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R Chaim Mintz writes that he asked Steipler in person whether it is appropriate (raui) for the yeshiva to allow students attend college several night a week. R Chaim Kanevsky interjected explaining to his father that in America there is a “sugya” of going to college.
Steipler suggested to have two separate yeshivos – one that learns b’tahora and another that allows college. R Mintz then asked – what if it is impossible to have separate yeshivos? Steipler thought about it and said “I do not know”.
The hilarious part: R Ruderman visited soon and Steipler told him that his student came with the question. R Ruderman then asked R Mintz whethter it was him who asked and, when confirmed, said “I knew it was you, I knew it was you”. [Not clear to me how R Mintz dared to challenge his Rebbe’s position in this way].
A separate story – R Twersky wrote to Steipler (who was a distant relative) whether he should attend medical school. Steipler gave him several safeguards – go to mikvah regular (dont remember whether daily or weekly); have a hevrusa for mussar or chassidus; and something else I can’t recall.
Harav GS said that if there is a heter umnus , it is not chal more than twice a week. So therefore you see that Daas Torah both here and EY is mamash the same. ( The Holy Voloshiner Netziv said that the heter is only chal….). The Rabbonim Hageonim who established RIETS held the same thing. Were it not for Harav Zelmanovitch ( a talmid of the Avnei Nezer) they would not have allowed any RY that was a gimnasium bachur, just like the Mir, where the Mashgiach rejected RYB and took RCS. It is the same psak wherever you go. The right wing RY’s from RIETS went lechayim ulesholom to Touro. It was a mechayeh to see the well dressed bachurim from CB attending BC and some even won the Nobel Prizes and became Chassidic Rebbes.
Rabbi Twerski wasn’t a relative. He never needed mikvah to be suggested. He was a chassid and he went every day regardless.
Actually, the letter from the Steipler to Rabbi Twersky is published. If I recall correctly, the conditions were that he must learn for several hours a day, go to mikva daily, and learn mussar daily (I think a half hour). The letter should be in the sefer קריינא דאיגרתא, a collection of letters froom the Steipler. The Steipler was not a relative. But he came from the town of Hornesteipel where the Twersky family came from. His father was a chossid by Rav Mordechai Dov, and later by his son R’ Leibele. Rabbi Twersky was a grandson of R’ Leibele. The name “Steipler” was shortened from Hornesteipel (known in Ukraine as Gornostopol).
Assuming it is acceptable to attend college. If you live in the USA, where could you study?
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