Yep, thats the advantage of Vim's philosophy as a whole. You don't have to learn it all at once, and what you do learn gains power as you move forward.
I'm sort of embarrassed that I've been using Linux for years, consider myself "at home" on the terminal, use vi/vim daily, yet, know so little about it.
Use what you need. At some point, understanding the general philosophy, you'll come across a task that makes you go, "This should be easier." Google for a better way to do it and you'll probably find one.