Torato Umanuto () is a term in Judaism originating from the Talmud to describe someone who devotes time to the study of the Torah, so that Torah is his/her profession. Such a person has a special status in Halakha.
In Israel, this term is also commonly used to discuss Haredi conscription in the country, where many Haredim are exempt from military service through this principle of Torato Umanuto.
The term "Torato Umanuto" describes in the Talmud individuals who are devoted solely to studying Torah, without interruption. In the tractate Shabbat, Rabbi Johanan bar Nappaha excludes himself from the group of students devoted to studying Torah:
Nachmanides and Joseph ibn Migash quotes the words of Rabbi Isaac Alfasi: âÂÂA scholar whose Torah is his profession, that is, whose Torah is established and whose business is a layman, but not one whose business is established and whose Torah is not established.â Following this, the Torah ruled: âÂÂIf he has a little art or a little negotiation to support himself with and not to become rich, and whenever he is free from his business he repeats the words of Torah and studies frequently, his Torah shall be his profession.â These matters were also ruled in the Shulchan Aruch.
The subject of Torah and work is discussed in Tractate Berakhot:
Some have learned from Abaye's words that the halakha is according to the words of Rabbi Yishmael , and that one must combine Torah and work for the sake of earning a living.
Maimonides, in the Laws of Talmud Torah, categorically rules that Talmud Torah must be conducted with a secular approach (work). Arguments regarding the agreement between Issachar and Zebulun, according to which part of the people engage in Torah and the other part engages in commerce and supports the learners, are rejected by Maimonides in his commentary on the Mishnah .[ 6 ]And he claims that this only applies to someone who gives his wealth to merchants so that they can trade his wealth and make a profit for him, but making a living from charity is prohibited.
Others, on the other hand, ruled Because in our generation, if you practice Torah with work, the Torah is not fulfilled, and therefore it is necessary to fulfill the agreement of Issachar and Zebulun, and it is permissible to study without earning a living, and to live off of alms., even from tax payments forced on the public.
Today, the status of "Torah is our art" is considered the ideal of most Torah students. In the prayer said at the end of studying a tractate, they say, "May it be your will that your Torah be our art".
In Arba'ah Turim and in the Shulchan Aruch, it was ruled that a scholar whose "Torah is his art" is exempt from paying taxes and security duties, as well as from compulsory community work such as digging water wells, but must pay the digging workers, if they were hired.