There is a growing number of chareidim opting to enter chareidi colleges in the hope of earning an academic degree or certificate. One such young man brought the question to HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita, Kikar Shabbat reports.
The young avreich reported his wife works, earning 23 NIS/hour. He added that with a degree from a chareidi academic institute, she could be earning 120 NIS/hour, asking if she can go to one of the colleges.
The Gadol Hador is quoted as saying “no, one is spiritually destroyed in such a place R”L”. (“במקומות אלו מתקלקלים ברוחניות רחמנא ליצלן”)
The avreich asked if this is true for a chareidi college too or if the rav was referring to a secular college. Regarding the chareidi institutions Rav Shteinman is quoted as saying “This is a first step outside. It begins there and then deteriorates to being chiloni, Hashem Yirachem.”
(זוהי פסיעה החוצה. מתחילים בזה ומתדרדרים לחילוניות ירחם השם)
The rav added one should seek “ruchniyus” work and not just work that is void of content strictly for the sake of earning a living.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
Not even a sentence in the article…..
There are, not there is.
I have heard other responses from those who spoke to Harav Hagaon…
It doesn’t help to print snippets of statements without providing full context and background information. Almost every Girls Seminary in Eretz Yisrael provides college credits to the girls attending. Obviously the gedolim guiding these institutions do not think that going go to some form of college is the begining of becoming chiloni. The staggering amount of Kollel wives with degrees in special ed, speech therapy, occupational therapy, nursing etc. only proves that the statements above must be missing some important context. I myself am aware of members of the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah that have advised men leaving kollel to attend MBA programs in secular colleges.
Given that these are programs designed for Chareidim, why would anyone even bother asking rav shteinman about the obvious? What possible reason could there be for not being allowed to study to earn a parnassah? Would it be better to for a kollel yungerleit to enroll at some big secular university with all the pritzus likely to be encountered on campus?
sounds a bit strange. the avrach asked about his wife, not about himself. is this a general answer for all kallal yisroel – men included, or just for this avrach’s wife?? is this for certain institutions but not all?
העקר חסר מן הספר
Unfortunately , if the quotes are true, they simply prove how out of touch with the real world Rav Steinman is. Note I am not attacking him and saying he is wrong, just how out of touch with today’s reality he is. He is not my Rav and as I did not ask him the question, his response is not personally relevant to me or anyone else who has not asked him for a specific personal ruling. How many jobs are there in “ruchiyus” that will support a family? Those who publicize snippets of conversations with Gedolim do those Gedolim an immense disservice as almost always the one who tells half the story has a line he wants to push and it is rarely intelligent.
crazykanoiy’s statements make sense. I think that the case stated above was specific to that Kollelite. It bothers me when as soon as someone gets an Eitza from a Gadol that’s contrary to common perception it becomes publicized. Many times the Eitza/Psak was specific to that person’s unique situation.
A responsible person does exactly what that Avreich did… ask!
All the naysayers above who think they are wiser than Rav Shteinman and Gedolei Yisroel shlita, are a joke.
You are a joke, Joseph