One of the most famous midrashim from which a proof is brought to permit benefiting from Torah matters is the midrash regarding the partnership of Issachar and Zebulun. People often bring evidence and proof from this midrash that it is possible to make a “deal” with a Torah student wearing a frock saddlecloth. And what is the deal? Well, the wealthy man will give Mr. Saddlecloth certain amount every month, let’s say about 2,000 NIS, which is by all accounts a “respectable” monthly salary for one whose Torah is his shtick – and in return, the wealthy man will merit half the reward for learning his “Torah”.

Well, even before we examine the sources, one can already question the deal, because how is it conceivable that a wealthy man, for example Jeffrey Epstein, will give Mr. Saddlecloth from Bnei Brak about 600 dollars a month, and in return he will merit half the reward of his Torah and will be prepared for the life of the World to Come? An additional question can also be raised, how is it conceivable that for such a meager sum, namely about 600 dollars a month, he will give up half of the life of the World to Come designated for him? And I do not know who is more foolish, wicked and arrogant, Jeffrey Epstein who will think he is deceiving the Blessed One and buying his world for 600 dollars a month, even though he will err in all the abominations in the world, or Mr. Saddlecloth, who is ready both to live a life of poverty and distress in this world, and also to give up his place “in the east” in the World to Come…

And perhaps furthermore, where have we heard that a person will give charity, and with this charity money he will transfer to himself the merits of the poor man? That is to say, according to this logic, if Reuven gave charity to Shimon, and Shimon is a poor man who sets times for Torah let’s say an hour a day, The merits of Shimon's study, of one day, two days or a week, may or might pass to Reuven at the time of giving the charity to Shimon… And only distorted pro-Christian money-grubbing minds which turned the Torah into a degrading, miserable and disdained commerce, are capable of treating the holy Torah as merchandise or as current currency for the merchant.

Likewise, if it were possible and correct to make such a “deal agreement”, why does it not appear within the framework of a halachic Sugia that would define the amount of money the wealthy man would transfer to the Torah student? And also discuss the possibilities of exiting the deal or canceling it, or increasing the percentages of the World to Come, and so forth. And furthermore, why do the Sages Z”L and our Rabbi haRambam condemn in such harsh ways one who takes charity for studying Torah? Since if it is possible to carry out such a deal, how is it possible to say about one who takes a salary for studying Torah, that he is extirpated from the world, and desecrates the Name of Heaven, and disgraces the Torah, and extinguishes the light of religion etc.?

And here before you is the essence of the rulings of the Sages and our Rabbi on this matter, in the Halachot of Torah Study (3, 9–10): “Anyone who sets his heart on studying Torah and does not work, and earns his living from charity, has desecrated the Name, and disgraced the Torah, and extinguished the light of religion, and caused evil to himself, and taken his life from the World to Come. Because it is forbidden to benefit from Torah matters in this world. The Sages said: ‘Anyone who gains profit from Torah matters has taken his life from the world’ (Chapters Of Fathers 4, 7), ‘Do not make them a crown for self-exaltation nor a spade with which to dig’ (ibid), furthermore they commended and said: ‘Love work and hate the rabbinate’ (ibid 1, 10), and ‘Torah which is not combined with work ends in nullity’ (ibid 2, 2) and the end of this person is to rob mankind (Kiddushin 29, 1)”.

By the way, I would not recommend to any wealthy man to make a deal with the the yeshiva shtender-shakers, because their Torah is a crooked and twisted Torah, pro-Christian and pro-idolatry, and partnership with them is aiding those who desecrate the Name of Heaven and distort the religion of truth, having turned it into a religion of heresy, ignorance and brutishness. Likewise, their World to Come is not something to aspire to; on the contrary, it is something to flee from like fire, for there is nothing worse than desecrating the Name of Heaven and turning the Torah of God into pro-Christian pagan merchandise.

1. The Correct Attitude Toward the Fables and Midrashim of the Sages Z”L

Before we examine the words of the midrashim, we should examine the words of our Rabbi famous introduction to Sanhedrin 11, 1, in order to understand that according to the strict law there is no need at all to refer to these midrashim, because Halacha is not learned from a midrash. All the more so and Kal vaChomer when we have very sharp explicit Halachot that completely contradict the plain meaning of the midrash.

And thus are the words of our Rabbi in his introduction to the chapter (ibid), in the three paragraphs below:

“And from what you need to know is that regarding the words of the Sages A”H, people are divided into three groups: The first group, and they are the majority with whom I have met and whose writings I have seen and of whom I have heard, understand them [=the fables of the Sages Z”L and their parables] literally and do not explain them at all [=as parables and riddles], and all the impossibilities [=the hallucinations] have become for them necessities of reality, and they did so only because of their ignorance in wisdoms and their distance from the sciences [=the distance from the sciences opens a wide door for hallucinations and magic that destroys the mind], and there is no perfection in them to the extent that they would awaken to this on their own, and they did not find an awakener to awaken them, and therefore they think that the intention of the Sages in all their wise sayings is only what they understood from them, and that they are literal, and even though there is in the plain meanings of some of their words such strangeness to the extent that if you tell it literally to the masses, all the more so to their elite, they will be shocked by it and say: How is it possible that there is a person in the world who conceives these things and thinks they are correct? And all the more so that they would appeal to him?

