why would yeshivos grant scholarships for parents who can not pay full tuition if HaShem repays the full amount spent ?
Good question, There seem to be several approaches that we could suggest.
(1) The Gemara says that Hash-m repays the full amount borrowed in order to send one's child to learn, but it is still very uncomfortable to have to borrow the money in the first place. And then there are those who do not have the option to borrow (for instance, if they've already received a mortgage for their house, and nobody will lend them any more money) -- as Tosfos (15b, DH Levu Alai) mentions. A scholarship offers them a way to avoid the shame of having to beg for money in order to send their children to learn Torah.
By the way, even when the scholarship is granted someone may still be repaid. When the Gemara says that one who spends money for Talmud Torah will be repaid, it can also be referring to someone other than the parent. That is, the benefactor who contributes money to the scholarship fund will be repaid for that contribution! Even though the Gemara mentions that it is for "his sons," the Gemara in Sanhedrin (19b) says that anyone who teaches Torah to his friend's sons (and so, too, one who enables his friend's sons to learn Torah by financing their education) is considered to be their father.
(2) The religious schools may feel it is their responsibility to attract even those parents whose Emunah in the words of Chazal is somewhat lacking, and who will not borrow money based on this Gemara's promise that the money will be returned.
Of course, if that is the case then the believing parent should not accept a scholarship, so that it may be granted to one who is less believing than he.
(3) Perhaps the schools are offering the scholarships in their own interests; they don't want parents to send their children to the competition (perhaps because they feel that their own school will do a better job), so they offer scholarships as incentives.
Do you have any other suggestions?
Be well,
-The Kollel
It would seem to me that the scholarships -- and in turn the tuition -- are not for the price of teaching Torah. One is not allowed to charge for teaching Torah (mah Ani b'chinom...). Perhaps whatever the Yeshivos are allowed to charge tuition for is not covered by the guarantee of Beitzh 15b -- and hence scholarships are granted for those costs.
David Twersky Seattle, Washington
Yasher Kochach! (But I wonder what costs the Gemara was referring to when it gave its coverage -- illegitimate costs?)
And a 2YK -- (Double Yasher Koach) to the Kollel Iyun Hadaf for their great free service of Talmud Torah and advanced Daf Yomi Study via the web!
Perhaps it was referring to any or all of the following legitimate costs --
1) The cost of transportation to / from class
2) The cost of Seforim / supplies / etc.
3) The cost of lost family income by the child learning Torah rather than
working
David Twersky
Seattle, Washington
Thanks for your encouragement and appreciation, David!
Your suggestions for legitimate costs are certainly legitimate. But if those costs are covered by the promise of the Gemara that "costs from Talmud Torah" are not taken from the yearly allowance (since the Gemara is not referring to illegitimate costs), we are back to square one: namely, why give scholarships, if the actual education is free, and the "extra" costs are "covered" from heaven!
Take care, Mordecai