav, the new converts who joined the ranks of Israel because they joined "the winning team". Theirs was not out of conviction. They had been impressed with the triumph of Israel over Egypt... but when the going got rough, they were the first to abandon ship. Unfortunately, the proximity and intermingling of the children of Israel with the Ayrev rav caused some to stray and follow in their paths.
The same suspicions linger today as to the motives of a new convert. Is it out of a love for the teachings of Torah? an idealism? a magnetic drive to attach oneself to Hashem though the medium of Torah?...or is it because of a love affair between a boy and a girl, parents of both threatening to disinherit and disown them? It was because of these considerations we have the dictum of the Talmud...Converts are as difficult for Israel as the plague.
Our scholars have also been lenient in certain periods of our historical experience. When Israel was not on the ascendancy and there was no "bandwagon" psychology and there was less motivation for conversion they were less suspect of the potential convert. The motivation driving these converts was generally more out of idealism and the result of a search for truth. With respect to these converts they are referred to as gerey Tzedek.... righteous converts. It is about them that the Talmud declares: ...Converts are dear to Israel.
About these Righteous Converts our Chazal were not concerned; on the contrary they felt that... 'Israel was exiled in order to attract converts to themselves.' (Pesachim 87b) Our daily prayers in the Shmoneh Esrei includes our tfila for the Ger Tzedek, in accordance with the instructions of the Talmud (Megillah 17b).
What a noble declaration! Compare the disdain the ancient Greeks and Romans professed for work, labor. Historians have documented the factors for the decay and fall of the Greek and Roman Empires......the abhorrence of work by the nobility and their reliance on slaves.
Compare the statement of Shemaya..Love work...with the Medieval and late Renaissance European attitude towards work. As with the Greeks and Romans idleness was the mark of nobility.
Our Torah Scholars extolled the virtues of work, even though many of them were wealthy. They engaged in manual labor or they followed some craft or trade. They could never accept payment for their teaching of Torah. Torah was a free gift from Hashem to Israel, and therefore had to be transmitted gratis. Hillel was a wood cutter; Shammai, a builder. Rebbe Yitzchak was a blacksmith; Rebbe Chanina, a shoemaker; Rav Huna, a water carrier; Rav Abba, a tailor. Others were tent makers, carpenters, and merchants. Rashi was a wine seller.
Our Rabbis found in the Torah an implied covenant between Creation of the Universe and work. They said ..."Just as the Torah was granted to Israel by means of a covenant so work was granted to man by means of a covenant... as it is said 'Six days shall you labor and do all your work'" (Avos d'Rav Nasson).
"Rebbe Shimon Ben Elazar says: ...Even Adam did not taste a thing until he performed work as it is written... 'and He [Hashem] placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and to watch it' ...only after that does Hashem say... 'From all the trees of the garden you shall eat.'"
"Rebbe Tarfon says: ....Even the Holy One Blessed be He did not rest his Schcinah on Israel until they performed work, as it is written:.....'And they shall make me a Sanctuary and I will dwell amongst them' (Exodus 25)". (Avos d'Rav Nasson)
Work is the fulfillment of Hashem's masterpiece of Creation. G-d created a world in all its potential but he left it for man to vitalize it. "And He placed him in the garden to work it and to watch it"...is the definitive purpose and command for man to complete the process that G-d began. Man is a partner with G-d, then, in the process of creation, in what we call Tikun Ha'olam... improving, enhancing the world. He is commanded to make it a better world when he leaves it than when he entered.
2.The corollary to that is that man creates, and his creations are an extension of himself. Through his creations he grows, matures, and nurtures. His creations are, in fact, himself, his own projection.
Through his work, he sustains his health both physically emotionally and spiritually. A person must express himself to remain healthy; the hospitals are filled with people who have withdrawn into depressions and cannot reach outside of themselves to 'give' to another human being. By contrast, a person who is happy is, by demonstration, bubbly, expressive, magnanimous, giving. That is a sign of health. Work is the medicine for health.
3.I have inserted in the opening caption of the quotes of Shemaya the following phrase LOVE WORK [me'lacha]. Because the English word 'work' is a loose translation of the Hebrew, I mean to emphasize the concept of "melacha". If we limit the meaning of the word "me'lacha" to physical labor, then Shemaya would have used the more precise Hebrew such as "avodah". 'Avodah' means work, physical work. The word 'eved', ...servant or slave is connected to 'avodah.' Shemaya is using a broader term, 'me'lacha'.
The first time we find the word "me'lacha" in the Torah is at the conclusion of the creation of the world. It is the kiddush we recite on Friday nights: "...And He ceased on the seventh day from all his ME'LALCHA that He did..." (Bereshis 2:2) Now obviously Hashem did not engage in physical labor in creating the universe. "And G-d said..." is the oft repeated phrase for every act of creation. So "me'lacha" could not imply physical work. In addition, creation implies planning and executing that plan to fruition.
This is the deeper meaning of 'melacha' When Shemaya instructs us... Love Me'lacha... he is guiding us to make all our activities meaningful and purposeful, because "me'lacha" means really to effect something with an intent and purpose.
Let me illustrate by the following scenario:
You pass by three men involved with hammering nails into lumber. You ask... what are you doing?
Man #1 replies: joining two boards together
Man #2 replies: erecting a structure
Man #3 replies: building a home
Now, Who has a goal? Who is most motivated? Whose threads of life are woven into a purposeful tapestry? And who can we anticipate to perceive meaning in his activity? The answer is quite obvious... Man #3!
We find this concept implied in the meaning of Shabbos. The definition of the 39 'melachos' that are forbidden on Shabbos are not limited to the physical labor involved. In fact, the physical labor factor is not involved in the definition. The proof: If I did a prohibited act on Shabbos with intent, such as uprooting this plant from the gound, the Torah would hold me culpable. If I did the same act without intent, or if I intended to uproot a different plant, but by accident uprooted this plant... the Torah would not hold be culpable.
The phrase in the Torah to describe this concept is...Me'leches Machsheves... an act of intent. and that ingredient must accompany any act to be considered a transgression of Shabbos.
Conversely, because Shabbos is a foundation of the unity of G-d and Israel, that day is so significant that everything that is dedicated and set aside for the Shabbos must be so planned and 'intended.' Would you invite your honored guests to the wedding feast of your daughter without adequate planning and intent?
This is the message of Shemaya... you will love work if you understand your goal, your purpose and direct your efforts towards it. You will feel fulfilled and your life’s activity will have meaning!