Rav Yehuda says: All of the city’s residents must contribute to the building and upkeep of the city gates [le’aglei gappa], and for this purpose money is collected even from orphans. But the Sages do not require protection and are therefore exempt from this payment. All of the city’s residents must contribute to the digging of cisterns [lekarya patya], and for this purpose money is collected even from the Sages, since they too need water. The Gemara comments: And we said this only when the people are not required to go out en masse [be’akhluza] and do the actual digging, but are obligated merely to contribute money for that purpose. But if the people are required to go out en masse and actually dig, the Sages are not expected to go out with them en masse, but rather they are exempt from such labor.
(ו) כָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לִשְׁמִירַת הָעִיר לוֹקְחִין מִכָּל אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר וַאֲפִלּוּ מִן הַיְתוֹמִים חוּץ מִתַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים. שֶׁאֵין תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים צְרִיכִין שְׁמִירָה שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה שׁוֹמַרְתָּן. אֲבָל לְתִקּוּן הַדְּרָכִים וְהָרְחוֹבוֹת אֲפִלּוּ מִן הַחֲכָמִים. וְאִם כָּל הָעָם יוֹצְאִין וּמְתַקְּנִין בְּעַצְמָן לֹא יֵצְאוּ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים עִמָּהֶן שֶׁאֵין דֶּרֶךְ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים לְהִזְדַּלְזֵל לִפְנֵי עַם הָאָרֶץ:
(6) All things needed for the safeguarding of the city are taken from the citizens, including orphans, but not from Torah scholars, since the scholars are not in need of extra protection: the Torah is their protection. But for the repair of the roads and the streets even scholars are taxed. If the entire population comes out to do the repairing by themselves, scholars should not come out with them, because it is not right for scholars to degrade themselves in the presence of the common people.
(י) תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים אֵינָם יוֹצְאִין בְּעַצְמָן לַעֲשׂוֹת עִם כָּל הַקָּהָל בְּבִנְיָן וַחֲפִירָה שֶׁל מְדִינָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִתְבַּזּוּ בִּפְנֵי עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ. וְאֵין גּוֹבִין מֵהֶן לְבִנְיַן הַחוֹמָה וְתִקּוּן הַשְּׁעָרִים וּשְׂכַר הַשּׁוֹמְרִים וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן וְלֹא לִתְשׁוּרַת הַמֶּלֶךְ. וְאֵין מְחַיְּבִים אוֹתָן לִתֵּן הַמַּס בֵּין מַס שֶׁהוּא קָצוּב עַל בְּנֵי הָעִיר בֵּין מַס שֶׁהוּא קָצוּב עַל כָּל אִישׁ וָאִישׁ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ח י) "גַּם כִּי יִתְנוּ בַגּוֹיִם עַתָּה אֲקַבְּצֵם וַיָּחֵלּוּ מְּעָט מִמַּשָּׁא מֶלֶךְ וְשָׂרִים". וְכֵן אִם הָיְתָה סְחוֹרָה לְתַלְמִיד חָכָם מְנִיחִים אוֹתוֹ לִמְכֹּר תְּחִלָּה וְאֵין מְנִיחִים אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי הַשּׁוּק לִמְכֹּר עַד שֶׁיִּמְכֹּר הוּא. וְכֵן אִם הָיָה לוֹ דִּין וְהָיָה עוֹמֵד בִּכְלַל בַּעֲלֵי דִּינִים הַרְבֵּה מַקְדִּימִין אוֹתוֹ וּמוֹשִׁיבִין אוֹתוֹ:
(10) The disciples of the wise do not go forth personally to work with the rest of the population on construction and digging for the state, or like labor so as not to expose themselves to be degraded by the ignorant people. They should not be levied upon for the erection of a wall, repairing of the gates, wages for the watchman and the like, nor for the king's gift-fund. They should not be obliged to contribute to taxes, whether it be a fixed tax levied upon the inhabitants of the city, or whether it be a fixed tax upon every individual, for it is said: "But even though they should spend gifts among the nations, now will I gather them and they shall be humbled a little through the burden of the king and princes" (Hos. 8.10). If a disciple of the wise had merchandise to sell, he should be permitted to be first to sell it, and no one else in the market should be permitted to sell until he will sell out. Likewise, if he had a trial, and he was standing among many others who had law suits, he should have precedence, and given a place to sit down.9Baba Batra, 18b; Ibid. 22a.; Shebuot, 29a C.
Thomas Jefferson, United States Declaration of Independance
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights..."
Time Magazine,
"Former President Jimmy Carter Is Still Building His Legacy, One Home at a Time"
At 93, Jimmy Carter’s gait is a little stiff, his back a bit stooped. He doesn’t swing a hammer like he once did, preferring to work a table saw. But one week each year, the 39th President of the United States and his wife still travel somewhere in the world to build homes with their own hands for Habitat for Humanity, the global housing charity. And so, on a Thursday in late August, the Carters were on a job site in Mishawaka, Ind., wearing blue hard hats and measuring out lengths of wood for a new patio.
Mashable.com
"Elizabeth in the army, When the Queen was a truck mechanic"
In March 1945, a truck mechanic (No. 230873) in the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service, based at the Mechanical Transport Training Section, Camberley, Surrey, received a visit from her parents and her sister. Her parents just happened to be King George VI and the Queen, and her sister was Princess Margaret.
That truck mechanic was Princess – later Queen – Elizabeth.
In 1942, at age 16, Elizabeth registered with the Labour Exchange –the British employment agency at the time – and was extremely keen to join a division of the women’s armed forces. Her father was reluctant to let her do so, but eventually relented. Once in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, Elizabeth learned how to change a wheel, deconstruct and rebuild engines, and drive ambulances and other vehicles.
Joining the ATS as an honorary Second Subaltern, Elizabeth achieved the rank of honorary Junior Commander within five months.