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.
We love to lie about the past (every culture does it) but every 25 year old in Kollel would be by far the most learned man in most towns back then.
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