Q&A: And Now, What?
And Now, What?
Question
To Rabbi Michael, hello.
I’m a 12th-grader, and I’m currently facing a not-so-simple dilemma, the one people usually call by the intimidating name “next year.” I’d be very glad to hear your opinion.
It’s clear to me that I want to invest in Torah study, and that it will be a significant part of my life, my daily schedule, and, God willing, the home I’ll build (in its proper time), so I’m pretty set on studying in a yeshiva. You’ve influenced me a lot with your approach that halakhic-Talmudic analysis is the main component of Torah study, and that’s where I want to invest most of my energy and effort during my time in yeshiva. It’s important to me that the yeshiva’s intellectual and analytical level be high, and that most of the emphasis be on that area; and I don’t want a “Kav” yeshiva, so right now I’m leaning toward Gush or Yeruham (I assume you’re no longer really up to date on the yeshiva scene in Israel, but I’d be happy for other recommendations if you have any:).
So far, that’s the rosy dream, but it comes with a few problems.
As far as the IDF goes — I have a rear-echelon medical profile, which means I probably won’t enlist through the hesder framework. The role I’m currently aiming for in the IDF is a nine-year track, and it allows only a one-year service deferral. That is to say, being in yeshiva for only one year, with almost no chance of returning afterward. There are other issues with that track too (for example, probably getting married while still in the army), but also major advantages (you can do a lot of good there for the Jewish people, pardon the mild fascism; and I also come out ahead in terms of academic education and experience for the job market).
As far as my parents go — I come from a not-particularly-religious home, to put it mildly, not at all — so it’s not simple to convince them about a long-term yeshiva track.
In short, there’s a lot of pressure on me to study in yeshiva for just one year, at most. Is that enough to develop analytical skill? Or maybe there’s no need to study in yeshiva at all? And how do you continue learning even after the yeshiva period? (A rumor somehow reached my ears that you may have some experience with this :))
Many thanks in advance.
Answer
Hello,
Here are a few considerations worth taking into account.
1. The Jewish people are not bereft. The contribution you would make in the role you’re slated to perform could also be made by another talented young man. So your added value there is not necessarily all that great (even if you are very talented). By contrast, building your own Torah level cannot be done by others.
The benefit of that track to you as well (beyond the contribution to the community) is not critical. A talented person can advance, make a living, and succeed quite nicely even without that initial boost. Those accepted to those tracks are usually talented, so specifically they don’t really need them (though of course it helps even such a person, if only in terms of connections and training). At least from his standpoint, it’s not critical. And that difference is definitely worth paying for the sake of progress in Torah.
2. Doing things for the sake of the Jewish people is not fascism, not even mild fascism. But on the other hand, I’m also not in favor of building life plans around contributing to the Jewish people. A person should engage in what he loves and is talented at, and within that framework try to contribute to his surroundings and to the Jewish people as much as he can. Careers centered on “contribution” are usually a recipe for failure.
If you’ll be frustrated later on if you decide not to go for that military role (and that’s mainly because of the role’s contribution to you, not to the Jewish people as a whole), then you shouldn’t give it up. That frustration can be destructive to your spiritual progress. You’ll feel that Torah forced you to give up things that are very important to you.
3. It’s very hard to build analytical ability outside a yeshiva framework, even if not full-time. I did it too, studying a half day every day in yeshiva alongside advanced degrees at the university (I started university in the afternoons).
4. If you go into the military track, I would make sure to study a certain number of hours at a good level. So it’s worthwhile to reach a good standard of learning before you begin that track. Usually, one year in yeshiva is not enough for that. Something like three would be more sufficient. I don’t know whether that’s an option. Of course, you could start studying from the second year of that long track and skip the first year. But it’s worth making sure you have the option of doing that.
5. Your parents’ instructions do not carry authority when they want to dictate the course of your life and/or prevent you from doing things that are important to you (see my article on honoring parents and territorial considerations). On the other hand, as long as they are supporting you financially, they absolutely do have a say regarding what you do. It’s not reasonable to become a financial burden on them if they themselves do not want that.
6. Returning to yeshiva after nine years is not a realistic plan. Maybe it will happen, but it’s not right to build such a plan already today.