Love of the Land - Where Wisdom is Widespread
  Selections from classical Torah sources which express the special relationship between the People of Israel and Eretz Yisrael WHERE WISDOM IS WIDESPREAD "Ten measures of wisdom descended to the world. Eretz Yisrael took nine of them, and one (was taken by) the entire world." (Kiddushin 49b) Wisdom is defined by Rashi as pertaining to both Torah and worldly matters. Nowhere else do we find Rashi incorporating worldly matters into the definition of the word "wisdom" used by the Talmudic Sages.
The ten measures of wisdom, explains Iyun Yaakov, descended to
the world at the time of creation, as indicated by the number
ten which corresponds to the ten Divine statements which brought
about creation. At the time of creation, the Torah had not yet
been given to man. The wisdom which descended from the Creator
to man could therefore not refer to Torah alone, but also to worldly
matters such as business and vocations. These matters are a necessary
complement to Torah study, since one who studies Torah also needs
a source of livelihood.
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Written by Rabbi Mendel Weinbach, Dean, Ohr Somayach Institutions
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
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