Reply To: Working frowned upon in Yeshivos?

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rebdoniel
Member

The vast majority in kollelim, especially in Eretz Yisrael, do not learn with any emphasis on bekiut or actually amassing much torah knowledge. The Torah admonishes in many places that torah without an honest day’s work is fruitless. See Avot 2:2- “Rabban Gamliel the son of Rabbi Yehuda the Prince said, Torah study is good with a worldly occupation, because the exertion put into both of them makes one forget sin. All Torah without work will ultimately result in desolation and will cause sinfulness.”

Most people in kollelim don’t get semikha because semikha isn’t seen as inherently conducive to the goal of “torah lishma” promoted in the Litvish velt. The Hafetz Hayyim, zt”l, didn’t even have semikha until he required it for administrative purposes.