Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky Laments the Maharam Schiff
Speaking at a yahrtzeit gathering, Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky lamented that students no longer learn the Maharam Schiff, a commentary where 'you have to count words.'
HaRav Yaakov Kamenetzky, zt”l, was invited to speak at a yahrtzeit gathering. His lecture followed an intricate Talmudic discourse. HaRav Kamenetzky noticed that one of the sources used for the discourse was from the Maharam Schiff. He lamented that, sadly, his students did not even know where to find the Maharam Schiff in the Gemara, “Is it (printed) before the Maharsha or after?” He further noted that the state of intensity in Torah learning has diminished in our generation. HaRav Kamenetzky noted that students stopped learning the Maharam Schiff “because you have to count words.” Students nowadays tend to use commentaries that are easier to read.