Q:
How can a kollel couple live a normal life if his wife has to go out to work?
A:
Now this you have to know is not an ordinary normal life. If you want to live a normal life, you usually won’t be much. It’s only people who are ready to sacrifice, to live with heroism, to become something exceptional, those are the ones.
Now, you’re not required. A woman is not required to work to keep her husband in the kollel. Certainly not. But if she’s willing to do it, it’s a greatness and she is distinguished in our nation. She’s distinguished in our history. But nobody is obligated to do it.
And certainly it’s not a ‘normal life’. But it wasn’t a ‘normal life’ when Rabbi Akiva went away for twenty four years and he became the father of our nation in Torah.
All the great people live abnormal lives. But it doesn’t mean that we are obligated to do it. It’s hard to be abnormal.
So let’s live normal lives then and be frum Jews and be happy with Torah and mitzvos and have a nice family and celebrate Shabbos and yontif.
If you’re big enough to go a step beyond what’s normal then tavo aleichem brachah. It’s surely good. But see that you’re happy when you do it! If you’re doing it in unhappiness and you’re yearning for what the so called ‘normal life’ is then you’re not doing it. If you’re big enough to live a kollel life then you’re great! But nobody can force you into it.
TAPE # 250 (December 1978)
