We’ve just come through the Yom Tov of Shavuos, a time that celebrates the most defining moment in our history: Kabbalas HaTorah. For seven weeks, we counted the Omer in anticipation of that moment, striving to prepare ourselves. For generations, Yidden have stayed up through the night of Shavuos immersed in Torah, reaffirming our bond with Hashem’s most precious gift. And now that the Yom Tov is behind us, the question is: what lasting change will it leave within us? In recent years, our community has increasingly promoted the idea that the ultimate goal for a ben Torah is to remain in full-time learning for as long as possible. Limud Torah is presented not just as a value, but as the only value. The kollel lifestyle is depicted as the only option—those who pursue it are the “pride” of our people, while any other path is often seen as a failure. But is that truly the Torah’s view? Chazal teach us plainly: “Tov Torah im derech eretz”—Torah is best when paired with work. This isn’t a polemic about college or secular education; it’s a simple truth that engaging in productive labor is not only permissible—it’s good. Even when one has financial means, Chazal recommend work as a healthy and stabilizing force in a person’s life. The Gemara (Brachos 35b) records a machlokes between R’ Shimon bar Yochai and R’ Yishmael. R’ Shimon advocated full-time limud torah without distraction; R’ Yishmael believed in balancing Torah with work. The gemara concludes that many followed R’ Yishmael and succeeded, while those who tried to follow R’ Shimon’s path often failed—because most people are simply not on that level. So why do we have kollelim? Weren’t they established and encouraged by our greatest Torah leaders? Yes—but not for everyone. Rav Chaim Volozhiner explains in Nefesh HaChaim that the Gemara’s use of the word “many” indicates that only a select few are meant to learn full-time. The Brisker Rav offers a similar insight about R’ Nehorai, who declared he would teach his son only Torah—because his son was uniquely gifted. The Biur Halacha (Siman 156) paskens clearly: the norm for most people is to work and learn. Only individuals who are especially suited to full-time Torah are encouraged to do so. So what changed? In the aftermath of the Holocaust and the decimation of European Torah centers, there was an urgent need to rebuild. Our leaders pushed for widespread kollel learning to reignite the flame – and baruch hashem, it worked. Today, Torah is thriving. The emergency is over. We must now reassess. Continuing to promote full-time kollel as the universal goal is not only unsustainable—it may be harmful. Not because it’s expensive. Not because the community can’t support it. But because it’s not the life that most people are meant to live. It places unrealistic pressure on bochurim and yungeleit, and fosters an attitude that working for a parnassah is inferior. This is not the Torah’s view. And in my view, this indiscriminate kollel ideal is also at the root of our troubling materialism crisis. There was a time—not long ago—when being in kollel was something choshuv. Most people didn’t do it. Most people couldn’t do it. And that gave it weight and meaning. But today—who isn’t in kollel? There’s no longer any shtick […]