Oh, it looks like my post yesterday didn’t go up. I guess 14 pages in one post is too much. Sorry mods, I’m trying to answer back to everyone,I’ll try to cut them up.
gavra:
My main issue was with this joke. To me this joke represents the lessening of the importance of learning Torah in the eyes of those that repeat it. Yes, not everyone is cut out to learn all day. Yes, some that do end up spending most of their time drinking coffee in the back. Yes, not everyone has the wherewithal to support their children in learning.
But this joke makes its rounds by everyone. I happen to know that my father heard this joke from someone who has two married sons that are the biggest masmidim and yirei shamayim I have ever met and although not exceptionally rich he does have the means of helping his children out. Does he? I don’t know. But that fact that he is repeating this joke to me is indicative of a lessening of his belief in the greatness of supporting Torah at least on some level. This is my problem.