Reply To: The Faces of Poverty in the Holy Land

You see, while the gemara you quoted in kesuvos in pro-family-support at expense of everything else the one I quoted is certainly not. It is saying that the highest levels of Torah scholarship can only be found in someone who acts harsh towards his family by limiting his support of them and focusing instead on Torah scholarship.

And Rav Adda does not suggest that others support his children, rather that his children find their own means of support (by working in the fields, for example. A modern day equivalent would be dumpster-diving, which is a way of life for many here in the USA). That is also a possibility to solve the problem, which is why I could have included it originally (but didn’t think of it. I’m glad you did).

From Wikipedia:

The karung guni, Zabbaleen, the rag and bone man, waste picker, junk man or bin hoker are people who make their living by sorting and trading trash. A similar process known as gleaning was practiced in rural areas and some ancient agricultural societies, where the residue from farmers’ fields was collected.

The use of child labor was a significant source of family income during the 19th and early 20th century, and certainly their work in the fields (for those who were rural). Chazal also suggest that children work to support the family in many places (such as the Maase Yadayim of the Bas Ketana, or those who are “Somech Al Shulchan Aviv). If there is not enough, then more workers are needed.

(TIC)