Satmar Rav: Let Them Work for My G’virim

August 17, 2009 | Comments 0

On the Yahrtzeit of the Satmar Rav ZT”L, I was reminded of a story I once heard. An American Rabbi once asked the Satmar Rav why he was against college. He replied that he didn’t feel college is a proper place for a yid to be in because of all the bad influences that are present. The Rabbi countered, “But what will your followers do for parnossah? After all, in order to make a living one needs to go to college.” The Rav ZT”L smiled and said, “Yes, your accountants will become bookkeepers by meine g’virim.

R” Yoel knew back then what is readily admitted today. Making money does not depend on which college you attended, or even if you went to college at all. To make money, all one needs is a strong drive and the ability to make fast decisions. In a word – leadership. If you have the ability to lead, you can use that character trait to earn a good living, to help others, or to promote your cause. Whatever it is, a leader is automatically looked up to by others who feel adequate enough to lead. They are the ones that carry out your mission in life, whatever it may be.

College is no longer (and probably never was) a guarantee of financial success. I know too many lawyers who were laid off with no prospects for a good job, too many doctors that are dissolusioned about their situations. And I know plenty of businesspeople with no college education, who make a fine living for themselves using knowledge they acquired while on the job, using talent that they always had in them. Don’t end up discovering the hard truth.

The road out of college is not paved with gold. Its only your ability to lead that will get you anyplace worth going.

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