Changing Chavrusos

Question

I am a yeshivah bachur and was without a chavrusa for the past couple of weeks. Lately the yeshiva set me up with a bachur from a younger class. I was fine with that, but after the first day we learned together, it became clear that he was not at all on the level of learning that I am, and I got the feeling that if I will continue to learn with him, it will hold me back from my own growth in learning.

The next day, a new avreich joined the Yeshiva and asked me if we can learn together as a chavrusa. The younger bachur whom I was learning with for one day got upset that I am now going to learn with someone else.

Do I have to listen to the bachur and learn with him even though I don’t enjoy it, or may I look after my own ruchniyus and learn with the avreich, which will bring me further and strengthen my learning?

Chaim Yitzchak,

Yeshivas Sechar Sechir, Netivot

Rav Auerbach 

You are allowed to consider your own learning before your friend's learning. However, in order not to hurt the feelings of the younger bochur by having him think that you just going to drop him, try to arrange a chavrusa with him during the evening. Since usually the avreichim are anyway not in yeshiva at night, you can use that time to learn then with the younger bochur.