And this miserable group, compassion on their ignorance [and perhaps on the naive and gullible individuals among them one should have compassion, but not on the heads and guides of this group who lead people astray after futility and instill heresy into the heart of the people of Israel], because they exalted the Sages according to their thought, but they are only degrading them to the utmost degradation and they do not feel it, and by the life of God, this group destroys the splendor of the Torah and darkens its radiance, and make the Torah of the LORD the opposite of what is intended, because God said about the wisdom of His Torah: ‘Whoever hears all these statutes will say: This great nation is a wise and understanding people’ [Deu. 4, 6], and this group expounds from the plain words of the Sages things which if the nations hear them they will say: ‘This small nation is a foolish and villainous people’.

And many who do so are preachers who explain to the nation what they themselves do not understand, if only you would only would keep silence because they do not understand — ‘If only you would remain completely silent and that would be your wisdom’ [Job 13, 5], or they should have said: ‘We do not know what the Sages wanted in these words nor how its interpretation is’, rather they think they understood and place themselves to explain to the nation what they themselves understood, not what the Sages said, and they preach before the masses the Drashot of [tractate] Brachot and chapter 11 in Sanhedrin and others literally word for word [=exactly like Rashi-wicked shall rot and all the descendants of the heretics who continue his path]”.

And it is fitting to add the words of our Rabbi in the interpretation of the Mishnah to tractate Avot (4, 7), and thus are his words:

“And these erred [=all the Orthodox who grasp the Torah] who deny the truth and the clear languages [=the Halachic rulings of the Sages Z”L] and take people’s money with their consent or against their will based on fables they found in the Talmud about people with physical blemishes or old men advanced in days, to the extent that they cannot do work and have no way but to receive, and what can they do, shall they die? The Torah did not mandate this. And you find the story they learned from the saying: ‘She is like the merchants ships, brings her food from afar’ [Pro. 31, 14], was related to a blemished person who cannot do work. But whoever has the ability is not allowed to find a way for this in the Torah”.

And for an examination of his entire interpretation to the Mishnah of Avot there, see at the end of the article: “It is Time to Act for the LORD, They Have Made Void Your Torah”.

2. Placing Stock in the Purse of Talmidei Chachamim

How shall we understand the midrashim regarding the agreement of Issachar and Zebulun in light of the severe prohibition to benefit from Torah matters? Well, our Rabbi explains in the interpretation of the Mishnah to tractate Avot (4, 7), that there is a possibility to do good with the Talmidei Chachamim, and the matter will not be considered benefiting from Torah matters, because the benefit and honor will not necessarily stem from their expertise in the Torah, since it is customary to grant this honor and these benefits also to honorable people who are not Talmidei Chachamim, and therefore the matter is not categorized as benefiting from the honor of Torah.

And what is this thing that the Torah permitted for Talmidei Chachamim? Well, it is permitted for a Talmid Chachamim to give his money to a merchant or a trustworthy person, so that he will invest his money in yielding channels without taking a commission from the Talmid Chachamim for this. And in other words, without collecting “management fees”. And this is how in my opinion this partnership which is described in the midrashim that we will see below should be understood. That is to say, the tribe of Issachar granted the tribe of Zebulun, which was a tribe of merchants, money and assets so that they could trade with them and produce profits from them, and these profits the tribe of Zebulun would give to the tribe of Issachar which invested most of its time in Torah.

Another benefit described in the words of our Rabbi in the interpretation of the Mishnah below, is precedence in selling merchandise in the market, meaning, a Talmid Chachamim who arrives at the market with his merchandise, is granted the right to sell his merchandise first, so that he can be free from his business necessary for his existence and study Torah. And by the way, it can be learned from the benefit ruled in this Halacha that the Talmidei Chachamim were also merchants and craftsmen. Meaning, the tribe of Issachar also worked and made a living for their sustenance, and did not throw their burden on the tribe of Zebulun.

And here before you are the aforementioned words of our Rabbi in the interpretation of the Mishnah to tractate Avot (4, 7):

“But the thing that the Torah permitted for Talmidei Chachamim, is that they give money to a person to deal for them with it willingly, if he wishes [our Rabbi emphasizes that this is not an obligation, in order to prevent the wicked from pretending to be Chachamim and exploiting this for evil], and the one who does so has a reward for this, and this is: ‘Placing stock in the purse of Talmidei Chachamim’ [Pesachim 53b]. And also to sell their merchandise first before other things, and the first sale in the market shall be given to them by necessity. For these are rights God established for them just as He established the gifts for the Kohen and the tithes for the Levite, as came in the tradition. Because these two actions are sometimes done by merchants with one another out of respect, even though there is no wisdom there, and at least that a Talmid Chachamim should be respected as Am haAretz”.

It is important to note, that our Rabbi does not rule these two possibilities in his book “Mishneh Torah”, and I believe the reason for this is, that he did not want to open a door larger than the one he opened in the interpretation of the Mishnah, which would allow the quarriers of the Torah to bring “proofs” that it is permitted to benefit from words of Torah… And the reality in the last thousand years has proven and proves, that even without ruling these Halachot explicitly in “Mishneh Torah”, many are the excuses and Pilpulim, and still, as in the time of our Rabbi, most of the religious parsons possessing rulership and perhaps even all of them, are possessors of desire pursuing greed, rulership and benefits.

And here it is fitting to raise on a banner the words of our Rabbi in his epistle to his student Rabbi Yosef (p. 131):

“And regarding what is difficult for you [for his student Rabbi Yosef] that he [=the head of the institutional rabbinate] sent his tongue against you in writing in Israel [the Exilarch Shmuel Abu Ali the fraud and Zechariah his deputy the gullible, distributed against Rabbi Yosef lampoons (=pasquils) as is customary and acceptable among the Orthodox heretics] […]. And you have no need in your saying where is the fear of Heaven? Because this one and his likes among the Gedolim than him from those who preceded, there is no fear of Heaven in them except to refrain from the severe matters, as the matter is with the masses. But the ethical obligations they do not consider that they are from the obligations of the religion and they do not dictate them as the complete ones who fear God do. And most of these men of religion from among the possessors of rulership when the matter is tied to rulership the fear of Heaven disappears”.

