Commerce, Markets, and Finance in the Economy of Ancient Judea

Of all the possible ways to earn a livelihood, those related to commerce, trade, and finance tended to have the lowest reputation among authors of the Greco-Roman era. Merchants were often seen as untrustworthy, and lending money at interest was seen as an unnatural way to produce wealth, especially in comparison to agriculture and farming. Jewish texts evince ambivalent attitudes toward these activities. A number are programmatically negative, including Ben Sira 26:29–27:3 and Sifre Deuteronomy 315. According to Sifre Deuteronomy 357, merchant status is something to be overcome, akin to the lowly origins of Moses in Egypt or Hillel in Babylonia. Other texts from the Hellenistic and Roman eras seem to accept these professions as a fact of life, and, indeed, many rabbis likely engaged in commerce themselves. These texts, which include Josephus’ Against Apion 2.216 and m. Bava Metsi‘a 4:12, tend rather to discuss and prescribe the most moral, ethical, or law-abiding ways to engage in these activities. A letter by Synesius of Cyrene (c. 373–414 CE) provides a glimpse into the life of Jewish sailors and notes (though not approvingly) their adherence to religious law even at the most inconvenient times. In y. Yoma 5:3, 52c, the rabbis even formulate a prayer for commercial success, among other material blessings, for the new year.