What If the Burden of Work… Isn’t a Burden?

The Netziv’s surprising take on this week’s parsha flips how we think about jobs, purpose — and the promise of AI.

Many people dream of winning the lottery. The fantasy of having plenty of money without spending time or energy at work is undeniably tempting. After all, isn’t a life of leisure the ultimate reward?

Yet Torah sources—surprisingly—don’t always celebrate a work-free life. In fact, they often present work as something more than just a burden to bear.

There are many places in Chazal and the Torah that portray work not as a curse to be escaped, but as a positive value—a meaningful part of a good life. One such example appears in this week’s parsha.

Windfall or Workload?

When Hashem promises blessings for keeping the Torah, the pasuk says:

וְהִשִּׂיג לָכֶם דַּיִשׁ אֶת בָּצִיר וּבָצִיר יַשִּׂיג אֶת זָרַע וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לַחְמְכֶם לָשֹׂבַע וִישַׁבְתֶּם לָבֶטַח בְּאַרְצְכֶם

ויקרא פרק כו פסוק ה (פרשת בחקותי)

The Netziv notes something surprising here: the Torah doesn’t promise a sudden windfall of material wealth. Instead, it describes a season of ongoing, continuous labor—harvest chasing harvest, planting following planting.

והשיג לכם דיש וגו'. האי לכם מלמדנו בזה ברכה לאדם שיהיו עי"ז עמוסים תמיד בעבודה, והתועלת בזה מסיים הכתוב ואכלתם לחמכם לשובע. שגדולה מלאכה שמחממת בעליה (גיטין ס"ז ב'), ומאכלו בריאה ממי שיושב והולך בטל...

העמק דבר שם

According to the Netziv, this isn’t just a practical description—it’s a blessing in and of itself. Because the alternative to work, he writes, is boredom. Meaningless time. A life without structure or purpose.

Of course, there are exceptions. Some people, if freed from work, could fill their time entirely with Torah. But for most, that’s not the default.

That’s why the Torah’s message matters: work isn’t a concession—it’s a bracha. Our full schedules, our deadlines and obligations, the very grind we sometimes resent—they're part of the blessing promised in this week’s parsha.

AI and the End of Work

And here’s where it becomes especially relevant: As AI advances, it’s becoming increasingly feasible that many of us will live like lottery winners—gaining wealth with very little effort. What will happen to our sense of purpose? To the role of work in our identity, community, and spiritual lives?

And the biggest question of all: In a future where work is optional, will we still choose it—and what will that say about who we are?