In this paragraph our Rabbi comforts his student that the parsons of rulership published words of hatred against him, and that he should not be sorrowful and wonder how they are capable of being so lacking in the fear of Heaven, since all men of rulership are corrupt and loathsome, meaning those “Gedolim of the generation” who were in his time “there is no fear of Heaven in them except to refrain from the severe matters”. Meaning, they do not contemplate their traits at all and behave coarsely with whatever comes their way. Moreover, when the matter is tied to their rulership, they do not refrain even from the severe matters, and their little fear of Heaven completely disappears! And here is the essence of our Rabbi’s words which expose the ignorance and corruption of the rabbinic rulership institution in the generation of the Rambam: “And most of these men of religion from among the possessors of rulership when the matter is tied to rulership the fear of Heaven disappears”… And what in our days? Several times worse. “A son honors his father, and a servant his master; if then I be a father, where is My honor? And if I be a master, where is the fear from Me? Says the LORD of Armies unto you, O Kohanim, that despise My name” [Mal. 1, 6].

After all these things let us proceed to examine the midrashim regarding the partnership of Issachar and Zebulun.

3. Midrash Bereshit Rabbah

There are two very similar sources in the Midrash Bereshit Rabbah which deal with the matter of the partnership of Issachar and Zebulun, below is the first source according to the order of its appearance in the midrash (Vayetze, 72), and thus it is stated there:

“Two hundred heads of Sanhedrin did the tribe of Issachar establish, ‘all their brethren were according to them’ [Chro. I 12, 33] – all their brethren agree on the Halacha according to them, and he answers them as Halacha to Moshe from Sinai. And all this praise, from where did Issachar have it? From Zebulun who was engaging in merchandise and feeding Issachar who was a son of Torah, as it is written: ‘Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea’ [Gen. 49, 13], and when Moshe came to bless Israel he preceded the blessing of Zebulun to the blessing of Issachar [even though Issachar is older than Zebulun]: ‘Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and Issachar, in your tents’ [Deu. 33, 18], from the fact that Issachar is in the tents, the tents of Issachar are in the tents of Zebulun”.

It seems that the meaning of the last sentence above is like its meaning in the midrash below, i.e. because Zebulun assisted Issachar they gave drash to the words “and Issachar, in your tents” as if Issachar sits in the tents of Zebulun, because thanks to Zebulun, Issachar merited economic security and sat safely in his tents. In any case, in the midrash above it is stated that the tribe of Issachar established hundreds of judges for the Sanhedrin, and it is inconceivable that those judges received a salary for their halachic rulings from the tribe of Zebulun, for if indeed so, how did they judge the people of Israel? I mean, it is stated in the midrash: “all their brethren were according to them” [Chro. I 12, 33]. And I have already elaborated in quite a few articles regarding the prohibition to take a salary for ruling Halachot, and it is inconceivable that the Sages of the Mishnah and Talmud who taught and warned us that this is a severe Torah prohibition because of “Cursed be he that takes a bribe” [Deu. 27, 25], would take a salary from a certain tribe or community for ruling Halachot, and moreover in a systematic and institutionalized manner.

Likewise, if we decide to understand that the midrash is talking about charity funds that were transferred to the tribe of Issachar, we will reach the clear and immediate conclusion, that the tribe of Issachar received a salary also for teaching the Torah! For it is stated in the midrash: “‘all their brethren were according to them’ [Chro. I 12, 33] – all their brethren agree on the Halacha according to them, and he answers them as Halacha to Moshe from Sinai”. And this too is inconceivable, for it is not for nothing that the Sages of the Mishnah and Talmud sharply, piercingly, resolutely and absolutely opposed using the crown of the Torah and turning it into a tool for livelihood and for quarrying benefits, and in quite a few articles I brought proofs for the abomination of turning the Torah of God into a spade with which to dig, also from the Torah and the books of the prophets.

Likewise, is it conceivable that the Sages Z”L would say on the one hand “just as I taught you for free, so will you teach for free”, and on the other hand would completely untie the strap and comprehensively kosher turning the Torah of God into a spade with which to dig?

Likewise, the word “feeding” mentioned in the midrash: “feeding Issachar”, does not necessarily express a relationship of giving charity and a gift, and we found two examples of this where the word “feeding” is also used as a way to pay a wage for work or to sell food for payment, and here are the two examples before you:

1) “Rabban Gamliel used to feed his workers Demai” (Demai 3, 1), and it seems quite clear that the meaning is that Rabban Gamliel paid his workers part of their wages with Demai fruits, and not that he gave them charity from the Demai.

2) “It happened with a butcher [=a slaughterer] in Sepphoris who used to feed Israel Nevelot and Terefot” (Jerusalem Talmud, Terumot 8, 3), and it is quite clear that that slaughterer took payment for the slaughtering, since it is very hard to imagine that such a wicked person, who causes the people of Israel to stumble with Nevelot and Terefot, would do it for free for the sake of Heaven.

How then should this midrash be understood? Well, sparse Torah words in one place and rich elsewhere, and from the second source of the midrash below we will learn how to understand the first source.

