Reply To: College, Secular Studies & Judaism

One more point regarding my previous post on how the halacha of learning secular subjects affects women. Women still get reward for learning (those parts of Torah that they are allowed to learn, of course), even though it is not as great as the reward for a man. They are “aino metzuveh v’oseh”. Women need Torah too. Without Torah, you can’t get Olam Habah. And so the Gemora asks your quesiton: Nashim b’,ai zachyan – How do women merit Olam Habah if they do not learn Torah? The Gemora answers; Bakroei banaihu l’bei kenishta, ib’asniyei gavraihu bai rabanon – by supporting and helping their husband and children learn.

Back to the original topic… the bottom line remains, as Rav Boruch Ber explains clearly, that studying secular studies as a curriculum is assur per Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah, regardless of whether there is apikorsus.