ItcheSrulik -“I have from reliable sources that it was not Rav Aharon Kotler, but his son Rav Shneur who instituted the kollel system lakewood uses today. Rav Aharon expected the yungerleit to be there for a shorter time. As far as I know, it was his chiddush.”
Noone ever posted this before including me:
As a former BMG guy, you’re correct. When I learnt in a Lakewood branch as a kid, the Rosh Hayeshiva, a Talmid of R’ Aharon said he held 5 -6 years in Kollel at the most. R’ Shneur started it because he couldn’t just tell guys to leave, he was too nice. The four that took over wanted to start getting rid of some of the older guys by not paying them. But Rav Schach Zt’l came along and said you can’t tell anyone to leave. So really this comes from EY, where they all (alot) learn forever in Kollel. And I think the reason in EY that they started with learning forever, was so they wouldn’t have to go to the army, which is Kefira (going to the army)!