Help me with a learning plan realistic to my stage in life

amother

Wed, Aug 30 2023, 9:32 am

I love learning. At the time that I got married I knew Tanach with Rashi well enough that my husband would often pause his learning to ask me the source of a pasuk that had come up. Now I have many young children and a soul sucking job. I do pick up a sefer whenever I have a chance but it's random, not with a coherent plan. I tried Nach Yomi but it isn't realistic because kids got sick, I got pregnant, etc and life comes first. I also didn't have a clear plan for what it means to learn a perek of Nach: is it just the pasuk? Rashi? Other meforshim? Also, I never know what to prioritize: should it be the weekly parsha? Nach? Halacha? Other things that I secretly dream of learning, like Rambam, and Mishnayos? (We are yeshivish and it is considered "socially inappropriate" for a woman to so much as open a chumash once she has finished her formal schooling, but anyone who knows me knows this is my passion, to the point that I also dream of writing a few seforim.)
I would love help developing a clear path and plan.

amother

Camellia

Wed, Aug 30 2023, 9:39 am

Mishnayos! They are very bite size, so perfect for a busy person. They're the best bang for your buck when it comes to bekius, it is like learning your way through 3 years worth of law school by reading 15 outlines. Yes, you lose a lot of interesting discussion, but you have an amazing overview of key takeaways. Also, they are in Hebrew, so you already know the necessary language, although some terms are new or understood differently (eg devash is date honey in Chumash, but bee honey in mishna).

Rabbi Padowitz, whose mishna shiurim are available on YUTorah and OUTorah, as well as his website, is amazing for beginners. He breaks down and explains everything outside, before beginning the mishna inside whenever background knowledge is necessary. He also gives some historical perspective on things like how clothing was manufactured in the time of the mishna, how certain foods were prepared, and so on, whenever relevant. And he usually gives the halacha l'maaseh at the end if there's a machlokes in the mishna or when the halacha in the mishna does not match halacha l'maaseh. His mishna shiurim run a little longer than average, but it is worth it for a beginner.

Also, there is a natural sense of progress whenever you finish a maseches and you can make a nice siyum with your family when you finish a seder. Here is a spreadsheet with all the mishnayos that you can use to track your progress: https://docs.google.com/spread.....RQX0E

amother

DarkKhaki

Wed, Aug 30 2023, 9:52 am

I totally get you. This is me, minus the inappropriate to open a chumash thing (JPF/open yeshivish here.) I miss the learning me.

I have found two things. First, anything yomi that takes more than two minutes is a no go. Having a goal per week is more doable, with the time adjusted for stage of life. For daily, despite what I used to be able to do, I switched to English, and something bite sized. It can be hard to find something with more of a core vs just inspirational, which is not enough for me. But they're out there. Find a way to get to a sefarim store and browse through. Some of the one a days are useful. Or find anything that speaks to you and do a paragraph a day.

Second, I found a good shiur. Something I could go to once a week but still be ok if I missed one, or missed a month. Something text based, but that I was led along. I found one I could participate in and ask questions, but if there's nothing like that in your community, you can find one online as needed.

amother

Camellia

Wed, Aug 30 2023, 9:57 am

For halacha, OU has a daily "Halacha Yomis" email that is brief, but meaty and cites sources. (Note: I am not talking about the "Halacha Yomi" emails for women).

For example, here is today's Halacha Yomis email:

QUESTION: Is there a concern of hatmana when cooking with a crock pot?

ANSWER: The restriction of hatmana applies when a pot is enclosed. Therefore, it is permissible to use a crock pot that sits on top of a flat heating element. However, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l (Shmiras Shabbos K’hilchasa, vol. 1, ch. 1:88, n. 255) questioned whether one may setup a crock pot for Shabbos that sits inside a circular heating element. Since the base envelops the majority of the pot, this may be considered hatmana, and it is forbidden to wrap a pot that is heated on a fire, even before Shabbos. Shmiras Shabbos K’hilchasa quotes Rav Elyashiv zt”l that one can avoid the issue by placing something under the pot (such as a ball of aluminum foil) to lift it slightly off the floor of the element. In this way, the base does not surround the bottom of the pot, and it will not be considered hatmana.

However, Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l (Igros Moshe OC 4:74 hatmana #4) writes that there is no concern of hatmana unless the entire pot is enclosed, including the top. Many students of Rav Moshe said they heard from him that there is no concern of hatmana with a crock pot. An additional basis for leniency is that the Rema (OC 257:1) writes that me’ikar ha’din (strictly speaking), one may do hatmana if the intent is not to eat the food until the next day, though the Rema cautions against relying on this position on a regular basis. Many use the regular circular crock pots on Shabbos in accordance with Rav Moshe, yet some are strict and follow the opinion of Rav Shlomo Zalman.

amother

Camellia

Wed, Aug 30 2023, 10:06 am

For comparison, here is today's Halacha Yomi email for women. As you can see, it's a very different experience.

Shaimos – Day 30

The importance of treating words of Torah with the appropriate dignity and respect should not be underestimated. Indeed, we find many places where Chazal stress the severity of kavod HaTorah, honor of the Torah. It is written that treating words of Torah with the proper respect and being careful with the halachos of Shaimos is a great zechus that protects Klal Yisrael from terrible decrees, Heaven forbid.

mushkamothers

Wed, Aug 30 2023, 10:11 am

In lubavitch we learn chitas daily which is chumash, tehillim, Tanya. The daily aliyah of the weeks parsha, the tehillim of the month's day and the daily division of Tanya.

Chumash is an easy place to start bc you can read just the pesukim, add rashi, add meforshim etc. There are audio to listen to (rabbi Josh Gordon a"h on chabad.org is great) and it's relevant and timely.

Also you will probably like this. Check out their resources and podcast
https://www.batshevalearningcenter.com/

amother

Peachpuff

Wed, Aug 30 2023, 10:37 am

First of all, I am pretty yeshivish and don't think it is considered socially inappropriate to open a chumash. Maybe not 100% typical but why would it be socially off?
(Sitting at a chasuna with a chumash would be socially off for a woman but not a man, but learning the parsha on Shabbos at home instead of reading a magazine is impressive)

I've been in the same boat as you when it comes to Nach Yomi. I've started and stopped that thing a bunch of times because committing to really getting doing a perek every single day is really hard.
But a few months back, I switched gears and started tuning in to the Nach Yomi OU shiurim. Every so often I have time and learn the perek inside or follow along with the shiur, but I'm learning something even the days that I just listen and it keeps me in the habit.
Perfection is the enemy of the good and all that.

PinkFridge

Wed, Aug 30 2023, 11:27 am

amother OP wrote:

(We are yeshivish and it is considered "socially inappropriate" for a woman to so much as open a chumash once she has finished her formal schooling, but anyone who knows me knows this is my passion, to the point that I also dream of writing a few seforim.)
I would love help developing a clear path and plan.

That's sad. And not what I was told. The feeling was that we should know we could pick up a sefer if we had the headspace or desire, not just if we were teachers. OTOH we shouldn't beat ourselves up if life interferes for a few decades.

Would you feel like you're slumming if you just listen to Nach Yomi?

amother

Camellia

Wed, Aug 30 2023, 11:30 am

For convenience and mobility, there are so many apps for different texts today that you do not need to pull out a sefer if it's inconvenient or simply socially awkward.

For mishnayos, the Kehati app is free, both English and Hebrew. I've heard the English translation contains some errors, so I would defer to whatever shiur you use over the English Kehati.

amother

Eggplant

Wed, Aug 30 2023, 12:11 pm

Here are some things that have really helped me. I signed up for a few weekly live shiurim (on Zoom), so I was forced to attend live and I couldn’t put it off for later or anything like that. (Obviously this would depend on your schedule/availability, but it really helped me.) Also, I found that it's easier for me to stick with something audio because then I can do whatever work needs to be done or listen during my commute. I also like very text-based learning (Tanach, halacha, etc), and there are plenty of options for serious classes that are audio and you can still follow along easily while doing other things. (Also the live shiurim - I can put my camera off and do what I need to.)