Our leaning today mentions that if a man is hired by the hour to work for someone, he can stop work only to recite the first part of the Shema, just a few seconds, then he returns to working while finishing up his recitation of the rest of Shema.
Even though the Bible itself obligates this man to recite the Shema to remind himself of his obligations to God, he is also obligated to the man he is working for. The first sentence of Shema requires full concentration, but he must keep working as a hired hand for the remainder.
Rav Kook (1865-1935) gave this profound guidance:
When you pray, pray. When you work, work. When you learn, learn.
Whatever you’re going to do, do it with single-minded focus and passion. Important things in life need concentration and dedication. Modern men have a great challenge in this. Even while involved in work, our lifestyle seems to demand multitasking and checking on other things as they come up.
Today there is an understanding that workers, even paid hourly, do get breaks, as research shows that taking breaks actually adds to overall productivity. A man who works for others should use his breaks not to zone out or slack off, but to develop his own ideas or side hustle.
Even when we are hired out, we need to remind selves of the main concept of belief in God. This actually helps us to keep perspective that we are servants of God first, even when hired out to another human. Be loyal to your own values and mission while you are working for someone else.
Red Pill Rabbi 