The Halachos of Work/ Kollel:( in my understanding R AYF)
1) Shulchan Aruch OH 155,156 clearly states: a) that one should daven in the morning b)then learn after davening(ko’vey’ah itim)- c)and then go to work because without work one will come to sin.
d) However even when one works he should make his Torah learning ikar /primary and his work secondary/temporary.
The question is obvious -what about kollel/sitting in learning?
A:So the Biyur Halacha( The Chofetz Chaim) writes OH 156– that the Shulchan Aruch- which says to go to work – is refering to the general public–but individuals who want to sit and learn – Hashem will support them as the Rambam writes. This concept, that most people will work and individuals will only learn is learnt from the Gemarah in Brachos _ many did like R’ SBY and it didn’t work. Many did like R’ Yishmael and it worked. Therefore even though ‘learning only’ didn’t work for most people – for some -it did- and those individuals will only learn and Hashem will take care of them.
The question now becomes: Well that’s only for individuals- what about today where many frum men learn in kollel?
A:1) After the Churban (holocaust) where a large majority of Torah was lost (death, exiles etc)- Many Gedolim said that we live in a Horaa’s Sh’aa (special ruling based on time/circumstances) — and since we must rebuild Torah again – more people should stay in kollel because if not there simply wouldn’t be enough thriving Torah for the Jewish people to rebuild itself.
2) Another answer is that in our time many men have not developed their learning skills well enough to go it alone afterword yet-
As well as the fact that “working today” has a lot of temptation from the outside world-(which was not generally available in previous history) and that one should learn in kollel after marriage -at least a certain period of time – to start the young couples new life off in a higher level of Torah learning/scholarship/kedusha etc.. that will lift them higher for their whole lives.
3) Although I quoted the majority opinion regarding working and learning there seems to be minority opinions that hold that mi’ikkar one should spend their time only learning — others would say this is just a Maal’ah (goal to strive for) but not required.
Lastly – the Yerushalmi states in one statement- on the verse of “Ubacharta B’Chaim” / “choose life” that this refers to umanus – getting a job.
So it is very clear that the issue- from a halachic standpoint is not in general whether one is allowed to work- but rather which person are you- and that is up to you (However see above regarding current day realities)