> Are you living off of $12,000 a year to maximize your learning? And since when did you get the authority to create shittos?
I did at some point, at exactly that amount actually for a couple of years. Right now, unfortunately, I do not stop at that. My business is such that my success is dependent on the totality of effort and supervision of others, so it is really hard to limit myself, especially as I enjoy what I am doing and, hopefully, bringing something useful to the world. I wonder whether I could work 2 hours a week as you are suggesting if I were in some per hour profession, like a lawyer, a plumber, or a surgeon?! I am afraid that I would not (and most other people are probably in the same position). Feel free to criticize me further or give me hizuk ideas.
re:authority. As with everyone, I get my masorah from my Parents and Teachers. Most of them encouraged independent thinking and asking questions. In a proper way, of course, they’ll correct me if I ask questions in a wrong way. R Steinsaltz z’l used to say that Arabs have 100 synonyms for sand, Eskimos for snow, and Jews – for the word “question”. R Shapiro z’l said that while it is normal for people to learn for many years and only then teach, but, when needed, it is a mitzva for one who learnt alef-beis or chumash or mishna, to teach that (and he actually pointed to a couple of people in the audience who were doing that).