"ותלמוד תורה כנגד כולם" - The Greatest Mitzvah of All (39)
Learning Mishna (cont). Last week we mentioned the Gemara (Kiddushin 30a) and Halacha (Y.D. 246:4) about how a Yid should make sure that his regular learning includes Mikrah, Mishna and Gemara. We focused on the first concept of Mishna, which is learning the text of six sections of Mishnayos, from Zeraim through Taharos. Tosfos in Kiddushin (ד"ה לא) (1) writes that the reason why the Geonim put the Mishnayos of Korbonos - "איזהו מקומן" - into davening before P’sukei D’Zimra is to ensure that everyone learns some Mishna daily.
Second Concept of Mishna. The following is based on the Rambam (2), Shulchan Aruch Harav (3) and partially on Ohr Yisroel (R’ Yisroel Salanter 18). It is clear from the above sources and material quoted that the words "משנה" and "גמרא" do not just refer to specific texts. Rather, they also refer to different forms of Torah learning. “Mishna” refers to short facts, views and halachos, without reasons or deep logic. However, “Gemara” refers to the reasoning and deep comprehension of the facts and halachos, in a way that one can compare topic to topic, to yield new halachos, differentiate between topics, and reveal new depths through asking and answering. This is why Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakai is credited (4) with knowing Gemara, before our text of Gemara was compiled, and simple facts from Rav and Shmuel are called "דבר משנה" (5) even though they were compiled after our text of Mishnayos was written.
Further Defining Limud Mishna. The need for this “Mishna- type” learning is two-fold. First, to be able to understand the logic of Torah, one must be fluent with the many facts and halachos of תורה שבעל פה, to compare, differentiate, ask and answer. Secondly, in order to know how to properly fulfill halachos, it must be codified in a final text. As time went on and new halachos, decrees and circumstances arose, even if they were the results of deep discussion called “Gemara” their compilation in a summarized short manner for all to know is called “Mishna.” That is why the Sh. Aruch Harav mentioned above says that learning Shulchan Aruch without its source material, logics and reasons is called Mishna. Learning Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, which includes halachos resulting from deep “Gemara-type” discussions of Taz, Magen Avraham, etc., is also called Mishna. Also, many facts from the Gemara which are simple straight-forward halachos, are actually included in the broad definition of learning Mishna. Actually, when one initially learns a sugya (topic), just getting the basic facts straight is included in the 1/3 of learning Mishna, and then, as he delves deeper in the sugya, he enters the world of Gemara, and this is part of what Chazal said to include Mishna and Gemara into one’s learning.
(1) קידושין ל. (2) הל' תלמוד תורה א:יא (3) ת"ת א:א, ב:א (4) בבא התרא קלד:א (5) סנהדרין לג.