Shepherding is a clean and honest business and not a very difficult one; yet at the same time, it yields much profit, in the form of wool, milk, and meat. How many people do we know who have jobs that require one to cut corners or are so mentally or physically exhausting that the worker barely makes it home nightly with enough energy to collapse on their couch?
The brothers were aware that their children were destined to live among Egyptians for an extended period. By establishing shepherding as the traditional family enterprise, they were protecting them from falling under the influence of idolatry. After spending so much time in close contact with sheep (which the Egyptians worshipped), they would find it impossible to worship them. It’s interesting to point out that people who have worked closely with wealthy folks, celebrities, or prominent personalities, witnessed firsthand how appearances can be deceiving. On the contrary, it was discovered that these famous people are no different than average people and are the opposite of “larger than life.”
Shepherding allowed the brothers to insulate themselves from encountering contemporary society and all its associated ills, such as slander and lying. In some careers, upward mobility is predicated on how many peers one backstabs or side-steps. If we must compromise our Torah values in order to survive or thrive in the workplace, we should look elsewhere to find a profession.
Shepherding allowed the brothers to spend their time in a serene environment and with a great piece of mind. This type of environment is conducive to prophecy. The Talelei Oros (on whom these insights are based) adds that it was the normal practice of the prophets of the olden days to leave behind the active world and retire to the remote deserts where they could dedicate their thoughts to Hashem. Thanks to modern technology, how many people have jobs that invade one’s every waking hours, including weekends, holidays, and vacations?
Who can sincerely claim they have a normal nine-to five job anymore? The Chovos Halevovos (Gate of Trust, Ch. 3) explains why the Torah doesn’t specify which careers one should pursue (although the Gemara [Kiddushin 81b] does frown upon certain professions). He writes that every person has a different pull. In the words of the Chovos Halevovos: “Every person has a preference for a particular occupation or business over any other, as Hashem has implanted within each one’s nature love and affection for it.”
Ever since the firm he worked for went bankrupt, Benny has been looking for a job. After many months of searching, Benny came home to his wife, Hannah, smiling from ear-to-ear. "Darling," he began, "I've at last found a job." "Mazel tov!" exclaimed Hannah. "So, what's the job like?" "It's a four-day a week job," replied Benny, "and includes seven weeks paid holiday each year. Overtime is at double-rate, and the job comes with a small company car." At first, Hannah couldn’t help smiling at this news, but then she got serious and asked him, "That's sounds great, darling, but what's the catch? There must be a catch somewhere!" “There's no catch - you start tomorrow," he said.
One of the most important life decisions we make is the choice of our own careers. After all, good employment is a driver of people’s happiness, and being stuck in a lousy career/company can cast misery over one’s entire existence. With approximately one in two people reporting lack of high job satisfaction, it is critical that people have the proper perspective on choosing a career. As the Torah concerned with so many of the minor decisions we make (what to eat, what to wear) surely it has much to say about what will occupy many – if not most - of our waking hours.
Therefore, it may appear somewhat surprising that we find next to nothing, not in the Torah nor in the Gemara, about career choices. Why is it that we don’t have a how-to-guide on this subject? This week’s Parsha, Vayigash, contains a description of what Yaakov Avinu’s sons did for a living, simply stating (Bereishis 46:32): “And the men are shepherds.” Obviously, our holy Torah is communicating a very important message when it tells us that this was the profession of the greatest of our Torah personalities (and most notably Moshe Rabbeinu).
Perhaps, there was something about this line of work that works in tandem with being an Eved Hashem (a servant of Hashem). The Rabbeinu Bachya offers four reasons why the brothers decided to be shepherds. Upon examining them, we can hopefully walk away with priorities in choosing or changing a career (or advising our children/students in their vocational search).
