Wolf: But imagine if Derek Jeter was unable to join even the minors because they were full. That is why Kollels have to continue to expand.
Oh, come on… that’s the silliest objection yet. 🙂
If someone has talent,*really* has talent to be a superstar, he’ll find a way in. If he has the talent to be a superstar, plus the drive, determination and ambition, it’ll take a full blown conspiracy and collusion to keep him out.
Keep in mind, if a Derek Jeter-type player came to the Yankees and they said “sorry, kid, all our teams are full*”, then he’d go to another team. The competition between the teams would cause at least some of them to recognize his talent and give him a shot.
Likewise, there’s competition between kollels for talent as well. If someone *truly* has the talent to be the gadol hador, no rosh kollel, in his right mind, would turn him away. And, if by some chance he does get turned away by one, another one will snap him up.
I’ll say it again because it’s still true: increasing the number of kollel spots may increase the number of Rabbis produced, but it will NOT bring the next Rav Pam. If he exists, he’s not going to be waiting around on the outside looking in for a spot.
The Wolf
* Which, of course, if they recognize his talent, they’re not going to say, but hey, let’s pretend for a moment.