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The MMG"H Learning Program

Picture a learning program by which, at the end of 15 years, you will have:

The need for a well-rounded daily learning schedule is outlinds in the Gemara.

Rav Safra said in the name of Rav Yehoshua ben Chanania: Why does it say "Vishinantam livanecha (and you shall repeat to your children)? Don't read "vishinantam" [an awkward conjugation, where "vishinitam" would be the usual text] but "vishilashtem" (make thirds).

A person should always divide his years (shinosav) in thirds: one third in mikra, one third in mishnah, and one third in talmud. Who knows how long he will live? No, you need it to know how to divide your day.

-- Kiddushin 30a



11: And one is obligated to divide his learning time into thirds. One third in the Written Torah, one third in the Oral Torah, and one third he should think and contemplate the conclusion of a thing from its premise, derive one thing from another, compare one thing to another, and understand the rules of derivation of the Torah until you will know what is the principle of those rules and how to reveal what is prohibited and what is permitted, and the like -- from those things you heard from the mouth who heard [ie learned from a teacher]. This subject is what is called Gemara.

12: How? If he is a worker and is busy with his work three hours of the day, and Torah for nine. Of those nine, he should read for three of them from the Written Torah, three from the Oral Torah, and in the other three he should think with his intellect to understand one thing from another. Those things that were received are in the category of Written Torah, and their explanation is in the category of Oral Torah. Those things called pardes are in the category of gemara....

-- Rambam, Laws of Talmud Torah, ch 1

The terms "mishnah" and "talmud" as used by Rav Yehoshua ben Chanania can not necessarily mean what we use them for today -- neither text had been written yet. Mishnah includes the tradition recieved about the halachah, talmud is understanding the source of the halachah: both "understanding the rules of derivation of the Torah" and "pardes" which refers to Jewish philosophy.

The MMG"H program provides daily study of each of these categories. The program includes both study of Talmud Bavli, to understand the derivation of the halachah, and the study of hashkafah and mussar:

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