We are taught every man in Europe was a Talmid Chochem who finished Mishnayos by 8 & a Siyum on Shas at his Bar Mitzvah. The truth is most men could read Hebrew block print & read & write in Yiddish. They could not read Rashi script. They’d have a hard time learning Chumash (without Rashi) bchavrusah. The Ein Yaakov was so beloved especially to the laborers & others who never had the chance to learn Gemarah because they left Cheder before Gemarah was taught to help feed the family.
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