Jewish Views of Work: From Sweaty Brows to Exaltation

To Adam God said, “Because you did as your wife said and ate of the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ Cursed be the ground because of you; By toil shall you eat of it All the days of your life: Thorns and thistles shall it sprout for you. But your food shall be the grasses of the field; By the sweat of your brow Shall you get bread to eat, Until you return to the ground— For from it you were taken. For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”

Shemaya would say: Love work, hate power, and do not become too familiar with the authorities. 'Love work,' how so? This teaches us that a person should love work, and not hate work. For just as the Torah was given in a covenant, so work was given in a covenant, as it says (Exodus 20:10), “For six days you shall labor and do all your work, and the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Eternal your God.”

If people were not forced to exert themselves in seeking a livelihood, they would kick (become defiant) and chase after sin, and would ignore their debt of gratitude to God for the goodness they received.

When Rabbi Yehuda would go to the study hall he would carry a pitcher on his shoulder to sit on, saying: Labor is great, as it brings honor to the laborer who performs it.

And Rav Zutra bar Toviya said that Rav said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “God has made everything beautiful in its time." This teaches that for each and every individual, God has made their work pleasant for them in their own eyes. In that way, each individual will be satisfied with their work, enabling the world to function properly.