"To finish Shas" I recall was one theme that was mentioned often in Shar Yashuv. That was intended to say that no one has a right to an uninformed opinion. And to have an informed opinion means to have finished the two Talmuds at least once. [I.e. the one that is famous written in Iraq [Babylonia] and the other called the Yerushalmi.
Since I have concluded that math and physics and Aristotle's Metaphysics are in the category of Torah, it makes sense to me to suggest a daily schedule in which one finishes the two Talmuds plus the basic set of math and physics plus the books of Aristotle named Metaphysics.
[This is more or less based on authorities that came after Saadia Gaon and took his lead. However I do admit there were great rishonim would did not think these subjects would be included in Torah learning. Obviously the Ramban [Nachmanides] would not include Aristotle and probably not math or Physics either. This was a subject that was never much discussed at the Mir in NY. But once I returned there and discussed this a little bit with Rav Shmuel Berenbaum. And he said for parnasa [making a living] it is OK. I tried to argue and claim that to some rishonim learning physics is in itself a part of learning Torah. But he did not accept that. And he repeated again the statement if it is for parnasa it is ok.
Maimonides himself does take this approach of Saadia Gaon as you can see in the Guide. But contrary to what most people think, he includes his opinion also in the Mishne Torah in the law about dividing one's learning into three parts. One part is Gemara. And there he says that "the subjects called pardes are in the category of Gemara" and he defined what is included in pardes in the first four chapters of mishne torah.
Since I have concluded that math and physics and Aristotle's Metaphysics are in the category of Torah, it makes sense to me to suggest a daily schedule in which one finishes the two Talmuds plus the basic set of math and physics plus the books of Aristotle named Metaphysics.
[This is more or less based on authorities that came after Saadia Gaon and took his lead. However I do admit there were great rishonim would did not think these subjects would be included in Torah learning. Obviously the Ramban [Nachmanides] would not include Aristotle and probably not math or Physics either. This was a subject that was never much discussed at the Mir in NY. But once I returned there and discussed this a little bit with Rav Shmuel Berenbaum. And he said for parnasa [making a living] it is OK. I tried to argue and claim that to some rishonim learning physics is in itself a part of learning Torah. But he did not accept that. And he repeated again the statement if it is for parnasa it is ok.
Maimonides himself does take this approach of Saadia Gaon as you can see in the Guide. But contrary to what most people think, he includes his opinion also in the Mishne Torah in the law about dividing one's learning into three parts. One part is Gemara. And there he says that "the subjects called pardes are in the category of Gemara" and he defined what is included in pardes in the first four chapters of mishne torah.
