Learning Halachah; The principle vs. The Practical

When my daughter returned from Eretz Yisroel, she summed this up best - paraphrasing her instructors in Midreshet Lindenbaum

If you want to master Halachic principles, then learn the earliest sources [E.G. Mishnah, Talmud, or Rambam]

If you want to look up a practical p'saq, then consult the most recent publications [E.G. Sh'mirat Shabbot k'Hilcheta]

KT
RRW