Commentary for Berakhot 34:2
שמעו אלי אבירי לב הרחוקים מצדקה רב ושמואל ואמרי לה רבי יוחנן ורבי אלעזר חד אמר כל העולם כולו נזונין בצדקה והם נזונין בזרוע וחד אמר כל העולם כולו נזונין בזכותם והם אפילו בזכות עצמן אין נזונין כדרב יהודה אמר רב
Rab and Samuel (another version : R. Johanan and R. Eleazar) [differ in interpretation]. One says : The whole world is nourished through righteousness, but the "stout-hearted" are nourished by the arm. The other says : The whole world is nourished through their merit, but they are not nourished even by their own merit. This is like the statement of Rab Judah who says in the name of Rab :
Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
By the "stout-hearted" is here understood the pious who are "far from righteousness" in the sense that they cannot rely upon it for their sustenance, but have to labour with their arm.
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