Rav Reuven,
We’ve tried this – but we just end up with so many questions. We’ve used Art Scroll, Kehati, and even the extremely thorough site of Rabbi Pogrow - www.mastertorah.com/.
But, how do you get thru it? Do you just gloss over the questions?
Per your post, you’re about to start Arba Avos Nezikin. Will you discuss the machlokes Rav and Shmuel? And that there aren’t really 4? Will you discuss how the mishna attempts to derive one from the others – in only a half-hearted manner? So many more questions– how do get thru it?
Finally, would you be willing to open your blog to mishnayos questions? Or do you know someone who would?
Thanks,
Phil Goode.
P.S. I was not able to post this as a comment on your blog since I don't have a blog ID.
Hi Phil,
Thanks for the email. From my perspective, at some point, you're not learning Gemara, you're learning Mishnah, so you can't answer every question. Mishnah is more about information than about gaining a complete understanding of very complex issues.
Personally, Bezalel and I learn the Mishnah, and then read Kehati's commentary. Usually we don't go any deeper than that. I think if I (or he) drew it out any longer than that, we'd have never made it this far. We usually learn about 15 minutes a day (on average), and that seems about right to me for mishnah yomit.
Re your last point, I don't think my blog is the best place for mishnah questions, but if you want to ask via email, I'm happy to try and answer.
Reuven Spolter
Thanks to your urging, I started with my boy lail Shabbat. You're right, the key is keeping it simple so you do it every day. If after you're "yotzee" you want to go back and do more, great. Just don't let it get in the way of daily progress.
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