***

Let us therefore proceed to examine the second source: In the continuation of Midrash Bereshit Rabbah (Vayechi, 100), it is stated thus:

“‘Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea’ [Gen. 49, 13] [Zebulun preceded Issachar] for thus he lists them: ‘Issachar, Zebulun’ [Exo. 1, 3], and why so? [Why was Zebulun preceded to Issachar? Since Issachar is older than Zebulun and their lineage is according to their age in the Book of Exodus above] since Zebulun engaged in merchandise and Issachar engaged in Torah, and Zebulun would come and feed him, therefore he preceded him: ‘It is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her’ [Pro. 3, 18], Issachar gathers and Zebulun brings in ships and sells and brings him all his needs, and so Moshe says: ‘Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out’ [Deu. 33, 18], why? Because Issachar is in your tents [=of Zebulun], for you [=Zebulun] assist him to sit in them”.

Let us notice, that the midrash in Parashat Vayetze is very similar to the midrash in Parashat Vayechi. That is to say, it seems quite clear that these two midrashim came from one source. Although the second midrash adds a detail for us which does not appear in the first midrash, it is highly likely that this addition is true also regarding the first midrash, but that it was probably omitted, or that the editor of the midrash relied on the additional explanation brought in the midrash to Parashat Vayechi. And it is well known that words of Torah are sparse in one place and rich in another place.

In any case, pay attention to this addition which was stated in the midrash to Parashat Vayechi: “Issachar gathers and Zebulun brings in ships and sells and brings him all his needs”. Meaning, Issachar gathers merchandise and Zebulun loads them onto ships and sails to the places of commerce and sells them there, and afterwards returns to his place: “and brings him [=to Zebulun] all his needs”, exactly like the permission that our Rabbi teaches in the interpretation of the Mishnah! That is, Issachar gives Zebulun merchandise so that Zebulun will trade with them and give Issachar the profits without taking brokerage commissions etc…

Likewise, also in the discussed midrash to Parashat Vayechi it is stated: “and Zebulun would come and feed him”, and it is clear from the continuation of the midrash (=‘Issachar gathers and Zebulun brings in ships and sells’) and also in light of what was explained, that what is said about Issachar that Zebulun would “feed him”, does not mean that Zebulun gave Issachar charity for the Torah study, rather, Zebulun gave Issachar the money for the merchandise that Issachar prepared and labored over, and from them he lived and sustained himself. And from this we learn how to understand what is stated in the first midrash to Parashat Vayetze: “and feeding Issachar”.

4. Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah

Another midrash in which the partnership of Issachar and Zebulun appears, is Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah, and the truth is that I should not have referred to this midrash, because it is a late midrash edited in the 12th century in Provence. However, I decided to refer to it anyway so that we may learn about the difference between the description of the partnership in the early Midrash Bereshit Rabbah, and the description of the partnership in the late Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah. From the huge semantic difference we will also learn how the heretics instilled the view that it is permitted and even a Mitzvah to benefit from Torah matters, and we will also see how they distorted the early midrash in order to achieve their goals and yearnings.

“Woe to those who enact unjust statutes, and to those who write down wrongdoing” [Isa. 10, 1].

And this is the language of Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah, the offspring of Provence heresy, the accursed Vilna edition (Naso, 13):

“Why did Zebulun merit to offer third? Because he loved the Torah and extended his hands to scatter his money to Issachar so that the tribe of Issachar would not need a livelihood and would not be idle from learning Torah, therefore Zebulun merited to be a partner to the Torah and was the friend of Issachar, and therefore he offered after him […] to fulfill what is stated: ‘A person’s giving broadens his way and leads him before great men’ [Pro. 18, 16] […] the leader of Zebulun came and offered his sacrifice for the partnership he had with Issachar his brother, because Zebulun and Issachar were partners, Issachar was engaging in Torah and Zebulun was engaging in merchandise, and Zebulun would toil and give into the mouth of Issachar”.

Pay attention, in Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah it is no longer stated that Issachar would gather and Zebulun would bring in ships and sell, and as it is stated in Bereshit Rabbah – and not only did the heretics erase this important sentence, they added sentences from which it explicitly emerges that it is permitted and even a Mitzvah to benefit from Torah matters, such as that Zebulun “extended his hands to scatter his money to Issachar”. And it is clear that this addition was meant to pressure the wealthy men to transfer substantial amounts to the Torah learners, and especially to the elite of the rabbinic heresy residing in France in those days.

Another sentence that testifies to malicious intentions is their saying: “so that the tribe of Issachar would not need a livelihood”, and in other words, sons of Torah according to their method are not men of labor who work for their livelihood! Rather, their entire sustenance is from the charity given to them for their “Torah” study. And we have already seen this view in Rashi’s interpretation to tractate Brachot (6a), and these are his interpretation there: “The garments of the students [meaning the Talmidei Chachamim] that wear out quickly, and they are not men of labor who would wear out their garments”, and the inevitable conclusion is of course, that the “sons of the Torah” must eat and make a living from the study of the holy Torah. And I have already elaborated in explaining his bad interpretation there in the article: “Rashi the Head of the Anthropomorphism Interpreters – Part 35”.

Another sentence whose purpose is to distort the truth is: “therefore Zebulun merited to be a partner to the Torah”, and this is the central source for the delusion that whoever gives money to the shtenders’ swayers from among the descendants of the heretics, merits receiving half the merits of the doubted and dubious spiritual world of the arrogant fool, the skilled twiddler of thumbs.

