Appreciating Torah Scholarship

I always wonder whether people fully appreciate the extraordinary depth of Torah scholarship of leading rishonim and acharonim (up until our own time) in terms of having literally the entire breadth and scope of Torah literature - tanach, mishna, gemara, etc. - at their fingertips, with an ability to call upon this knowledge in addressing any sugya or shailah. IMHO, such realization is necessary to imbue the rest of us with a sense of humility whenever we learn Torah.

An insight into the mitzvah of bikkurim (first fruits) discussed in this week's parsha - Ki Savo - brought down in the sefer Parperaot Latora (by Menachem Baker) - provides a glimpse of the Torah brilliance of the Vilna Gaon.