Should I Drop Out of College?
Judaism is an all-encompassing way of life that must inform all decisions, including circumstantial ones; a case in point – whether to complete college or not
By the Grace of G-d
7th of Nissan, 5720
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Mr. A. Gaffney
11 Empress Road
East St. Kilda, Vic.
Greeting and Blessing:
...In this connection I wish to point out that one of the things that differentiates the Jewish religion from others is that in the case of other religions religious practices are reserved for special occasions, for which there is a time and place, whereas in the case of the Jewish religion it is a way of life which dominates and regulates the life of the Jew at all times, there being no area in life where the Torah can be excluded. This corresponds to what our Sages said, "G-d looked into the Torah and created the world," whereby they meant to indicate that the Torah is the blue-print of the world at large, and of each individual "world" in particular. Hence, when a non-Jew desires to embrace the Jewish religion, he must be cautioned that it entails a total commitment of 24 hours a day, which must be permeated with the Torah, and all his movements must be regulated by the do's and don'ts of the Torah.
There are, of course, certain areas where the Torah leaves some flexibility, depending upon conditions and circumstances, but even in these areas the action and conduct must correspond to the directives of the Torah in relation to the circumstances.
By way of illustration: You have a problem whether or not to continue your studies at the university. This is an area where one generally would use one's own judgment. But from the Jewish point of view, on the basis of the principle that G-d creates nothing in vain, the general view would be to continue such studies to their conclusion, so as not to waste the time and effort already invested. On the other hand, there could be a situation in which the particular individual could use his time to better advantage than the University degree could offer, in which case it would be wrong for him to continue his studies...
...As for your question whether you should continue your academic studies, my view will have become evident to you from the lines above, namely, that you should continue your studies in order not to lose the years of effort you have put in...
With blessing
M. Schneerson