In short, the editors of the midrash erased the truth and instilled the lie in its place! And as Solomon says in Proverbs (2, 13): “The ones who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness”, and thus RSG interpreted there:

“And from their mistake, that it was not enough for them that they abandoned the truth [that they abandoned the correct and true view of the midrash], rather they walked after the vanity, and upon them he says: ‘The ones who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness’ [Pro. 2, 13]. Therefore they incurred two punishments, for had they abandoned the truth and the vanity together in a certain matter and not opposed it [to the vanity], they would have one sin, and when they reversed the truth by bringing the futility in its place [by their falsifying the midrash and instilling their deviant ambitions] the sin became double”.

By the way, in the midrash “Yalkut Shimoni”, which is a very late midrash (13th century) a truthful view is brought regarding this matter, and thus it is stated there in Parashat “veZot haBracha” (Remez, 960): “‘Rejoice Zebulun in your going out’ teaches that Zebulun was a broker for his brother and would take from his brother and sell to the Canaanites, and from the Canaanites and sell to his brother”. But in another place there the opposite is implied (Vayetze, Remez 129): “Issachar sits and engages in Torah and Zebulun goes out and sails the seas and gives into the mouth of Issachar”. And in another place (Song of Songs, Remez 993) it is impossible to decide one way or another: “Zebulun sits and engages in merchandise and gives into the mouth of Issachar”.

In any case, I do not attribute much importance to the strong truthful proof from the midrash “Yalkut Shimoni”, even though it seems that the truth survived throughout the generations and was perpetuated in that source (Remez 960). That is to say, I do not place it at the head of my proofs for refuting the pro-Christian partnership attributed to Issachar and Zebulun, for it is known that one should not bring proof from an unfounded source, because whoever sees it will think that upon it we rely, and will come to suspect that the proofs to negate this pro-Christian partnership are based primarily on a late midrash, and this error of his will weaken the truthway and the negation of this partnership.

5. The Partnership of Hillel and Shebna

Another source from which they bring “proof” for the pro-Christian partnership attributed to Issachar and Zebulun, is in tractate Sotah (21a). However, I examined the source, and I do not understand how they learn from there that it is permitted to benefit from Torah matters. Apparently there is no limit to the Pilpulim and the delusions of the men of heresy and greed who distort the Torah, use it to execute their ambitions and achieve their desires.

And here is their supposed proof from the words of the Sages in tractate Sotah (21a):

“Why is it said ‘he will be utterly contemned’ (Song 8,7)? Ulla said: […] like Hillel and Shebna. For when Rav Dimi came he said: Hillel and Shebna were brothers, Hillel engaged in Torah, Shebna engaged in business. Finally he [Shebna] said to him [Hillel]: Let us mix what we both have and share! A heavenly voice came forth and said: ‘If a man would give all his fortune for love, he will be utterly contemned’ [ibid]”.

It is about two brothers, one of whom turned to the Torah and the other to business, finally, meaning towards the end of their days, Shebna the businessman proposed to Hillel, let us mix our capitals and share our merits, meaning, come and I will give you half of what I achieved in my business all my life, and you will give me half of your spiritual world.

To this the Gemara answers that whoever does so will be utterly contemned, meaning even if the matter were possible, if Hillel had agreed to Shebna’s proposal they would utterly contemn him, for even a complete fool would not agree to exchange at the end of his days his life of the World to Come for all the wealth in the world, for what benefit is there in all this wealth now? And even if it were in the middle or at the beginning of the days of the lives of Hillel and Shebna, it is still complete ignorance to make such a deal, which exchanges eternal life of the world for passing and fleeting life of the hour.

It is found therefore, that specifically from this midrash there is a proof that contradicts the method of the Torah profiteers! That is to say, the Sages teach us through the Drash, that whoever conceives to exchange eternal life for life of the hour is a complete ignorant who is worthy of disgrace and contempt, and thus therefore the verse should be understood in light of the Midrash: “If a man would give all his [spiritual] fortune for love [for the love of desires and the life of this world] – he will be utterly contemned”.

The source for this horrifying distortion, namely for bringing the “proof” for exploiting the Torah specifically from a midrash that despises all the futilities of this world, is rooted in the interpretation of Rashi wicked shall rot (how not?) and in order to understand his interpretation there, let us return for a moment to the Talmudic Sugia and add the sentence I skipped above: “Why is it said ‘he will be utterly contemned’ (Song 8,7)? Ulla said: Not like Shimon the brother of Azariah, and not like Rabbi Yochanan of the Nasi’s household, rather like Hillel and Shebna” etc.

Meaning, only the realization of Shebna’s partnership proposal to Hillel was worthy of condemnation and contempt. However, the partnership of Shimon the brother of Azariah and the partnership of Rabbi Yochanan of the Nasi’s household, are not partnerships that should be condemned, and it is clear from the language of the midrash that these partnerships were not like the partnership proposal of Shebna to Hillel. Rather, from the condemnation of Shebna’s partnership proposal to Hillel one must necessarily learn that these partnerships were consistent with the Halacha as stated. However, Rashi WSR decided that the partnership of Shimon the brother of Azariah, and the partnership of Rabbi Yochanan of the Nasi’s household were like the condemned and despised partnership proposal of Shebna to Hillel! And this twisted understanding of his is in fact a forgery, distortion and falsification, and a complete reversal of the midrash and its purpose! “Indeed, for lies has the pen labored, lies of the scribes. Scholars have been put to shame, they are trapped and scared; here, they are sick the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?” [Jer. 8, 8–9].

And these are the words of Rashi WSR there: “Shimon the brother of Azariah – he is the Tanna in the first Mishnah of Zevachim, and he learned Torah thanks to his brother who was engaging in merchandise so that he would share in the merit of Shimon’s study, therefore he is called by the name of Azariah his brother. And likewise Rabbi Yochanan [of the Nasi’s household] learned thanks to the household who sustained him”.

