What Is A Yeshiva

What is a Yeshiva? People think that a Yeshiva is a place where young men dedicate themselves to Torah. That is not completely accurate. A Yeshiva is a place where we are מקבל תורה - we receive the Torah as it was received at Sinai. Sinai was in the desert and there was nothing else going on. It was a desolate waste land. So too, when in Yeshiva one must put oneself in the desert in order to receive the Torah.

[Rav Hutner Shavuos 1971 - for the record I spent that Shavuos learning mamesh with a malach. I promise. See Niddah 30]

Today - the biggest challenge mechanchim face is creating that desert. Students are connected 24/7 to the outside world and that makes it difficult to focus on קבלת התורה. When you go to learn Torah try to turn off all of the devices and give your undivided attention to the matters at hand.