Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Slabodka in Bnei Brak, called for chareidim who work to earn a living to be able to participate in kollel learning.
Speaking at an event for employed chareidim at Binyanei Haumah in Yerushalayim, Rav Hirsch urged that these men be given greater respect.
“It is very important to treat them – and this is how they need to treat themselves – not as baalei batim who do not belong to the ‘Torah learning’ community,” Rav Hirsch said. “The foundation needs to be that a person thinks, ‘I am absolutely a Torah-learner, who has no choice and I need to work for a livelihood, but I am definitely a Torah-learner.”
Later at the event, he added, “There need to be more kollelim for Torah-learners who work. Not ‘baalei batim kollelim,’ but ‘kollelim for lomdei Torah who work,’ and there each person will learn according to his abilities.
“Through this, there will be a very great Kiddush Hashem…”
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{Matzav.com Israel}