The Baal Shem Tov taught that working in a worldly occupation can be comparable to studying Torah and even greater – for everything in the world was created for the glory of HaShem, and when a person uses worldly things in the way prescribed by the Torah, he is serving their Maker.
A man once came to tell the Baal Shem Tov that he had lost his oxen; he wanted to be told where they were. The tzaddik opened a Zohar, looked inside, and told him that they were in the market city of Breslau. He later explained that Chazal say that there is a "great light" hidden in the Torah that enables one to see from one end of the world to the other, and with that light, those who study Torah properly can see everything.
The Rebbe derived a lesson from this story: There are those who separate the Torah from worldly matters, thinking that the Zohar is a holy part of Torah, while the ox is an ox, and Breslau is a market city.... This is a mistake, for HaShem is everywhere, even in the lowliest things; thus the Baal Shem Tov saw them in the Zohar. This can be seen from the special purpose that the oxen filled: they brought this Yid to the Baal Shem Tov.
(מאור עינים, שבת, שיחו"ק תשל"ד ח"ב ע' 451)
Chazal say that Chanoch 'sewed shoes' and thereby created spiritual yichudim for HaShem similar to those created through wearing tefillin. The Rebbe explains that this teaches us a lesson: even while going about their work, an ordinary shoemaker or tailor can produce sublime spiritual repercussions, if they have proper intentions.
(תו"מ תשמ"ט ח"א ע' 247, וראה תו"מ תשמ"ב ח"א ע' 304)
A dirah b'tachtonim is built primarily by those in the workforce who use the physical world for the sake of HaShem. For this reason, until Moshiach comes, the number of Yidden in the workforce ('Zevulun') greatly exceeds the number of those dedicated to studying Torah fulltime ('Yissachar').
Furthermore, by serving HaShem despite the challenges of the physical world, a Yid reveals a deeper, essential connection of his neshama to HaShem. However, this is only revealed when he later dedicates time to davening and learning.
(לקו"ש ח"ל ע' 137 ואילך עיי"ש)
Remembering the Objective
One of the chassidim of the Rebbe Rashab was a man of scholarly stature who invested his excellent mind in the teachings of Chassidus. One day he began to manufacture galoshes and in due course he became deeply involved in his business.
Seeing him, the Rebbe Rashab commented, "I have seen feet in galoshes, but a head in galoshes...?!"
(לקוטי שיחות א ע' 224)
The Frierdiker Rebbe writes that in earlier times, people would refer to parnasa as chiyuna, which means sustenance, whereas in America they say that a person is "making a living" (implying that his earnings are the essence of his life).
(סה"ש תש"ד ע' 83)
It took many years after the Rebbe Maharash passed away for the Rebbe Rashab to become Rebbe. He later shared what prompted him to consent:
“The Mitteler Rebbe writes that toiling in business faithfully (be’emuna) is greater than studying Torah for its own sake (lishma). Being so, it is probably more challenging as well. I was therefore afraid to undertake that mission, and I chose this job instead”...
(שמועות וסיפורים ח"א ע' 78)
Faithful Laborers
Chazal teach: Great is he who supports himself by his own efforts; as the possuk says, "He is praiseworthy both in this world and the next." Chazal further state that a person should not say, “Since I am of dignified ancestry, it is unbefitting for me to humble myself by working” – for long before his time, HaShem Himself worked, when He created the world.
(ברכות ח ע"א, זהר חדש ח"א ט ע"א)
Many of the great tanaim and amoraim worked as menial laborers to earn a living. Hillel was a woodcutter; R' Oshiya, R' Chanina and R' Yochanan were shoemakers; R' Yehuda was a baker; and others worked as blacksmiths, net-weavers, tailors, diggers and porters.
(אוצר האגדה ערך 'אומנים ובעלי מלאכה בין חכמי התלמוד')
The eminent chossid, Reb Hillel Paritcher, served as mashpia for the Yiddishe agricultural settlements founded by the Mitteler Rebbe. What motivated this towering intellectual to agree to assume this role?
He once related how he had heard the Mitteler Rebbe describe the inner stature of these unassuming colonists: "Picture those Yishuvniks standing in the field, with their yarmulkas and taleisim ktanim, planting the soil and lifting their eyes heavenward and focusing their hopes on HaShem..."
Visualizing that moment is what motivated Reb Hillel to become their mashpia.
(סה"ש תש"ד ע' 83)
Consider
How can serving HaShem by working be greater than learning Torah?
What does it mean to “toil in business faithfully”? Why is it so difficult?
