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ןנברמ אברוצ הא ורות מומ ת תו ו · מ רועיש · 151

is included in the Written Torah, and their interpretations are ב םשוריפו ,םו בת בש ורות ב
included in the Oral Torah. And the concepts known as “Pardes” םיארקנו םיניינעוו .ופ עבש ורות
are included in Gemara. םירבמ ומב .םו ארמגו ב ״ס״מרפ“
When does this apply? The above applies in the early stages of בא ,םמא ש ומומ ת ת יחתב ?םירומא
a person’s study. However, when a person increases his knowl- מומ א ךירצ ויוי א ו ,ומ חב ימגיש
edge and he does not need to study the Written Torah, or occupy ורותב מימת קוסע א ו ,בת בש ורות
himself with the Oral Law constantly, he should study the Written ורות תונמוזמ םיתיעב ארקי – ופ עבש
Torah and the oral tradition at designated times. Thus, he will ח שי א ש ימ ,ועומשו ירבמו בת בש
not forget any aspect of the laws of the Torah. [However,] he
should focus his attention on the Gemara alone for his entire ארמג וימי ונפיו ,ורות ינימ ירבממ רבמ
life, according to his ambition and his ability to concentrate. .ותעמ בושייו ובי ב שיש בחור יפ ,מב ב

Concerning this topic, the Shulchan Aruch follows the Rambam, while the Rema cites the opinion of Tosafot.

a Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 246:4 ד:ומר ד״וי | ךורע ןחלוש 8 .

A person must divide his study time into three: One-third on the ורותב שי ש :ומומ ש ש םמא בייח
Written Torah, i.e., the twenty-four books [of Tanach], one-third שי ש ,םירשעו ועבראו ונייומ ,בת בש
on Mishna, i.e., the Oral Torah, and the commentaries on the ורות היפו ופ עבש ורות ונייומ ונשמב
Torah are included in this, and one-third on talmud, meaning ונייומ מומ תב שי ש ,וז ב בת בש
that one understands the latter idea from the former idea, and איצויו ותישארמ רבמ תירחא י שיו ןיביש
he derives one concept from another, and he compares one תוממב ןומיו רבמ רבמ וממיו רבמ ךותמ רבמ
concept to another, and he interprets [the Torah] based on the
principles of Biblical exegesis until he understands the essence רקיע ךאיו עמיש מע םוב תשרמנ ורותוש
of the mitzvot and how the prohibitions and the other decisions אצוי ו רתומוו רוסאו אצוי ךאיוו תוצמו
that were received by oral tradition can be derived… …ועומשו יפמ ממ ש םירבמ וזב
The above applies in the early stages of a person’s study. However, ש ומומי ת יחתב ?םירומא םירבמ ומב
when a person increases his knowledge and he does not need to ךירצ אוי א ו ורותב ימגיש בא ,םמא
study the Written Torah, or occupy himself with the Oral Law מימת קוסע א ו בת בש ורות מומ
constantly, he should study the Written Torah and the oral tradi- םינמוזמ םיתעב ארקי ,ופ עבש ורותב
tion at designated times so he will not forget any aspect of the ימ ופ עבש ורות ירבמו בת בש ורות
laws of the Torah. [However,] he should focus his attention on וימי ונפיו ,ורותו יניממ רבמ ח שי א ש
the Gemara alone for his entire life, according to his ambition
and his ability to concentrate. .ותעמ בושיו וב בחור יפ מב ב מומ ת
Rema: But some say that a person fulfills his obligation for all of ו ב אווש י בב מומ תבש א״יו :הגה
them with the Talmud Bavli, which is mixed with Mikra (Tanach), ותבוח ימי אצוי םמא ארמגו ונשמב ארקמב
Mishna, and Gemara… … ו יבשב

If one were to follow the Shulchan Aruch entirely, it would seem that during the formative years of
learning, one would spend one third of one’s time on Tanach, one-third on Mishna and Gemara studied
more quickly (beki’ut), and one third on iyun. The Rema would say that one need not spend so much time
studying Tanach or Mishna, but can learn Gemara alone should one choose, as it includes everything.
Although these models are often not followed completely today, the Pesakim Uteshuvot (Y.D. 246:18)
notes in the name of many Acharonim that based on these opinions, it is common today for yeshivot to
spend one learning period (seder) on iyun-style Gemara learning and another on beki’ut. 13

13. For a brief summary of additional sources concerning the study of iyun vs. beki’ut, including the famous passage in the Gemara
(Horayot 13b) concerning “sinai” and “oker harim,” see “Torah Study,” pp. 178–181. [Addition of the English editors]

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