I recently became a Baal Teshuva a few months ago and I’m so happy Hashem has given me this opportunity. My parents are not really okay with it, my mother less but my father is really not okay with it because he feels like it’s not the way he raised me and it’s like I’m going against him. How do I go about telling my father that I’m taking off college to go to Yeshiva.
Answer:
Shalom, and congratulations on the brave and impressive steps that you’ve taken.
As for your parents, you should certainly do everything in your power to avoid alienating them.
Concerning college, you can tell your father that your going to Yeshiva is not forever, that you can do college while you are in yeshiva, and that you certainly want to remain a productive and active member of society.
Explain that your Yeshiva education won’t detract from your college performance and future life, but only enhance it, because you’ll be able to raise these experiences to a higher level – which is what Yeshiva and Torah are all about.
Although a Torah education demands a certain immersion in Torah study for some time, this is in preparation for all that you’ll be doing further down the line, and there is no need for concern in this matter.
I don’t know your circumstances well enough to really comment, but perhaps the above can help.
Best wishes.
