Feeding of Labourers

Midrash Aggadah Exempla of the Rabbis, No. 200

Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team · Published January 3, 2025

Rabbi Johanan ben Matya gave his son a simple instruction: go and hire laborers, and make sure to feed them properly. The son went out, found workers, and promised them a meal. But when he returned home, his father was alarmed.

"What exactly did you promise them?" the elder rabbi asked.

"I told them they would eat," the son replied.

"That is the problem," said Rabbi Johanan. "These are the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Even if you prepared a feast worthy of King Solomon himself, you could not truly satisfy the descendants of the patriarchs, for their spiritual appetite knows no bounds."

The Talmud in Baba Metzia (86a) uses this tale to establish a legal principle about employer obligations. When you hire workers, you must specify the terms of their meals in advance. A vague promise of food could mean anything from a crust of bread to a royal banquet, and Jewish laborers—heirs to a covenant of abundance—deserved clarity and dignity.

But the story carries a deeper meaning. Rabbi Johanan was not merely worried about a labor dispute. He was teaching his son that the descendants of Abraham carry within them a hunger that no physical meal can fully satisfy. The feeding of laborers was never just about bread and lentils. It was about recognizing the divine image in every worker, honoring their heritage, and understanding that generosity, once promised, must be delivered in full.

Themes

Wisdom Adam & Eve Patriarchs Tribes Abraham

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