Avram > If we are truly concerned about the klal, we should do what we can to support those learning to prolong their learning as much as possible.
Thanks for a clear explanation of your position. I totally agree that those who are capable of quality learning, should learn and kahal should support them. Ad kan? One of my teachers was asked to help out a struggling shul on shabbos when he was in yeshiva. He asked R’Y and got an OK for that. The shul then asked him to help on one chol day. R’Y said – no, you need to learn full time, that will make you more useful for them later on. I do think though that too many people are pushed into long-term learning for social reasons and are then upset that they are not successful against this criteria.