By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

“Why can’t MY HUSBAND ALSO BE HONORED??  He works very hard, supports his family and learns every night with his Chevrusah!  Why are only full-time learners being honored?”

It is a subject that people take very seriously and perhaps it has been a battle since the times of the Mishna and earlier.  What is preferable – Iyun – in depth learning or wide-ranging knowledge?  Of course, everyone agrees that both are necessary, but to what extent?  Where should emphasis be placed?

[Just for our information and based on the Gemorah in Horios 14a, those that are masters of depth are called, “Oker Harim” and those that have mastered Bekius – wide ranging knowledge are known as “Sinai.”]

It seems to this author that there are three major contemporary views, or camps, and each of these three groups marshall sources to back up their positions.

• There is the view that even when time for learning is limited, a significant amount of time must also be devoted to Iyun. We will call them Group A.
• There is the view that when time for learning is limited, the clear preference is for Bekius. We will call them Group B.
• Group C espouses the view that there is, in fact, no argument in the classical sources and everyone is in full agreement – the question is only that of when each should be emphasized.

The issue recently came up as a response from readers about an article that I just wrote about 7minuteIyun.com an attempt by a Lakewood Rosh Chaburah, Rav Moshe Chaim Katz shlita, to provide a dose of Iyun to those that learn Daf Yomi and for others as well.

But the issue also came up as a reaction to the Adirei Torah event as well, as noted in the first paragraph of this article.  Let’s first get to some of the sources and discuss the camps.

Rav Ovadiah Yosef zt”l (1920-2013), in the introduction to his Yabia Omer Volume I, clearly shows that he is in group B.  He cites a Teshuvas Rivash and an entire litany of Acharonim as well.

The Ben Ish Chai – Rav Yoseph Chaim zt”l of Bagdad (1835-1909) in the introduction to his Rav Pe’alim writes that as a general rule Ashkenaz Rabbi do not study matters in great depth with the exception of Hungarian Rabbonim.  This seems to place him in Group A.  Rav Shlomo Kluger, in his haGaos to the Pri Magadim (Aishel Avrohom Siman 136) says that the Sinai have precedence over (in an Aliyah) an Oker Harim was only in Talmudic times, but nowadays when there are Seforim – all would agree that an Oker Harim has precedence. Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l in Mizknainim Esbonen (p. 191) writes that Bekiyus comes at the expense of true knowledge.  And then, of course, there is the well known shiur of the Birchas Shmuel (Kiddushin Siman 27) who delineates two types of Torah study – Iyun HaTorah and Limud HaTorah.  He clearly is in Group A.

Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein shlita in an early Vavei HaAmudim (#42 for those lucky enough to have a subscription) entertains a question from someone who has health issues that asked what’s preferable 8 hours of light learning or 2 hours of Iyun learning.  Rav Zilberstein answered the 2 hours of Iyun and if he can’t do it further – he is exempt from learning.

The issue came up in a Question and Answer session of Rav Gershon Ribner shlita – specifically about the Adirei Torah event that honored full-time learners only.  He responded that those who learn the mesechta every night seder who still work should definitely be honored as well.  However, this was specifically an event for full-time learners and complaining about it tantamount to a wedding where the Chosson is being spoken about and the Chosson’s brother who is also a Talmid Chochom is asking – Yes, but what about me?  It is not an appropriate time.

Recently, a reader asked how my article could have stated that 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 could have all said that Iyun is the essence if the Gemorah says the opposite.

Rav Moshe Chaim Katz shlita himself actually had given a shiur on the topic as well as found in his Shiur on Brachos 64  – https://7minuteiyun.com/talmud/?tractate=Berachos&page_number=64

He also answered, “The gemara does not say that bekius is more important, it says (Berachos 64) Sinai adif in regards to becoming a Rosh Hayeshiva as all need mari chitaya, as he”s needed to give over torah to all. The opinion of our gedolim is as written by the author that iyun is a higher level. There are many different situations & details to this question.”

I am told that, in years past, there was a very choshuv Rosh Yeshiva who was once asked to speak at a Siyum HaShas and he wished to speak about the importance of Iyun, feeling that one cannot not mention the importance of Iyun at a celebration of Torah study.  The powers that be told him that it would not be appropriate for that forum, and he declined the invitation.

The author can be reached at [email protected]