1. Recently many have sought the advice of our esteemed Rav, Ha’Gaon Harav Amram Fried Shlita, what methods should be employed to ensure that the Torah we learn will be properly understood and remembered. In light of this, we are now printing “Hanhagos Ve’Hadrachos” which concisely gives over the advice and methods that Moreinu Ha’Rav frequently recommends to all those seeking the ideal way to succeed in their toiling of the holy words of Torah.
Ve'shinantam
2. The Gemara in Kiddushin [30 a] says:
תנו רבנן, ושננתם, שיהו דברי תורה מחודדים בפיך, שאם ישאל לך אדם דבר אל תגמגם ותאמר לו, אלא אמור לו מיד.
Rashi explains,
יהו מחודדין בפיך: חזור עליהם ובדוק בעומקם שאם ישאלך אדם לא תצטרך לגמגם אלא שתוכל לומר מיד.
This means that the words of Torah learnt, must be constantly reviewed and checked in depth so that if someone asks you a question there will be no need to hesitate nor to hum and haw, rather you will be able to answer immediately.
הלומד ואינו חוזר כזורע ואינו קוצר
3. Therefore, it is integral to constantly review what we study in order to remember our learning. In addition, Chazal say [Sanhedrin 99]:
רבי יהושע בן קרחה אומר, כל הלומד תורה ואינו חוזר עליה, דומה לאדם שזורע ואינו קוצר.
One who learns without reviewing is comparable to one who plants and does not harvest.
The initial study is difficult (see Tanchuma Noach #3), and if one does not review, it will again require major effort and input when being learnt again.
To keep reviewing is against the nature of a person
4. Since the nature of people is to keep looking for new information, the tendency is to learn more and more finding it difficult to review what he has already learnt. Chazal already warn us [Eiruvin 54 b]:
אם עושה אדם תורתו חבילות חבילות, מתמעט, ואם לאו, קובץ על יד ירבה. אמר רבא, ידעי רבנן להא מילתא ועברי עלה.
קובץ על יד ירבהis the method of understanding and remembering what you have toiled in your study of Torah. In addition, when one succeeds in remembering what he has learnt, this will cause great satisfaction and bring about a further desire to continue learning more and more.
On the other hand, someone who does not review sufficiently, will not remember what he has learnt and will feel a lack of satisfaction.
Learning one Mesechta after the other
5. A further point for those who are ambitious and strive to know the entire Torah is found in the Medrash [Vayikra Rabba #19]:
מי שטיפש אומר מי יכול ללמוד תורה שבלבו של חכם מי שפיקח אומר והוא לא מאחר למדה אלא הריני לומד שתי הלכות היום ושתים למחר עד שאני לומד את כל התורה כולה.
The way to go about this is to review each Mesechta 7 times and then go further with the next Mesechta until he has completed the entire Shas.
Review promotes deeper insight
6. The Gemara in Mesechta Berachos [18 a] says:
אם קרית לא שנית, אם שנית לא שלשת, אם שלשת לא פירשו לך.
Rashi explains,
לא חזרת עליו פעם שנית כדי שתתבונן בו.
This means that only after reviewing one’s learning can one understand the depth of the Sugyah. Sometimes one thinks that everything is already clear, but after reviewing the Gemara another time one realizes that the previous level of understanding was lacking.
דרך הלימוד בד' פעמים
7. The Medrash Tanchuma [Yisro #15] and Yalkut Shimonee [Iyov #28] say the following: אז ראה ויספרה הכינה וגם חקרה, רבנן ור' אחא רבנן אמרין כל דבר ודבר שהיה הקדוש ברוך הוא אומר למשה היה אומר שני פעמים בלבו ואחר כך היה אומרו למשה, מה טעם, אז ראה ויספרה, חד. הכינה וגם חקרה חד, ואחר כך ויאמר לאדם זה משה. רבי אחא אמר ארבעה פעמים, אז ראה ויספרה הכינה וגם חקרה, ארבעה.
The explanation of the Medrash is: ראה, at the beginning one merely sees the words of the Torah. Afterwards ויספרה, it is takes on a form of something being related to him as a story. The next stage is הכינה, the words are ready-on-hand to be acquired and understood by the learner. Finally, חקרה, he will be able investigate and delve into the depths of what he is studying.
