Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch: Working Charedim will be viewed, treated, as Torah-learners, new yeshivas should be founded for them.

 

Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, a leading Lithuanian-haredi rabbi, has called for a "kollel" (yeshiva for married men) to be formed for haredim who work to earn a living.

Speaking at an event for employed Lithuanian-haredim at the International Conference Center in Jerusalem, Rabbi Hirsch urged that these men be given more respect in the haredi community.

"It is very important to treat them - and this is how they need to treat themselves - not as 'Baalei-Batim' who do not belong to the 'Torah learning' community," Rabbi Hirsch said. "The foundation needs to be that a person thinks, 'I am absolutely a Torah-learner, who has no choice and I need to work for a livelihood, but I am definitely a Torah-learner."

Later in the event, he clarified, "There need to be more kollels, for Torah-learners who work. Not 'Baalei Batim  kollels,' but 'kollels for Torah-learners who work,' and there, each person will learn according to his abilities."

"Through this, there will be a very great sanctification of G-d's name... May G-d give these kollel students the ability to handle the burden of a livelihood and remain true Torah-learners in all ways. And this will greatly sanctify Heaven," Rabbi Hirsch concluded.