GEN753 [T]he Maharal echoes the words of R. Yosef Yaabetz, that the reason the Sages of the Talmud did not have to engage in a worldly occupation was because their desire for Torah was so powerful, that their Torah study alone was sufficient to keep them from sin.  However, for ordinary people, only the combined toil of both is sufficient – the toil in worldly pursuits removes the inclination for immorality, and the spiritual toil removes the inclination for idolatry.  Now, in more recent times, the “inclination for idolatry” expresses itself in the form of hubris and the belief in “kochi v’otzem yadi,” [That is, instead of believing in idol gods, he “worships” himself, as described in Deuteronomy (8:12-17): Lest you eat and be satisfied…and you increase silver and gold for yourselves, and everything that you have will increase. And your heart will become haughty and you will forget HaShem, you God … And you may say in your heart, “kochi v’otzem yadi asah li es hachayil hazeh (My strength and the might of my hand made me all this wealth)!”] such as the sentiment expressed by the Dor Haflagah (Generation of the Dispersion), who said [this verse].  [Thus, their haughtiness was literally stretched to the point of rebelling against God.]  The “inclination for immorality” in our times comes from the terrible licentiousness that is so prevalent and widespread today.  Thus, according to their view that as the generations decline in spirituality there is an ever-greater need for the toil of both Torah and an occupation, it goes without saying that to survive unscathed in our lowly generation we certainly need both, and the toil of Torah itself is insufficient.  EYES 469