By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

Just to name a few who discuss it, it’s Rav Yisroel Salanter zt”l (Ohr Yisroel Letter #7), the Chazon Ish zt”l (OC Siman 9) and Rav Chatzkel Levenstein zt”l (Ohr Yechezkel Elul p.79) and lehavdil bain chaim l’chaim Rav Yitzchok Yoseph Shlita in his haskama to the sefer entitled, “Imrei Yechezkel.”

What do they all say?

IYUN – THE ESSENCE OF IT ALL

They all say that the essence of learning Torah is Iyun – the delving into the nitty-gritty of it all.  Unfolding the latent processes of reasoning and understanding the internal workings, the lomdus behind the issues is the key to Torah study.

Sadly, after completing years in Yeshiva doing just that, the vast majority of Yeshiva graduates no longer engage in Iyun.  Many do the Daf Yomi, but if the aforementioned Gedolei Torah are to be listened to – it is a band-aid to a gaping problem.

One of the Roshei Chaburah in Lakewood’s BMG, Rav Moshe Chaim Katz shlita, however, is working hard to provide a solution to this problem – and it is a true game-changer.  Predicated on the Daf Yomi, it is a website entitled 7minuteIyun.com.

THE IYUN OF THAT DAY’S DAF

At this site is a daily shiur on that day’s daf Yomi – in Iyun.  Now, like never before, you can plumb the depths of the Daf in a short shiur that will enhance your Torah learning.  In the shiur on Bava Basra 51, for example, Rabbi Katz explores a fascinating Machlokes Rishonim between the Rashba and the Rosh that explores the parameters of Kinyan Shtar and so much more.  Here we have a source to the idea of property transfer – merely by admission.  (Think the position of the Ktzos HaChoshen during Mechiras Chometz).  Or do we?  This, explains Rav Katz,  may be the dispute between the Rashba and the Rosh.  Also, what happens when the language of the document refers to the future and is written b’lashon asid?  Does it work?  What makes a Shtar work in general?  What is the motor?

On the same Daf, he explores Rav Elchonon Wasserman’s classical difference between the Chatzer of a woman and the Yad of a woman.

The shiurim are available in both audio and video.  The advantage of the video is that each of the topics discussed in the shiur are highlighted in the upper right corner of the video, and the one dealt with at that point in the video is highlighted in bold.

BORROWING WITHOUT A PAYBACK PLAN

Rabbi Katz’s shiur on Bava Basra 46 is a particular favorite of mine.  Are you allowed to borrow money from someone when you do not see a way of paying it back – in other words, can you borrow without a viable plan?  When the Gemorah says that Hashem is telling us, “Borrow on my account and I (Hashem) will pay back” – is that only for Shabbos expenses or for all Mitzvos?

Rabbi Katz quotes Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein’s shiur about the topic with a fascinating story –  one being a Pidyon Shvuyim story with the Sfas Emes, the Gerrer Rebbe. The Av Beis Din of Lodz could save people only if he borrowed 30,000 rubles.  The Sfas Emes felt that he shouldn’t have borrowed money without a plan to pay back.  The Av Beis Din, on the other hand, held that the principle applied to other Mitzvos as well.

PSAK FROM RAV SHMUEL KAMENETSKY SHLITA

In that same shiur, Rav Katz throws in yet another remarkable story or Psak.  Is a Yeshiva allowed to ask parents to borrow money to pay for tuition in a situation where the parent does not have a feasible plan in which to pay it back?  Rav Kemenetsky shlita paskened that it is forbidden to do so, and a Yeshiva that does it is highly likely to be in violation of Gezel.   This is kind of an earth-shattering Psak, and this author is glad to have heard it on Rav Katz’s 7minuteIyun.com site.

ON TORAH ANYTIME

Rav Katz’s remarkable shiurim in Iyun are becoming more and more popular and are available on Torah Anytime as well.  In fact, the search mechanism for Rav Katz’s shiurim on Torah Anytime is a rather powerful one as well.

NOT JUST THE DAF

True, there is no question that Ravi Katz’s efforts enhance the Daf Yomi experience significantly.  But the website covers past Mesechtos as well.  Chagigah is a mesechta that people like to complete for a siyum.  Hearing a shiur of sheer Iyun on each blatt transforms the Mesechta to a different experience altogether.   Rav Katz begins the Mesechta with the Rambam’s espousal of the three Mitzvos involved in the Korban Chagigah. The whole experience  succeeds in upping the tone of learning the entire Mesechta.

It is clear that any Chevrusashaft that is studying a Mesechta would gain immensely from these Iyun shiurim.

The author can be reached at [email protected]