Q:
What did Chazal mean when they say (Kiddushin 82a) that a father should teach his son an umnus kalah unekiyah, a profession that’s easy and clean?
A:
What did Chazal mean when they say teach your son an umnus kalah unekiyah, an easy and clean kind of parnassa?
It means this: A father can teach his son to be a sidewalk repairer. Why not? He can teach him how to pour and mix cement, how to repair sidewalks; but it’s not such an easy umnus and it’s not such a clean umnus.
If he can teach his son something that’s easy and clean, then it’s a chesed for his son and the son is going to have a more happy existence and be more respected in the community. And therefore that father is bestowing a gift on the child.
Now, what is called today umnus kalah unekiyah is not what it used to be. It depends on the circumstances.
TAPE # 414