And again, for the who-knows-how-many time it is revealed, that Rash is the source of the evils of the pro-Christian Orthodox religion, which took over Judaism and turned it into a quarry for producing profits and benefits, and also into a source of heresy and magical delusions which destroy logic and common sense, and perpetuate ignorance and brutishness – and these two are necessary and even essential for the religious parsons, in order to control psychologically, politically and economically the ignorant masses, who do not know their right from their left.

“You have consumed them but they accepted no discipline, They made their faces harder than rock, refused to return" (Jer. 5, 3).

By the way, Rabbi Yochanan mentioned in the midrash is not the famous Amora Rabbi Yochanan, rather Rabbi Yochanan of the Nasi household, and not only because they added a lineage to his name: “of the Nasi household”, but also because all the Sages brought as an example are Tannaim, and it is highly likely that the mentioned Rabbi Yochanan of the Nasi household was also a Tanna, and not the famous Amora Rabbi Yochanan, to whose name there is no need to add any lineage, because he is the known and famous Rabbi Yochanan.

***

Another point: If a claimant argues and says: The Sages condemned Hillel only because he made the deal at the end of his days, for he had no time left to enjoy the money, however if Hillel had made the deal at the beginning of his days he should not be despised, for now he can enjoy during the days of his life from the money transferred to him. Well, from the verse brought in the midrash as a supporting text it emerges clearly and purely that the main thing is the condemnation of whoever makes such a deal and not the time of making the deal, since it is stated in the midrash: “A heavenly voice came forth and said: ‘If a man would give all his [spiritual] fortune for love [for the love of desires and the life of this world] – he will be utterly contemned’”. Meaning, whoever exchanges his eternal fortune for wealth that passes and fades like the wind, will be utterly contemned, and the enjoyment of man, and even if his enjoyment is like the enjoyment of kings and princes, has no meaning relative to the sublime, eternal delight. “How abundant is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those that fear You, for those who take their refuge in You”, “To look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” [Psa. 31, 20; 27, 13].

Moreover, the Sages a”h hinted in the midrash to the fact that it is a deal made at the end of the days of Shebna and Hillel (by their saying ‘finally’ etc.), because they wanted to emphasize that even if the learner takes from the rich man half of his wealth and assets which he gathered and accumulated during all the days of his life, meaning even if it involves such wealth on an immense scale, still they would utterly contemn him – and all the more so if he loses his spiritual world for meager sums every month, which sustain him in poverty, in disgrace and in lowliness: “But you have strayed from the path, caused many to stumble in the Torah; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and inferior before all the nation, according as you have not kept My ways, and shows impertinence regarding the Torah” [Mal. 2, 8–9].

***

And there was one who quibbled and argued thus: If we say that Reuven was engaging in commerce, and concurrently sustaining Shimon his brother so that he could engage in Torah – seemingly this is a bit different from what is stated in the midrash, since all of Shimon’s learning was made possible because his brother supported him, and therefore Reuven has a share in his brother’s learning?

Well, according to his words only by virtue of the wealthy man does that person learn, meaning if he had not taken money he would not have learned… And if he would not have learned without money it is a sign that his learning is not for the sake of Heaven, but for the sake of money and honor and benefits, because whoever loves God with a whole heart learns Torah for its own sake in any economic situation. And thank God the situation today is a thousand times better than the terrible poverty that prevailed in the days of the Sages of the Mishnah and Talmud, and nevertheless not one of them conceived to use the crown of the Torah.

And whoever fulfills it from poverty will eventually fulfill it from wealth. And whoever plays naive and asks, but from what will I make a living? And this in order to justify the taking of money of course… Well, if he asks this question then Chazakah that he does not truly love LORD God, and that his learning is not for the sake of Heaven to say the least, because whoever loves God and respects the Torah will find the way, and God will also assist him, for whoever comes to purify himself is assisted, on the condition that the person truly and sincerely yearns to be purified from iniquity of desecrating the Name, and to cling to integrity and truth. And one hour of studying the pure Torah of truth is better than a thousand years in the accursed Yeshivot of heresy.

6. Proof from the Book of Judges

In the book of Judges (5, 15) it is stated thus: “And the ministers of Issachar were with Deborah, as was Issachar and so was Barak; into the valley they rushed forth at his feet”. It is told therefore that the tribe of Issachar went to war with Deborah, and was even of the most elite vanguard forces that fought with Barak the son of Abinoam; and there is from this important verse proof for two matters: 1) It is inconceivable that there was a pro-Christian partnership between Issachar and Zebulun, for if there was such a corrupt agreement which exempts Issachar from working for his livelihood, certainly it would have included also the exemption from going to war, and as is customary in our days to exempt the Yeshiva sitters from conscription to the IDF; 2) Likewise, the tribe of Issachar is described as a fierce and formidable tribe of warriors which was among the heroic tribes that did not hesitate to go to the front of the fierce war together with Deborah and Barak, and it is inconceivable that a tribe which engages in Torah all day and is physically weak – for whoever does not engage in labor and in settling the world his body weakens and his strength wanes – it is inconceivable that its men would be capable of serving as fierce warriors. Furthermore, also in the book of Chronicles the men of the tribe of Issachar are described as heroic warriors of valor: “And their brethren among all the families of Issachar, mighty men of valor, reckoned in all by genealogy, were fourscore and seven thousand” [Chro. I 7, 5]. And again, it is inconceivable that whoever sits all day and only meditates on the Torah would be a fierce warrior.

