1)

PROFESSIONS INVOLVING WOMEN [line 1]

(a)

(Mishnah): A bachelor should not teach children. A woman should not teach children;

(b)

R. Elazar says, even a man without a wife should not teach children.

(c)

Rebbi Yehudah says, a bachelor should not graze animals. Bachelors should not sleep together in one cloak;

(d)

Chachamim permit this.

(e)

(Gemara) Question: Why shouldn't a bachelor teach children?

1.

Suggestion: We are concerned lest he will have Bi'ah with the boys.

2.

Rejection (Beraisa): Chachamim said to Rebbi Yehudah 'Yisre'elim are not suspected of homosexual relations or bestiality.'

(f)

Answer: Rather, we are concerned lest he be alone with a child's mother when she comes for him. Similarly, a woman should not teach, for the children's fathers come for them.

(g)

(Mishnah - R. Elazar): Even a man without a wife...

(h)

Question: Does he mean a single man (i.e. the first Tana forbids one who was never married, and R. Eliezer includes anyone one who single), or even a married man whose wife is not with him?

(i)

Answer (Beraisa): Even a married man whose wife is not with him should not teach children. (Surely this is like R. Elazar. We do not assume that there is a three-way argument unless we are forced to.)

(j)

(Mishnah - Rebbi Yehudah): A bachelor should not graze...

(k)

(Beraisa - Chachamim (to Rebbi Yehudah)): Yisrael are not suspected of homosexual Bi'ah nor bestiality.

(l)

(Mishnah): Anyone whose profession involves women may not be secluded with women.

(m)

One should not teach his son such a profession.

2)

PREFERRED PROFESSIONS [line 16]

(a)

(Continuation of Mishnah - R. Meir): One should teach his son a clean, easy profession and pray to Hash-m, for wealth or poverty do not result from the profession, rather, from merit.

(b)

R. Shimon ben Elazar: Animals do not have professions, yet they get their needs without pain, and they were only created to serve man!

1.

Man was created to serve Hash-m. All the more so, he should get his needs without pain!

2.

Man's sins caused that he must acquire his needs through toil.

(c)

Aba Guryan of Tzadyin, citing Aba Gurya: One should not train his son to drive donkeys, camels, wagons or ships, nor to be a shepherd or grocer, for such people steal. (The first four take wood and Peros from where they lodge, and transgress their contracts. Shepherds graze in others' fields, and grocers dilute wine.)

(d)

Rebbi Yehudah, citing Aba Gurya: Most donkey drivers are evil. Most camel drivers are Kesherim. Most ship drivers are very pious (they go to places of danger, and pray fervently to Hash-m).

1.

The best doctors go to Gehinom (they do not fear illness, and do not heal the poor). The most righteous butchers go to Gehinom (they do not admit when an animal is Tereifah, for this would be a big loss for them).

(e)

R. Nehorai: I will not teach my son any profession, only Torah, for one enjoys its reward in this world, and the principal remains intact for the next world.

1.

Regarding a profession, if one is sick or old and cannot work, he will starve;

2.

Torah guards one in his youth - "those who hope to Hash-m will get renewed strength";

3.

It gives him a good end in his old age. It says "they will still flourish when old" and "Avraham was old, Hash-m blessed Avraham with everything".

i.

Avraham kept the entire Torah before it was given - "because he (Avraham) heard My voice, and kept My statues and Mitzvos".

(f)

(Gemara): Professions involving women lead to bad conduct, such as jewelry makers, flax combers, people who fix grinders, peddlers, weavers, barbers, launderers, bloodletters, bathhouse attendants, and tanners.

1.

We do not appoint a king or Kohen Gadol from one who had one of these professions.

2.

Technically, these professions do not disqualify a person, but it is a disgrace to appoint such a person.

(g)

(Beraisa): Bloodletters generally have these 10 Midos: they walk erect, are haughty, they support themselves to sit, they are stingy, envious, they eat much, they excrete little, and they are suspected of adultery, theft, and murder.

(h)

(Bar Kapara): A man should teach his son a clean, easy profession.

1.

(Rav Yehudah): This is embroidery.

82b----------------------------------------82b

(i)

(Beraisa - Rebbi): There are always people to fill every profession. Happy is the man whose parents have a proper profession, woe to one whose parents have an improper profession.

1.

The world needs perfumers and tanners. Happy is the perfumer, and woe to the tanner.

(j)

The world needs males and females. Happy is the father of sons, and woe to the father of daughters.

(k)

R. Meir says, a man should teach his son a clean, easy profession and pray to the Source of wealth;

1.

Wealth or poverty are not from the profession, rather from Hash-m - "Mine is the silver and gold."

(l)

(Mishnah - R. Shimon ben Elazar): Animals do not have professions...

(m)

(Beraisa - R. Shimon ben Elazar): I never saw a deer that dries figs, or a lion that bears burdens, or a fox grocer. They get their needs without pain, and they were created only to service man;

1.

Man was created to serve Hash-m. All the more so, he should get his needs without pain!

2.

The reason we are financed through pain is our sins - "your sins caused this".

(n)

R. Nehorai: I will not teach my son any profession, only Torah;

1.

Professions help one only in his youth. When he is old, he will starve;

2.

Torah helps one in his youth - "those who hope to Hash-m will get renewed strength; they will grow wings like Nesharim (eagles or vultures)";

3.

It gives him a good end in his old age - "they will still flourish when old, they will be fresh".

TAM V'NISHLAM, B'EZRAS HA'TZUR