Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Ethics of Our Fathers Chapter 1 Mishna 10: Love Work and Stay away from that Tempting Job from the King
8:41 AM | 
Posted by
Rabbi Chaim Coffman |
"Shemayah and Avtalyon received the oral tradition from the preceding. Shemayah said; 'Love work; hate the holding of public office; and do not be intimate with the ruling authorities"
Rav Ovadiah Bartenura tells us that even if one makes enough money for livelihood, they should continue to work and not remain idle. The reason is that idleness leads to boredom and boredom will lead a person to do things that they shouldn't. As the old adage goes, busy people stay out of trouble.
Another reason that one should love work is that the more one does it, the easier it becomes. This will also lead a person to continue to do what he loves and he can teach that to others and help them as well.
Even if one has to work they should not hold public office. Why not? If after all, a person had the ability by being in the public limelight, then why should it be looked down upon? The reason is that when one is "out there" and everyone sees them in public, so to speak, they then have to be extra careful in anything they do. It is very easy to say the wrong thing or not do what is expected of themselves and cause a chilul Hashem (desecration of G-d's name.
This leads to the last part of the Mishna that one should not be close with the ruling authorities. The reason Rabbenu Yonah tells us is because if we are busy working hard for the king we will G-d forbid throw off the yoke of our obligation to serve the King of Kings whereby we will not perform mitzvos properly. A person will always be afraid and worry that they will not serve the king properly.
This is will lead them to work even harder to please the king which will take its toll on the family and spiritual development. In the end, they won't be able to serve the king properly which will cause them to eventually lose their job and everything they have.
Working for the king can have tremendous benefits and give a person prestige and power. At the same time, the closer one is to the king, the more chance they could get burned as well. Not only that, they could abuse power and be outwardly cruel to their friends to win favor with the king!
Rav Ovadiah Bartenura tells us that even if one makes enough money for livelihood, they should continue to work and not remain idle. The reason is that idleness leads to boredom and boredom will lead a person to do things that they shouldn't. As the old adage goes, busy people stay out of trouble.
Another reason that one should love work is that the more one does it, the easier it becomes. This will also lead a person to continue to do what he loves and he can teach that to others and help them as well.
Even if one has to work they should not hold public office. Why not? If after all, a person had the ability by being in the public limelight, then why should it be looked down upon? The reason is that when one is "out there" and everyone sees them in public, so to speak, they then have to be extra careful in anything they do. It is very easy to say the wrong thing or not do what is expected of themselves and cause a chilul Hashem (desecration of G-d's name.
This leads to the last part of the Mishna that one should not be close with the ruling authorities. The reason Rabbenu Yonah tells us is because if we are busy working hard for the king we will G-d forbid throw off the yoke of our obligation to serve the King of Kings whereby we will not perform mitzvos properly. A person will always be afraid and worry that they will not serve the king properly.
This is will lead them to work even harder to please the king which will take its toll on the family and spiritual development. In the end, they won't be able to serve the king properly which will cause them to eventually lose their job and everything they have.
Working for the king can have tremendous benefits and give a person prestige and power. At the same time, the closer one is to the king, the more chance they could get burned as well. Not only that, they could abuse power and be outwardly cruel to their friends to win favor with the king!
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