לזכות ר' אריה בן דבורה לברכה והצלחה
A Baal Keri [no relation to John] is ideally not supposed to learn Torah. This is because the Torah was given with awe, fear and trembling and a Baal Keri lacks those qualities [Brachos 22a]. However, he may learn Mishnayos that he knows by heart which require no toil. This is called "רגיליות" [ibid] - What he is accustomed to.
From here we learn a huge lesson - Learning without chiddush, without toil, just repeating the same old texts, is not the Torah we received at Sinai. To receive the Torah means to learn with awe and toil. [Rav Y. Sorotzkin asks where we find toil in Har Sinai. Hashem just "spoon fed" the Aseres Hadibros?]
We have to "kill ourselves" over Torah. Mamesh die. Well, not mamesh. But to focus on our thoughts and ideas while being distracted from bodily needs. That is because the Torah is שכלי [soulful and spiritual in the Maharals terminology] and we have to be שכלי people as well.
A little Maharal and Rav Hutner who express these ideas:
Toil is part and parcel of Mitzvas Talmud Torah. Rav Soloveitchik:
