lgbg, well put and stated beautifully! While most of the schools that we are sending our children to have “secular studies”, wouldn’t it be wonderful if they could teach our children the skills that they will need in life? (I’m not labeling all Yeshivos since I have seen many right wing yeshovos that manage to impart a decent secular studies program as well, but it seems that there are some that don’t even bother to try) How many times have we gone to a simcha where the person giving the d’var torah didn’t have the proper skills to give over his intended message (paragraph structure, oratory skills, main idea and supporting statements)? How many kids are lacking the math skills to understand how much 15% off of something will be? How many are not able to balance their checkbook, understand what is being said on legal documents, or even basic science skills? (like when you make have a grill and want to heat up baked beans you have to open the can first to prevent an explosion?) There are so many important “life skills” that be can taught and it would not be considered b’til torah.
Einodmilvado and feivel, I wonder why you have to resort to putting down others who don’t agree with your perspective on things. To call B’nei torah in America, “goyim who wear white shirt, black pants and tzitzis out” is really uncalled for. I think you have to look closer again. Each and everyone is a member of Klal Yisroel and the children of the Rabonah Shel Olam. Be careful of your words since I’m no so sure the Aibeshter is so happy at the way you talk about his kids, (seemingly good intentions and all). You would be surprised of the relationships that his “American” children have with him.
One last thing, Einodmilvado, you have said a lot of wonderful mussar and I’m glad that you are actively working on internalizing it in your life. However, your approach is as effective as tape recording. You have missed the point of this post. This wasn’t about validating the yeshiva bochur’s desire to leave the “learning world”, this was about, when he is ready to take on a parnasa, that he should have the skills necessary to provide the most for his family. How good of a role model will a father be, when he is working full time and stressed out because he is still worried that the electricity is about to be shut off. How many families have shalom bias issues because of the stress of the lack of means to improve the situation. How many mothers would like to be home with their children and be able to raise them with the values that they feel are important (instead of the local playgroup, daycare or chas v’shalom non Jewish maids)? Plus to say that all these cases are of which they lack b’tochim would be false. How do we expect to be able to receive all or any of the bracha and good that the Aibeshter does for us if we don’t make the motions to get it.