There are four different types of people in terms of their behavior when studying Torah and their exposure to the Beit Midrash (study hall). Number one, there are people who go to the Beit Midrash to study at the synagogue, but they don't learn. That type of person gets reward for at least going to the Beit Midrash. He may not study there, he may not learn, but he still gets credit for trying, for going to the Beit Midrash itself. Automatically, when you're around talmidei chachamim (Torah scholars), when you're in a Beit Midrash where Torah is being studied, you pick up some things. It may not be Talmud Torah (Torah study), but a person does receive reward for the effort that he put in.
Number two, somebody who learns at home but does not go out to study with others. When a person goes to the Beit Midrash with other people, we say that person gets reward for learning Torah, but he does not receive reward for putting himself out there with other talmidei chachamim. Automatically, when a person is with others who are studying and learning and getting involved in deep discussion, a person's learning is brought to the next level. This person didn't do that. He's learning at home and he gains knowledge of Torah, but he's not maximizing his effect, and he's also not putting forth effort in order to study Torah. So he does not receive reward for Halicha, for going to the Beit Midrash, but he does receive reward for studying Torah.
Number three, somebody who does both. He's Holech. He goes to learn. So even though this person has the ability to learn at home and he's a real scholar, he goes anyway to be amongst the talmidei chachamim, and he also is learning there. This type of person is a Chasid. He's a pious person. He does more than is needed of him. A person could simply say, “You know what? I know what I'm talking about. Let me learn at home.” This person doesn't do that. He goes out there and travels to the Beit Midrash, and therefore he receives reward.
Lastly, number four, a person who does not go to the Beit Midrash and also does not learn: that type of person is a Rasha. Someone who doesn't learn Torah is described negatively by the Mishnah as a wicked person. A person has to, of course, as much as he can, learn Torah and go to the Beit Midrash. The Beit Midrash where people are learning...