Q:
If a person is capable, should he aspire to learn in yeshiva and kollel his entire life or should he attempt to work also? Is there an obligation to prepare for a career?
A:
Now these questions are not to be answered for the general public. It depends on each individual.
Like it says, הרבה עשו כרבי שמעון בן יוחאי ולא עלתה בידם — Many tried to do like Reb Shimon ben Yochai who learned all day, and they didn’t succeed. So the Nefesh HaChaim says, many didn’t succeed, but a minority did succeed. הרבה עשו and failed. But some succeeded. So it depends on you.
Some people have no heads at all. If you have no head, so why should you be in a kollel? You’ll be sitting all day moping and the end will be you’ll have mental disorders. Because most mental disorders come from not having something to do. Certainly you have to work. In the yeshivas, some boys should be taken out and put to work and that’ll save them. There’s no question about it. Anybody who knows yeshivas knows that some boys are not fit for yeshivas and they’re going to rack and ruin because their minds are deteriorating.
If you’re capable, certainly you can aspire to remain in the yeshiva. It depends on the circumstances. It depends on the person. Therefore you cannot give advice wholesale in this matter, who should be in a kollel all day long and who should work or who should prepare for a career.
TAPE # 301
Q:
How long should a person aspire to remain in the yeshiva?
A:
This is the same question as before. If you’re capable, your ambition should be to remain until your last day. If you’re not capable, then you should stop a little before your last day, a few years before the last day. If you’re less capable, you stop earlier. It depends on the person. But there’s no wholesale answer.
TAPE # 301
