[Avodah] Torah Study vs. other contributions to soCIETY

[David Riceman]

Samuel Svarc wrote:
>
>  one might not be obligated to learn all day <snip>, but it definitely is preferred over
> other Mitzvos. R' Lampel was pointing out that the obligation to interrupt
> Talmud Torah for an immediate necessary deed, does not extent to training
> for that necessary deed. So one can't interrupt Talmud Torah to train for
> Zaka. If one is not learning full time, like R' Riceman's doctor, then we
> all agree that it's "admirable" to volunteer for gemilas chasadim.
>   
Consider the (not uncommon) case of someone who has been studying in 
Yeshiva full time for several years, and one semester takes a course in 
some money making skill.  So, for example, on Tuesday and Thursday 
afternoons he no longer studies in Yeshiva, instead he studies plumbing 
in a trade school.  He is not being m'vatel a seder kavua of talmud 
Torah on those days; instead he is changing his ittim k'vuim so they 
don't include Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

I think it's very hard to find any realistic example of training which 
is prohibited by this halacha.

David Riceman