Shiur (Torah)
Shiur (, , pl. shiurim, (Lit. Lesson, measure, term) is a lesson on any Torah topic, such as Gemara, Mishnah, Halakha (Jewish law), Tanakh (Bible), etc. History. The shiur has been a primary method of teaching since Mishnaic times. In a famous Talmudic passage, Rabbi Judah haNasi averred that he gained his sharp mind from watching Rabbi Meir deliver the shiur. However, since the lecture hall was so crowded, his seat was behind the lectern, so he only saw Rabbi Meir from the back. "Had I seen him from the front, how much greater would I have become!" he declared . Yeshiva learning. Traditionally, a shiur refers to the type of learning that takes place in yeshivot and kollelim, in which students hear an in-depth lecture on the sugya (Gemara topic) the yeshiva is studying at the time. Typically, yeshiva students attend a daily "shiur yomi" (daily lecture) given by a maggid shiur (literally, "sayer of the shiur") and a weekly "shiur klali" (comprehensive lecture, which sums up the week's learning) given by the rosh yeshiva. The rosh yeshiva usually also gives the senior shiur - see below - on a daily basis. Before the shiur, a bibliography and a series  of textual references, or "marei mekomot", are posted so that students may prepare for the lecture in advance. Students typically spend several hours preparing for the "shiur yomi". After the shiur, students spend additional time reviewing and clarifying the lesson that they have just heard. These preparation and review periods take place in a special time period called a "seder", in which students study the lesson individually and/or in "chavrutot" (study pairs). Shiurim may also be offered in yeshiva on topics in mussar, Chumash, and "hashkafah" (Jewish philosophy), depending on the yeshiva and the learning level of its students. The  shiur is likewise the typical format for classes at women's seminaries and "midrashot". Class levels. A shiur is also the name given to the different class-levels in a yeshiva. For example, first-year students are said to be in "Shiur Aleph"; second-year students are in "Shiur Bet"; third-year students are in "Shiur Gimmel, etc. In kollelim, the higher shiurim accommodate more advanced levels of learning. See Yeshiva #Talmud study. Public study sessions. Synagogue rabbis and noted rabbis in the community also give "shiurim" to their constituencies. In shuls, the shiur given between the "Mincha" and "Maariv  services is usually geared to baalebatim" (working men). Noted rabbis give more in-depth "shiurim" to attendees on Shabbat or weekday evenings, usually in the local synagogue or beth midrash (study hall). (Public) "shiurim" thus range in length and depth: from a short ""vort"", or ""Dvar Torah"" ("word (of Torah)", in Yiddish and Hebrew respectively), to a detailed ""drosha"" ("study", from the Aramaic; see midrash); the former above, "baalebatim" focused, is a "vort", while the latter is a "drosha". Especially in Chasidic settings, a less formal - often inspirational - shiur may be termed ""sicha"" (שיחה, lit. "speech"); see also Maamor and  Maamarim (Chabad). Commonly, the "Rosh Yeshiva" delivers a weekly "shiur" on the "parashah" (weekly Torah portion), exploring a particular question or theme. This is usually in-depth, of an hour in duration, and typically open to the public. Many yeshivot, midrashot, and "community "kollels"" host "yemei iyun" ("days of in-depth learning", sing. "yom iyun"), where community members study a specific topic. These are often held before religious holidays - especially Pesach and the New Year period - preparing the spiritual and "halakhik" elements of the upcoming festival. A "Memorial Shiur" is often given to the entire yeshiva / community on the "Yahrzeit  of a (founding) Rosh Yeshiva or Rabbi; usually exploring a specific topic of general interest. Modern use. In modern parlance, the term shiur" has been extended to include any kind of Torah lesson — including lectures to children, women, and "baalebatim" (non-scholarly audience), and taped lectures circulated via cassette tape, computer hookup, MP3 or MP4 connection, or call-in telephone lines. Though by definition, a shiur is a comprehensive, structured lesson, some kiruv organizations advertise "five-minute shiurim" to attract beginning listeners. Similarly, "Vort" and "Dvar Torah", may in fact refer to any short Torah idea, delivered on various occasions , and not necessarily by a Rabbi; for example: by the host at his Shabbat table, by the leader before ""Benching"" (grace after meals), or by a guest at "sheva brachot", or at any "Seudat mitzvah".