Reply To: College, Secular Studies & Judaism

“Women dont have an issue of bitul torah…”

hss – Good question. Reb Elchonon discusses this in his responsum. He says that girls would also be prohibited if the prohibition is due to the affront to Kovod HaTorah involved with college, but if the prohibition is only due to Bitul Torah, it seems he is not certain. His words are:

“If the prohibition is due to Bitul Torah, maybe it applies only to men but not to women, but the truth is, women are also obligated to learn the Halachos that pertain to them in order to fulfill the Mitzvos.

“Or perhaps, even without this reason [of Bitul Torah] it is prohibited to learn secular studies regularly, so as not to give them value like the value of the Torah….”

He does not come to a conclusion regarding this.

(I’ll also note, that no one has brought any Rishon who disagrees with the aforementioned Rama – as there is none. And that is not even considering the Piskei Din issued in accordance with the Rama by Rav Elchonon Wasserman ZT’L and Rav Boruch Ber Liebowitz ZT’L; and what the Chasam Sofer and Rashba said regarding secular studies; and the statements by Rav Moshe Feinstein ZT’L and Rav Aharon Kotler ZT’L condemning college.)