The basic Lithuanian yeshiva approach I think is good even in small measure..
I mean what really is the essence of a Litvak yeshiva? Learning Gemara in depth and Musar {Ethics}. It could not be more simple. (The only other thing there is no tolerance odd balls. This particular aspect I am not very happy with.) But in a practical sense could not you do this on your own? Not just that but looking at the state of the world today it seems to me that you almost have to do this on your own. You can't really depend on others setting up a Beit Midrash where you could walk in and learn.
So how would one do this on his own? A hour of in depth learning I think to do like this: take one page of Gemara Rashi Tosphot Maharsha and the basic achronim like Rav Shach, R Akiva Eiger, etc and do that one page as thoroughly as you can in one hour. Then the next day do the same material again. And keep this up every day for a few weeks. That is the one in depth session.
Then there is a fast session that is to have a separate session--also about one hour to go though the whole Oral Law--i.e. Gemara, Rashi, Tosphot, Maharsha, Maharam from Lublin, then after the Talmud Bavli the Talmud Yerushalmi, then the Tosphta etc. until you have gone through the Midrashei Halacha and Midrashei Agada.
If this seems a bit above your level then you could start with something more like an introduction like Shimshon Refael Hirsh's Horev. The books of Musar give I think a very good introduction to what Torah is all about. [Musar means the books of ethics from the middle ages plus the disciples of Rav Israel Salanter who were able to bring don those teachings in a digestible way. MOST books from the middle ages tend tobe hard to digest in modern times, so there does exist a need to bring them down to a practical level. ]
One advantage of this is when the rest of the world is going crazy at least you have some sanity to hold onto. And the problem of the world going crazy is not just in your imagination. It is real. The evil inclination today is כח הדמיון --delusion.
I mean what really is the essence of a Litvak yeshiva? Learning Gemara in depth and Musar {Ethics}. It could not be more simple. (The only other thing there is no tolerance odd balls. This particular aspect I am not very happy with.) But in a practical sense could not you do this on your own? Not just that but looking at the state of the world today it seems to me that you almost have to do this on your own. You can't really depend on others setting up a Beit Midrash where you could walk in and learn.
So how would one do this on his own? A hour of in depth learning I think to do like this: take one page of Gemara Rashi Tosphot Maharsha and the basic achronim like Rav Shach, R Akiva Eiger, etc and do that one page as thoroughly as you can in one hour. Then the next day do the same material again. And keep this up every day for a few weeks. That is the one in depth session.
Then there is a fast session that is to have a separate session--also about one hour to go though the whole Oral Law--i.e. Gemara, Rashi, Tosphot, Maharsha, Maharam from Lublin, then after the Talmud Bavli the Talmud Yerushalmi, then the Tosphta etc. until you have gone through the Midrashei Halacha and Midrashei Agada.
If this seems a bit above your level then you could start with something more like an introduction like Shimshon Refael Hirsh's Horev. The books of Musar give I think a very good introduction to what Torah is all about. [Musar means the books of ethics from the middle ages plus the disciples of Rav Israel Salanter who were able to bring don those teachings in a digestible way. MOST books from the middle ages tend tobe hard to digest in modern times, so there does exist a need to bring them down to a practical level. ]
One advantage of this is when the rest of the world is going crazy at least you have some sanity to hold onto. And the problem of the world going crazy is not just in your imagination. It is real. The evil inclination today is כח הדמיון --delusion.
