Do Chassidim Have a Kollel Problem?

June 07, 2009 | Comments 0

Generally speaking, by Chassidim there is no kollel problem. They strongly believe in the novel idea that men should earn a living, and the women should stay at home with the children. However, there are signs of change. At a recent meeting of Roshei Kollel in Boro Park, there was a request by many Chassidishe Rabbonim to enforce within each kollel a policy that no one should be allowed to own a cell phone with text messaging capabilities.

One of the Roshei Kollel present wondered, “What is wrong with text messaging? Doesn’t it save time?” To which they responded that some people find it less embarrassing to send inappropriate message than to say it in person. The Rosh Kollel was flabbergasted. “Certainly such people don’t belong in kollel in the first place. Why do we need to make takanos for people that anyways don’t belong in kollel?” They answered, “You are absolutely right, they don’t belong in kollel. But what can we do, the wives want them to be there.”

The lure of Kollel has officially spread from the Litvisheworld to the Chassidim.

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