Thanks to Steve Brizel for pointing out this very informative article to me and providing a link .
Rabbi Nosson Scherman was recently interviewed by Rabbi Shmuel Goldin, an instructor at both Isaac Breuer College and Yeshiva University who also currently serves on the executive committee of the Rabbinical Council of America.
This article, more so than the interview in the Jewish Press, gives us insight into the mindset of one of the most influential men in the Torah world. To better understand what kind of influences are being brought to bear upon much of the Orthodox reading public by his mega successful publishing house, Mesorah Publications, I think it is vital to know what and how he thinks.
There are things upon which we both agree and disagree. But our observations are not that divergent. What stands out for me is the following.
He seems to agree with my position that the right wing… or Charedi…educational system as it currently stands is somewhat counter-productive. Learning full time for life he says is an excellent idea for some and not for others. For them he even calls it a horrible idea.
Yet when asked about the possibility of changing the paradigm from one of exclusively promoting full time learning for everyone instead of making it one of several possible tracks, which is my own remedy in part of the problem… his response sounds almost apologetic.
He in fact agrees with Rabbi Goldin that there should be other options available in the world of Charedi education. And that that those who are not cut out for learning full time for life end up feeling like failures. He even admits that every yeshiva recognizes that problem. So why not give those options? The Roshei Yeshiva are afraid of a brain drain. The fear that the best and brightest will opt for those other options.
How sad it is that this mentality prevails in our time. This generation which is one of the weakest in Torah Gadlus, nevertheless has the largest in number of people learning full time in Jewish history. Doesn’t that tell the rabbinic leaders that instead of contributing to a solution toward greatness in Torah, it is instead, contributing to the problem?
I wonder if Rabbi Scherman privately feels the same way.
