Most kollellim have entrance standards. They do NOT take anyone who walks in off the street and announces he wants to sit and learn. This is because there are only so many potential kollel positions available. You cannot expand kollel indefinitely simply because at some point, we can no longer financially support them.
This is not the case in Israel, or Lakewood. It is true in Out of Town communities.
In addition, your rejoinder about Minor League ball doesn’t really stand up either. Minor League Baseball doesn’t turn away those who don’t have a prayer of being a Derek Jeter either. The minor leagues are filled with players who have no chance to play at the major league level, let alone be a superstar. True, you have to have a certain level of talent, but you certainly don’t have to have the potential to be a superstar.
Yes, but you have to be able to be a Minor Leaguer. You can’t play on the level of a high schooler and expect to last.
Lastly, you missed what was perhaps the most important point — it takes more than talent to be the top at any field, be it baseball or learning or just about anything else. It takes drive, determination, effort, perseverance and a genuine love and desire to do whatever it you’re doing. Most people don’t suddenly wake up one morning with those qualities — they’re largely innate qualities that one often has or does not have. To be the “next Rav Pam” you have to have those qualities — and someone who has those qualities is *already* learning and striving toward the goal. He’s not a computer programmer or lawyer or accountant looking to quit his job. Someone who has that rare combination of qualities could probably do nothing else but learn.
I agree fully, and that was my point. We don’t “cut” (to use a baseball term) anyone who doesn’t have “drive, determination, effort, perseverance and a genuine love and desire” to learn and tell them to go work. If we did, then we could reduce the number of slots needed and do better work with what remained. Instead, we allow them to linger, taking up the spot of the next Rav Pam. Therefore, we have to expand the Kollel and not miss out on “the next Rav Pam”.