Beyond "Do Not Oppress a Hired Worker" A Labor Day Beit Midrash

(5) And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls; and Joseph was in Egypt already. (6) And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. (7) And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. (8) Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. (9) And he said unto his people: ‘Behold, the people of the children of Israel are too many and too mighty for us; (10) come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there befalleth us any war, they also join themselves unto our enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the land.’ (11) Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Raamses. (12) But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And they were adread because of the children of Israel. (13) And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve p'farech (with rigour).

(16) Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. (17) And Leah’s eyes were weak; but Rachel was of beautiful form and fair to look upon. (18) And Jacob loved Rachel; and he said: ‘I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.’ (19) And Laban said: ‘It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man; abide with me.’ (20) And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. (21) And Jacob said unto Laban: ‘Give me my wife, for my days are filled, that I may go in unto her.’ (22) And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. (23) And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. (24) And Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid unto his daughter Leah for a handmaid. (25) And it came to pass in the morning that, behold, it was Leah; and he said to Laban: ‘What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?’ (26) And Laban said: ‘It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the first-born. (27) Fulfil the week of this one, and we will give thee the other also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.’ (28) And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week; and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife. (29) And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her handmaid. (30) And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

(41) These twenty years have I been in thy house: I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flock; and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

(14) Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates. (15) In the same day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD and it be sin in thee.

(1) The one who hires laborers, and said to them to get up early and to work late: in a place that they are accustomed to not get up early and work late, it is not permitted to force them, in a place that they are accustomed to feed, he should feed, to supply with sweets, should supply, everything goes according to local custom...

Some porters working for Raba bar bar Hanan broke a jug of wine. He seized their clothes. They came before Rav, and Rav said to Raba bar bar Hanan, “Give them their clothing.” Raba bar bar Hanan said to him, “Is this the law?” Rav said, “Yes, because of the principle ‘You should walk in the ways of the good,’ (Proverbs 2:20).” He gave them back their clothes. They said to him, “We are poor, and we troubled ourselves to work all day and we are needy—do we receive nothing?” Immediately Rav said to Raba bar bar Hanan, “Go, give them their wages.” He said to Rav, “Is this the law?” Rav said, “Yes—‘you should keep the ways of the righteous’ (Proverbs 2:20)

(14) Rabbi Elazar says: Be diligent in your studies of Torah, know what to respond to a heretic. Know before whom you are laboring. Your employer is trustworthy that He will pay you the reward of your labor.