Methods of Torah Study

[Our Sages of blessed memory said in Berachot (32b): “Four matters require strengthening, and they are: Torah, etc.”; and Rashi explains: “require strengthening” — that a person should constantly strengthen himself in them with all his might].

Opening Words

Recently, many have been repeatedly asking our teacher shlita how one remembers what he learns, what the proper form of study is, and what the methods of review are. Many have sought our teacher shlita’s word on this matter — advice, practices, and guidance — regarding the proper path in which a person should walk. In light of this, we have merited, with Heaven’s help, to present practices and guidance in the methods of Torah study as we heard and received them from our teacher, the posek, HaRav HaGaon Rabbi Amram Fried shlita.

The Obligation of “Veshinantam” — to Review Thoroughly

It is stated in the Gemara, tractate Kiddushin (30a): “The Sages taught: ‘Veshinantam’ — that the words of Torah should be sharp in your mouth, so that if a person asks you something, you should not stammer and say it to him, but rather tell him immediately, etc.”

And Rashi explains there (s.v. “that they should be sharp in your mouth”): Review them and examine them in depth, so that if a person asks you, you will not need to stammer, but will be able to say it immediately.

One Who Studies and Does Not Review Is Like One Who Sows and Does Not Reap

Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to review what we learn so that we will remember what we study. Our Sages of blessed memory also said (Sanhedrin 99): one who studies and does not review is like one who sows and does not reap.

For the beginning of learning is indeed extremely difficult, as our Sages of blessed memory said in Tanchuma (Parashat Noach), see there; and if one does not review, he must invest the effort all over again.

Reviewing Against One’s Nature

People’s nature is that they want to cover more and more, and it is difficult to review what they have already learned. Our Sages of blessed memory already said (Eruvin 54): “The Sages know this matter, yet they transgress it,” but this is the path to knowing Torah. Also, through remembering what one studies, a person is brought to an even greater desire to learn.

But if one does not review, one does not remember, and there is not so much satisfaction; yet if one reviews, there is satisfaction, because he remembers what he learns.

Studying Tractate by Tractate

This is also the way to know the entire Torah, as our Sages of blessed memory said (Vayikra Rabbah 19): I learn two halachot today, two tomorrow, until I learn the entire Torah.

Thus, the way is to study a tractate and review it 7 times, and then continue to the next tractate, until one completes the entire Torah.

If You Read It, You Did Not Review It; If You Reviewed It, You Did Not Review It a Third Time

It is further explained in the Gemara in Berachot (18a) that Rabbi Yonatan challenged Rabbi Chiyya from the verse “but the dead know nothing,” and Rabbi Chiyya answered him: “If you read it, you did not review it; if you reviewed it, you did not review it a third time; if you reviewed it a third time, they did not explain it to you.” Rashi writes there: “you did not review it” — you did not go back over it a second time in order to contemplate it.

It is thus explained that only by reviewing several times does one understand the Gemara well. Sometimes people think they understand, and after reviewing they see that they do not truly understand.

The Method of Studying Four Times

In Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Yitro, chapter 15, and in Yalkut Shimoni on Iyov, chapter 28, it says regarding the verse “Then He saw it and related it; He prepared it and also investigated it”: when the Holy One, blessed be He, would say something to Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, He would first say it in His heart four times; see there.

This is the meaning of “saw”: at first it is merely seeing the matters; afterward comes “related it”, which is only a telling; afterward comes “prepared it”, when the matters are more prepared; afterward comes “investigated it”, when one investigates and delves more deeply into the matters. It is explained that the method of study is to learn four times, and this is still not defined as review, but rather as the initial study; only more than four times is when review begins.

Words of Torah Are Absorbed into a Person’s Heart Only Through Review

It is explained in Tanna Devei Eliyahu Zuta, chapter 14: “You have learned from this that words of Torah are absorbed into a person’s heart only in one who longs for them and is weary for them,” and it is explained that only when a person yearns, loves, and wants to learn does it become engraved. And how does love of Torah come about? Love of Torah comes only through a person reviewing what he learns; and through remembering, he is given the desire to continue.

