THE PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE RABBINATE

perish." From this you learn that whoever uses the words of the Torah for his own benefit will cause his own destruction.’

If one takes payment(sekhar) to act as a judge: his judgements are void; to give evidence, his evidence is void; to sprinkle’ or to sanctify, the waters are considered cave waters and the ashes are considered only ordinary ashes.

Gemara: Where is it proved[that one may not take payment for teaching the Torah and rendering decisions]? R. Judah reported in the name of Rav:“Scripture says:‘Behold I have taught you laws and statutes...’ Just as| teach you gratuitously, so you should teach gratuitously.”

The passages above delineate a clear position against the acceptance of salaries(sekhar) for rabbis. Hillel 's statement was understood to prohibit someone from earning a livelihood or deriving material advantage from his expertise of the Torah ." The d’rash of Deuteronomy 4.5, in B. Bekhorot 29a, established the ideal of teaching the Torah for free because God gave the Torah to us for free. This interpretation became an often cited anthem for those authorities who sought to prohibit financial compensation for the rabbis. The Talmud also preserves traditions that are opposed to judges who are in the habit of borrowing." Some authorities, Rabbi Tarfon, for example, were most extreme in their refusal to benefit from their Torah scholarship. Tarfon grieved all his lifetime because he had once saved his own life by informing an attacker that he was a rabbi.’

2. Talmudic Passages which Permit Financial Compensation and Privileges

Notwithstanding the above mentioned prohibitions against rabbinic salaries and benefits, the Talmud also contains several traditions which permit:

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