Reply To: Hasidic Secular Education

Joseph, sorry but I think you don’t know how to learn pshat in this mishna.
Look at Rashi and the Rambam who say that it does not say that you must be poor to learn Torah, but if you are poor, you should also learn Torah. This is like the story with the Levushei Mordechai who was asked if a woman giving birth can anastisize herself because it says you will give birth in pain. He said that it says והיית משוגע does not mean that there is a mitzva to be a meshigener. Some also say that in his beginning of learning years, he should avoid any extra luxuries.