Listen: Rav Gershon Ribner: Dispersing A Prevalent ‘Attitude’ Toward Adirei Hatorah Event

The big questions is why was this never done?
How come Rav Moshe Zatza”l didn’t have that problem with speaking at the siyum hashas????
Don’t we follow the shulchan aruch that tells you exactly how you should live your life????
Don’t you think that the previous gedolim knew the chashivus of learning full time ands that bnei aliya are on a different madreiga?
These are all very valid questions and need a very good answer, which he doesn’t answer.

The simplest answer would have been that it’s a BMG fundraiser.
Despite what was said in the speeches and publicity, it’s not about “honoring” anyone; it’s about raising money for BMG and doing whatever it takes to raise that money.

However, I think that the questioner’s query could have been handled more respectfully.
Rov d’Rov of those learning in BMG are no more “mosser nefesh” for Torah than many, many ba’alei battim and have far more free time that’s spent “chilling” rather than pushing themselves to try and squeeze in a bit more learning.

You are just an anti kollel guy admit it, what do you know of mesiras nefesh?

Try one week in kollel. I worked my entire adult life trough retirement a few years ago. I now try to learn; keeping a chavrusa for 1st seder and night seder. I have rarely been so exhausted in all my working years!

Try one week in kollel. I worked my entire adult life trough retirement a few years ago. I now try to learn; keeping a chavrusa for 1st seder and night seder. I have rarely been so exhausted in all my working years!

The fact that Rav Moshe zt”l – who passed away 38 years ago – did speak at a Siyum HaShas, and, I might add, the fact Rav Yaakov – who also passed away 38 years ago – also spoke, as well as Rav Pam, The Blushever, Rav Gifter, etc., is perhaps little proof. Full-time learning, let alone long-term full-time learning was far less prevalent in those days. A bit of history and perspective:

Try one week in kollel. I worked my entire adult life trough retirement a few years ago. I now try to learn; keeping a chavrusa for 1st seder and night seder. I have rarely been so exhausted in all my working years!

The fact that Rav Moshe zt”l – who passed away 38 years ago – did speak at a Siyum HaShas, and, I might add, the fact Rav Yaakov – who also passed away 38 years ago – also spoke, as well as Rav Pam, The Blushever, Rav Gifter, etc., is perhaps little proof. Full-time learning, let alone long-term full-time learning was far less prevalent in those days. A bit of history and perspective:

1) Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l told Rav Baruch Kaplan zt”l that when he came to America he “had no intention of staying here and establishing a Yeshivah or Kollel here, for Torah could never grow in America. He would rather, after the war would end, go to Eretz Yisroel and join his Shver, Rav Isser Zalman zt”l.” However, explained Rav Aharon, once he saw Rebbetzin Kaplan was “creating” girls who only wanted to marry Kollel Yungerleit, he felt an obligation to stay here.
2) Rav Moshe Heineman shlit”a told me that when the 13th or 14th Beis Medrash bochur in Lakewood became engaged to be married and decided to join the kollel in Lakewood, and Rav Aharon told the Baalei Batim that they would be adding one more Yungerman to the “payroll”, the board replied, “How in the world are we going to be able to support a 13th (or 14th) man in kollel?”
3) As “recently” as the late 70s and early-to-mid 80s, it was still VERY common for Beis Medrash Bochrim – in some of the “best Yeshivos” – to begin college, or otherwise training for their careers, leaving second seder early. It was also very common practice to leave Kollel after 5 years. The idea of career learners was almost unheard of.

As bochrim and yungerleit stayed n the beis medrash for longer periods of time, not surprisingly, the true, deep appreciation for such pursuits became stronger and stronger as well. So while Rav Moshe and Rav Yaakov made no such demands of the Daf HaYomi commission, today’s Einei HaEidah feel it is possible, even necessary, to do so.

2 points I want to mention in reference to this is:
1) This Adirei Torah ma’amad is a new thing and that’s why it bothers me that I did not get my recognition and share in this pride when my husband was learning full time.
2) Fact is in order for a husband to learn full time, someone has to fill in for the Parnassah. Some are lucky to be somewhat supported, but I think it’s safe to say that most would not be able to learn full time if not for their wives bringing in the Parnassah.. So really it’s not so fair to keep lauding the husbands because I am sure there are many husbands who would love to learn full time, but their wives are not up to it and then they should be lauded for being responsible for the ol of Parnassah plus being koveia Itim.

There are 2 comments I’d like to make on this:
1) This Adirei Torah Ma’amad is a new concept and that’s why it bothers me that when my husband was learning full time we did not get this recognition and I wasn’t able to share in the pride.
2) Fact is that a man can only learn full time unless his wife takes on the Ol of Parnassah (of course there are exceptions like being supported.) Point being that credit goes to the wives. There are many men that would like to work full time but are not able to because their wives are not up to taking on the responsibility of Parnassah, and those husbands are doing the responsible thing to be the breadwinner plus being Koveia Itim.

just curious, what’s the shtik of speaking with the Israeli REISH? I wonder where and how this began?

With all due respect, I don’t think the question was really answered. Saying “There’s no makoim for the question” is not an answer and is just insulting. The nearest he came to an answer was saying that this event is specifically for the “learners” and the Siyum Hashas is for the balebatim. But even that misses the point. The point of the question is that in our “frum” world, kavod is given to people who either are “b’nei yeshivah” or rich. The average working person who despite his schedule, responsibilities, being tired, etc. still manages to learn is not given any respect or kavod UNLESS he also happens to be rich.

I think everyone is missing the point. This is a fundraiser for Bais Medresh Govoha, and I don’t remember any dinner lauding another yeshiva’s rabbeim who also do amazing jobs being mechanech. Even by the guest speakers who are many times Rosh Yeshivas elsewhere. I personally did not attend because my neighborhood kollel is my job to support with my limited tzedakah funds. I don’t think anyone in that kollel is asking that why no kavod was given to them at this event. I hope that most ballebatim really realize that the average yungerman would rather learn night seder than attend this event but they feel that hakaras hatov to the supporters is being shown here.

Nobody is answering the shulchan aruch question. HOW DOES THE SHULCHAN ARUCH TELL US TO LIVE OUR LIVES?? WHY DO WE THINK WE ARE SMARTER?