[Avodah] Teaching your child a trade

[Prof. Levine]

At 02:10 PM 11/5/2020,R. Akiva Miller wrote:

>I don't know what reasons Chazal gave to this principle, but I can see many
>practical reasons why such a father should make sure that his kids have
>some sort of job so that they don't need to rely on their inheritance.

First of all, I think that in the time of Chazal the requirement to 
teach a child a trade applied to boys,  not girls. So I think the 
subject should read "Teaching you son a trade."

>For
>example:
>
>- How can one be sure that the money will last?
>- How can he be sure that the child won't just waste the money?
>- What kind of role model will the grandchildren have?

After we learned the sugya about this in one of R. Avigdor Miller's 
shiurim I asked him privately,  "Why don't fathers do this today? 
They let their sons learn in yeshiva and do not make sure they get 
skills to earn a living."  He relied, "Look at my shul.  they are 
doctors, lawyers, accountants,  and yet their sons have no training 
to earn a living.  My son Shmuel has a wealthy father-in-law, so 
there will be enough money for his children,  but what will happen to 
Shmuel's grandchildren?"

For the record,  he never said anything like this publicly.

Today there are programs that give men have been learning in Kollel 
job skills when they want to (have to) leave Kollel.  The Agudah has 
such programs. For example, Daniel Soloff  is

National Director at Professional Career Services, a division of 
Agudath Israel which functions in Lakewood. While not overtly 
supported by BMG, it is known that many who have learned in BMG get 
job skills through this organization.

YL


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