7. Theodosius of Rome and “The Advantage of the Knowledge of Wisdom”

In tractate Pesachim (53b) it is stated thus:

“The question was raised before them: Was Theodosius of Rome a great man, or was he a man of fists [a strongman]? […] Rabbi bar Avin said: He used to invest capital in the purse of Talmidei Chachamim, for Rabbi Yochanan said: Whoever invests capital in the purse of Talmidei Chachamim – merits and sits in the heavenly Yeshiva, as it is stated: ‘Wisdom is a shelter, as money is a shelter’ [Ecc. 7, 12]”.

The heretics and their descendants learned from this Sugia that whoever enriches the Talmidei Chachamim (and not only the heads of Yeshivot), merits the life of the World to Come and they even treat him “with respect as if he is great in Torah” (and to examine some of their deceptions see: ‘Arbel Brazenly Desecrates the Name of Heaven – Part II׳). The source of this pro-Christian forgery is in the interpretation of Rashi WSR there and thus his wording: “Invests capital – gives merchandise to Talmidei Chachamim so he profits from it”. Meaning, according to Rashi, “Invests capital in the purse of Talmidei Chachamim” means to give the Talmidei Chachamim merchandise, i.e. the equivalent of money, and in other words to enrich Talmidei Chachamim! Likewise, in the continuation of his interpretation there Rashi strengthens his permission to benefit to eat and even to gorge from the Torah: “Wisdom is a shelter – into the partition of wisdom will enter the one who gave him enjoyment from his assets”. Meaning, whoever participates in desecrating the Name of Heaven and giving the Talmidei Chachamim merchandise and assets enters “into the partition of wisdom”, i.e. he merits the reward with the wise man! It is found therefore, that Rashi WSR is the source of the pro-Christian Orthodox forgery for the partnership of Issachar and Zebulun.

Following Rashi WSR, many of the quarriers of the Torah wave the verse: “Wisdom is a shelter, as money is a shelter; and the advantage of knowing wisdom will preseeve its owner’s life” [Ecc. 7, 12]. And thus in my opinion it should be interpreted: The one who shelters in the shade of wisdom is better than the one who shelters in the shade of money, because wisdom is the true property and assets that a person has, and therefore it is stated in the continuation of the verse that there is an advantage to the knowledge of wisdom, because it will preserve his life both in this world and in the World to Come in the eternal life of truth… “Thus says The LORD: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glories glory in this, that he learns my ways and knows Me [=the intellect and understanding are the true treasure], that I am the LORD who does mercy, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for these things I want, says the LORD”, “I gave give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My nation, and I will be their God; for they shall return to Me wholeheartedly” [Jer. 9, 22–23; 24, 7]. “Make your ear attend to wisdom and your heart incline to understanding; if you call for understanding and ask for it; if you seek it as silver, search it as for hidden treasures [meaning, only if wisdom will be in your eyes important as treasures]; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and shall you find divine knowledge” [Pro. 2, 2–5].

Epilogue

In Halachot of the Foundations of the Torah (4, 14–15) our Rabbi says thus (in the two paragraphs below):

“The soul of all flesh is its form which God gave to it, and the excessive intellect found in the soul of human is the form of the man who is intellectually whole. And regarding this form it is stated in the Torah: ‘Let us make man in our form, as a likeness’ [Gen. 1, 26]. Meaning, that he should have a form that knows and comprehends the abstract concepts, until he resembles them. […]

This form of the soul is not compounded from the elements, so it will not dissolve […] Therefore, when things that are compounded from the elements separate, […] this form will not be extirpated, […] rather it knows and comprehends the concepts that are separated from materialism, and knows the Creator of all, and stands before Him eternally, forever and ever”.

It is found, that the life of the World to Come according to our Rabbi is a life of spiritual intellectual knowing and recognition. This eternal life is achieved through the cultivation and development of the intellectual and spiritual powers that the Holy One granted to humans, and perfecting them throughout all the days of his life. That is, through the study of the sciences that prepare and lead to knowing God, and the study of the Torah which perfects the traits of man and prepares him for the understanding of the concepts and the divine sciences. Therefore, it is impossible to buy the life of the World to Come with money, for money does not develop and perfect the soul and intellect of man and does not prepare him to comprehend his Creator. Rather, it is incumbent upon the person himself, to walk in the paths of the Torah, integrity and purity, and to learn and become wise and develop his intellect and his understanding.

And see further the words of our Rabbi in Halachot of Repentance (8, 5–6):

“And what is this that they said [the Sages in their fables concerning the Tzadikim in the World to Come]: ‘And they enjoy the radiance of the Shechinah’? That they know and comprehend from the trueness of the Holy One what they do not know while they are in the dark, lowly body.Every soul mentioned in this context […] [is] the form of the soul, which is the thought that has been comprehended from the Creator according to its ability”.

And I will add one more ruling from the end of Halachot of Repentance (10, 10):

“It is a known and clear matter that the love of the Holy One is not bound in the heart of a person […] except through the knowledge in which he will know Him, and according to the knowledge will be the love. If a little – a little, and if a lot – a lot. Therefore, a person needs to dedicate himself to understand and become wise in wisdoms and understandings that let him know his Creator, according to the capacity that is in a person to understand and to comprehend, as we explained in Halachot of the Foundations of the Torah [and there it is stated (2, 1): ‘And what is the path to loving Him and fearing Him? At the time when a person observes His wondrous deeds and creations’ etc.]”.

