Knowing the shakla v’tarya of a Gemara is barely even skimming a sugya. It is superficial to the extreme – as far as knowing the sugya is concerned.
It worked for the baalie gemara, it works for me.
For many years I’ve been making a point, and was recently gratified to find it in published letter by R’ Shimshon Pinkus.
He says that it is rare for a bachur to succeed by trying to work out of the yeshiva system.
And he says there’s really no reason to! Put aside the system of learning, its reasons and justifications. Any serious bachur can find enough time in his day for any seder he’d like – bekius, nach, halacha – without taking away from the yeshiva schedule. How long does it take to learn (and even chazer) daf yomi?!
So no one can blame their lack of knowledge on the system.
Certain Yeshivos encourage this, and very few discourage it.
That’s ridiculous! The point of any educational system, including the yeshiva system, is to educate. Saying they can learn if they want, does not cut the mustard! That’s like saying why teach math for the regents, if the student cares he can learn it himself!
Also, daf yomi? That’s one daf a day. That is way below many yeshiva bachurim’s potential. To finish shas once while in yeshiva is not that impressive.