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Kiddushin 4:13-14

Kiddushin 4:13

An unmarried man may not be employed as a teacher (because mothers bring their children to school), nor may a woman (because of the fathers, all of which leads to situations of seclusion). Rabbi Eliezer says that a man without a wife may not serve as a teacher. (The first opinion in the mishna only refers to bachelors; Rabbi Eliezer includes men who are widowed, divorced or separated.)

Kiddushin 4:14

Rabbi Yehuda says that an unmarried man may not herd animals and two unmarried men may not sleep in the same garment; the Sages permit these things. One whose business is with women may not be alone with them, and one should not train his son in a profession that would require him to be with women. Rabbi Meir says that a person should always teach his son a profession that is clean and easy and pray to the One to Whom all wealth and possessions belong because there is no profession that doesn’t have the potential for both poverty and wealth. Neither poverty nor wealth is caused by one’s choice of profession. Rather, everything is according to a person’s merits. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says that we’ve never seen an animal or a bird with a job but they manage to support themselves without difficulty. They were created only to serve man and man was created only to serve God. It therefore follows that a person should be able to support himself without difficulty. However, a person’s deeds may be bad, costing him some sustenance he otherwise might have merited. Abba Guryan of Tzidyon said in the name of Abba Guria that a man should not train his son to be a donkey driver, a camel driver, a barber, a sailor, a shepherd or a storekeeper because these professions tempt one to steal. Rabbi Yehuda says in Abba Guria’s name that most donkey drivers are evil and most camel drivers are virtuous. Most sailors are pious (because, being at sea, they pray constantly). The best doctors are bound for hell (because they claim expertise they don’t have, resulting in death). The best of the butchers is a partner of Amalek (in enjoying bloodshed). Rabbi Nehorai says that he would spurn all the professions in the world and only teach his son Torah because a person enjoys its reward in this world and the principal remains waiting for him in the Next World. This is not the case with any other career. When a person becomes sick, old or afflicted and can no longer work, he will starve. Torah is not this way. Rather, it protects him from all evil in his youth and gives him a purpose and hope in his old age. Regarding youth, Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those who wait for Hashem will have their strength renewed” and, regarding old age, Psalms 92:15 says, “They will still bear fruit in old age.” Similarly, Genesis 24:1 tells us that “Abraham was old...and Hashem blessed Abraham with everything.”  We see that Abraham observed the entire Torah before it was given, as per Genesis 26:5, “Because Abraham listened to My voice, and observed My laws, My commandments, My statutes and My teachings.”

Author: Rabbi Jack Abramowitz