In short, in order for a person to merit the life of the World to Come he must know the Lord God, and according to his knowledge so will be his portion in the World to Come. Therefore it is impossible according to our Rabbi to merit the sublime supremacy of the life of the World to Come only by virtue of giving charity, rather, a person must learn and become wise and know the Lord God. The one who educated to know LORD God, enhanced his soul to be bound and to know the Founder of the Universe in the life of the World to Come. But one who neglected his soul and preferred vanity and desires, will not succeed in creating the necessary spiritual connection with the Creator of the World so that his soul will merit eternal life, and all the goodness treasured for those who know God, the men of truth and justice.

And I will conclude with the words of our Rabbi in the Guide (3, 54), and the matters are very ancient, and thus are his words:

“And the fourth kind is the true human perfection, and it is the achievement of the rational virtues. That is, drawing the intellectual concepts that lead to true views in divine matters, and this is the final purpose, and it is what perfects the human being with a true perfection, and it belongs to him alone [meaning, he cannot trade it and transfer it in exchange for any wealth in the world] and it is what grants him the eternal existence [and it is also impossible to purchase it as if it were Canaanite merchandise, for only its existence in a person will enable the eternal existence] and through it a human being is a human being”.

“And you My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are human being and I am your God, says LORD God” [Eze. 34, 31].

Appendix: Questions and Answers

A) And thus a former Yemenite “Hesder” Yeshiva student who pierced his ear to his Ashkenazi masters asked me: What is the fundamental difference between charity and not collecting management fees? Seemingly the law of a Pruta [low value coin] is like the law of a hundred? A logical and simple distinction is that the difference stems from charity in a respectful and willing manner as opposed to a manner that is not respectful and unwilling. Therefore a donation of money to Yeshivot or a government salary is a legitimate thing. And see Goitein in Tarbiz (Tammuz 5727 p. 357) on evidences from the Geniza for donations of the people of Yemen to the Yeshiva of the Rambam in Egypt.

Answer:

It is a fact that the Sages Z”L and the Rambam considered that there is a big difference, and it is also clear as the sun: the granting of the benefit of not collecting management fees is also done as a matter of respect among people, and the honor of a Talmid Chachamim shall not be inferior to the honor of an Am ha’Aretz, and as the Rambam explained in the interpretation of the Mishnah and his words were brought above. Moreover, this benefit does not encourage and push a person to a life of parasitism, idleness and cessation, on the contrary, there is in these benefits an encouragement to continue and engage in labor, such as what they grant the wise man to sell first in the market and the like.

Likewise, the words of our Rabbi in the Halacha at the beginning of the article escaped your eyes: “and be supported from charity”. Meaning, even when the charity is given with respect and willingness and it is considered by the society as a “livelihood”… And only about this did our Rabbi speak in his Halachot above, for whoever takes by force and under duress is a Gazlan, and we are not dealing with Gazlanim. And regarding the Jews of Yemen, one should not learn from the exceptional about the general, and see Kapach’s article in the Writings regarding the Jews of Yemen, there he explains why the Jews of Yemen loved the Rambam, and one of the reasons is that he would not demand money for his responsa… And in general, if there were those who practiced not according to the Halacha, what proof is there in that?

And whoever wants to deny and argue may do as he pleases…

B) I was also asked: It is said about our Rabbi that his brother supported him, is this true and why was it permitted? Answer: His brother did not support him, his brother dealt with the family money, and this is permitted and as we saw in the article.

"Who is smart and will understand these things? understanding individual will know them, since the ways of the Lord are straight, Tzadikim will walk in them and the the criminals will stumble in them" (Hos. 14). “Then Daniel answered and said before the king: Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another” [Dan. 5, 17].

C) I was also asked: The language of the Rambam in Halachot of Torah Study chapter 3: “It is a great virtue for one who is supported from the labor of his hands”, it can be understood that this is a great and special virtue but not an absolute obligation. Answer: Be precise from the beginning section there:

“Anyone who sets his heart on studying Torah and does not work, and earns his living from charity, has desecrated the Name, and disgraced the Torah, and extinguished the light of religion, and caused evil to himself, and taken his life from the World to Come. Because it is forbidden to benefit from Torah matters in this world [and even in an indirect manner and when you have a respectable livelihood]”.

Meaning, whoever does not have must work for his livelihood, and therefore all the Sages of the Mishnah and Talmud worked for their livelihood. And when our Rabbi used the language “a great virtue”, his intention is to say that even one who has money, if he seeks to reach the level of the early Chassidim, i.e. the Sages of the Mishnah and Talmud, he should work for his livelihood and not be idle from labor and the toil of his hands. And further on the matter of the virtue of labor see the words of our Rabbi in his interpretation to Avot (4, 7).

And I will conclude with two Halachot from the end of Halachot of Gifts to the Poor (10, 16–17), and thus are the words of the Sages Z”L and our Rabbi:

[16] “A person should always press himself [=live in distress] and roll in sadness [=to such an extent!] and not be in need of the mankind, and a person should not throw himself upon the public. And thus the Sages commanded and said: ‘Make your Shabbat a weekday rather than be in need of mankind’ [Pesachim 113a]. And even if he was wise and honored or poor he should engage in a craft, and even in a loathsome craft, and not be in need of mankind. It is better to flay the skins of carcasses in the market and not say to the people: ‘I am a wise man’ and ‘I am a Gedol’ and ‘I am a Kohen’ – ‘support me’, and thus the Sages commanded”.

[17] “The greatest of the Sages – there were among them woodchoppers, carriers of beams, drawers of water for gardens and workers of iron and charcoal, and they did not ask [=request] from the public and did not receive from them when they gave to them”.