Talmud zu Bereschit 24:1

MISHNAH: Rebbi Nehorai says: I am leaving aside all trades in the world and teach my son only Torah²⁶²This really is frowned upon, Mishnah Avot 2:2, 4:5., for a man eats from its rewards in this world and the capital remains for the future world. But with other trades it is not so, for if a person is afflicted with sickness, or old age, or a measure of suffering, and cannot continue in his trade, he dies, abandoned, from hunger. But the Torah is different, it guards him from all evil in his youth and gives him a future and hope in his old age. What does it say about his youth? “Those who trust in the Eternal will renew strength, they rise on wings like an eagle, they run without effort, they walk without tiring.²⁶³Is. 40:31.” What does it say about his old age? “They still bear fruit in old age, fat and invigorated they will be.²⁶⁴Ps. 92:15.” So it says about our father Abraham, peace on him: “Abraham was old, came into days, and the Eternal blessed Abraham with everything.²⁶⁵Gen. 24:1.” We find that our father Abraham kept the entire Torah before it was given, as it is said: “As a reward because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My watch, My commandments, My laws, and My teachings.²⁶⁶Gen. 26:5.”

HALAKHAH: ²⁶⁷Tosephta 5:16–17; a shortened version in the Babli, 82b, and Masekhet Sopherim 17:1.“Rebbi Nehorai says: I am leaving aside all trades in the world and teach my son only Torah.” For all trades support a person only in his youth as long as he is in possession of his powers. But if a person is afflicted with sickness or a measure of suffering, and cannot continue working, he dies from hunger. But the Torah is different, it honors him and guards him from all evil in his youth and gives him a future and hope in his old age²⁶⁸G has here an amplification that looks redundant.. What does it say about his youth? “Those who trust in the Eternal will renew strength, they rise on wings like an eagle, they run without effort, they walk without tiring.²⁶³Is. 40:31.” What does it say about his old age? “They still bear fruit in old age, fat and invigorated they will be.²⁶⁴Ps. 92:15.” So you find about the patriarch Abraham who kept the Torah before it came into the world²⁶⁹G lacks “into the world”. The text of L should be interpreted as “came into this world”, not excluding the doctrine of pre-existence of the Torah in the abstract prior to Creation., as it is said: “As a reward because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My watch, My commandments, My laws, and My teachings.²⁶⁶Gen. 26:5.” Also it made him great and blessed him in his youth and gave him a future and hope in his old age. What does it say about his youth? “Abraham was very wealthy with livestock, silver, and gold.” And about his old age, what does it say? “Abraham was old, came into days, and the Eternal blessed Abraham with everything.²⁶⁵Gen. 24:1.”

R. Nehorai said: I abandon all professions in the world and teach my son only Torah,¹Inserted by GRA in agreement with Ḳid. 82a (Sonc. ed., p. 423). because a man enjoys part of its reward in this world while the principal remains intact for the world to come. The other professions, however, are not so. For should a person come to sickness, old age or suffering and is unable to carry on his work, he would die of starvation; whereas with the Torah it is not so, but it protects him from all evil in his youth and gives him a future and hope in his old age. What does it say in Scripture of his youth? But they that wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.²Isa 40, 31. And what does it say of his old age? They shall still bring forth fruit in old age.³Ps. 92, 15. In Ḳid. loc. cit. the Mishnah adds: ‘And thus it is said of our father Abraham, And Abraham was old … and the Lord blessed Abraham in all things (Gen. 24, 1)’.