It is clear from the Medrash that studying the Torah four times is not yet categorized as reviewing. It is the minimum for the initial stage of learning. Only from then onwards, is the further studying of what was learnt to be considered reviewing!
Review brings about a love for Torah
8. The Medrash [Tana D’bei Eliyahu Zuta #14] tells us: "ואומר (ישעיהו פרק נ פסוק ד) ה' אֱלֹקִים נָתַן לִי לְשׁוֹן לִמּוּדִים לָדַעַת לָעוּת אֶת יָעֵף דָּבָר, הא למדת שאין דברי תורה נבלעין אלא במי שהוא מתאווה ועייף להם"
If a person has a loving lust and strong desire to learn, then the words of Torah will be engrained within him. How does one obtain a true love for the Torah? This will develop after reviewing what he has learnt and remembering well the material. He will feel a desire to continue studying more and more.
Love of Torah causes it to be remembered
9. The Mishnah says in Pirkei Avos [#2, 8]: חמשה תלמידים היו לרבן יוחנן בן זכאי ... הוא היה מונה שבחן רבי אליעזר בן הורקנוס בור סיד שאינו מאבד טיפה וכו'
The Chafeitz Chaim asks, a fantastic memory is a heavenly sent gift. Why is this reckoned as a praise and a sign of greatness for a person?
He answers, the amazing ability to remember all his learning came about as a result of his immense love for Torah, which in turn was a result of the endless times he reviewed what he already learnt. This indeed is a tremendous praise for a person, that owing to the fact that he constantly studied, nothing was forgotten.
To review 7 times
10. The material that was learnt should be reviewed seven times. The first four times are in order to gain the understanding of what he is learning [see Eiruvin 54]. The following three times are to help him remember what he learnt. If he does less than this, he will remain an Am Ha’aretz!
To utilize any spare time
11. The Medrash [Devarim Rabbah #8, 3] tells us:
רבנן אמרי, הטיפש הזה נכנס לבית הכנסת ורואה אותן עוסקים בתורה והוא אומר להן היאך אדם למד תורה תחלה, אומרים לו, תחלה קורא במגילה ואח"כ בספר ואח"כ בנביאים ואח"כ בכתובים. משהוא גומר את המקרא שונה את התלמוד ואח"כ בהלכות ואח"כ באגדות. כיון ששומע כך אומר בלבו אימתי אני למד כל זאת וחוזר מן השער, הוי (משלי פרק כד) בשער לא יפתח פיהו. א"ר ינאי למה"ד לככר שהיה תלוי באויר, טיפש אומר מי יוכל להביאו, ופקח אומר לא אחד תלה אותו (בתמיה), מביא סולם או קנה ומוריד אותו. כך כל מי שהוא טיפש אומר אימתי אקרא כל התורה, ומי שהוא פיקח מהו עושה, שונה פרק אחד בכל יום ויום עד שמסיים כל התורה כולה. אמר הקדוש ב"ה, לא נפלאת היא, ואם נפלאת היא, ממך, שאין אתה עסוק בה.
We see from the Medrash that the method to succeed is to learn one Daf, then another Daf, utilizing any extra time on hand. As time goes on, he will have managed to learn and review seven times enjoying the good feeling of great success.
If one internalizes the fact that the Torah is our lifeline and without Torah there is no true purpose in life, he will definitely review until he remembers his learning.
The 7 times review method
The above-mentioned system of the seven times review is not seven consecutive review sessions, rather it should be spread out as follows:
On the first day one learns a certain amount, e.g. a Daf or a Siman in Shulchan Aruch.
The next day, one first reviews what was learnt yesterday and then adds the assignment for that day.
On the third day one reviews what was learnt the first two days and then continues with the new material for that day.
On the fourth day one reviews what was learnt until now and adds the learning for that day.
On the fifth day one reviews what was learnt from the second day and continues with today’s learning. Alternatively, one can review each day’s learning four times on the same day.
Friday and Shabbos should be devoted to review all that was learnt that week, bringing himself to conclude the fifth session of reviewal. On Sunday he should review the new material studied from the third day onwards, and add the new material to be studied that day.
After a month, one takes a break with his new studies and invests his time reviewing all that he learnt the past month, bringing him to conclude the sixth session of reviewing.
During Bein Ha’zmanim he reviews all that he learnt the past Zman, thereby successfully achieving seven reviews of what he has learnt until now!!