A Plastered Cistern That Does Not Lose a Drop

It is stated in Pirkei Avot (2:8): Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai had five disciples; he would enumerate their praises: Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus was a plastered cistern that does not lose a drop.

The Chafetz Chaim asked: what virtue is this, and what is there to praise him for, since it is a gift from the Holy One, blessed be He? But this was his great virtue: he did not lose a drop because of the many reviews he performed.

The Chafetz Chaim explained that this came through his love of Torah, and he reached this by reviewing what he had learned many times.

The Number of Reviews

The way to remember is through extensive review, and it is known that one must review seven times: four times in order to understand (see Eruvin 54), and another three times in order to remember; without this, one is like an am ha’aretz.

Using Time for Reviews

Our Sages of blessed memory said in Devarim Rabbah (8:3): “The Rabbis said: this fool enters the synagogue and sees them engaged in Torah, and he says to them: how does a person first learn Torah? They say to him: first he reads a megillah, afterward a book, afterward the Prophets, afterward the Writings; when he completes Scripture, he studies the Talmud, afterward halachot, afterward aggadot. When he hears this, he says in his heart: when will I learn all this? And he turns back from the gate. Thus, ‘at the gate he will not open his mouth.’ Rabbi Yannai said: To what is this comparable? To a loaf hanging in the air. A fool says: who can bring it down? But a wise person says: did someone not hang it there? He brings a ladder or a pole and brings it down. So too, anyone who is foolish says: when will I read the entire Torah? And one who is wise — what does he do? He studies one chapter each and every day until he completes the entire Torah. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: ‘It is not hidden’; and if it is hidden from you, it is because you are not occupied with it. Thus: ‘For this commandment.’”

From all this it is explained that the path to success is to learn another daf and another daf, and to make use of the hours during which, in any case, one is not doing anything, and to learn during them; and thus, over time, during those hours he will study and review what he learns seven times, and in this way he will be very successful.

If a person knows that Torah is his life, and that there is nothing to live for besides it, then he will certainly review and remember.

The Form of the Sevenfold Review Schedule

 The form of reviewing seven times is not done all at once; rather, the review must be divided.

• On the first day, one studies a certain section, or a daf, or a siman, and the like.
• On the second day, one reviews what was learned yesterday and adds the new learning.
• On the third day, one reviews what was learned yesterday and the day before, and adds the new learning.
• On the fourth day, one reviews what was learned from the first day and adds the new learning.
• On the fifth day, one reviews what was learned from the second day and adds the new learning.
• [Likewise, one may review each day 4 times what one studies that day.]
• Friday and Shabbat are designated for reviewing everything learned that week [the fifth review].
• On Sunday, one reviews what was learned from the third day and adds the new learning.
• After a month, one pauses and studies what was learned throughout the entire month [the sixth review].
• During bein hazmanim, one reviews what was learned throughout the entire zeman [the seventh review].

Torah Study

There are 24 hours in every day, of which seven hours are for sleep and another three hours for prayers and eating. If so, 14 hours remain that must be utilized for Torah study; and even one who needs more hours for other matters still has 12 hours for study. In any event, one should not have fewer than 10 hours of study per day, but the learning must be with calmness and not under pressure.

Regarding the study itself, each person must learn according to his nature, and over time a person learns to recognize the path in which he finds more satisfaction — in-depth study, broad knowledge, and the like.

Likewise, regarding studying with a chavruta, it depends on a person’s nature, but in general it is important to study with a chavruta for most of the day, and through this the matters become more explained and clarified (see Makkot 10 and Bava Batra 9). However, one must also become accustomed to studying alone at times, because there are times when a person has no chavruta, and he must become accustomed to studying that way as well.

Likewise, one should know that if there is something one does not understand and cannot succeed in understanding, one should not dwell on it too much, but continue onward; and in the next learning, with Heaven’s help, he will understand.

Minimizing Conversation

One must learn in a healthy manner, so that it will be possible to learn while utilizing all one’s strengths; therefore, a little release is needed — to speak for a few minutes about mundane matters. Likewise, one must sleep seven hours every day in order to maintain one’s health, but the rest of the time must be used well for learning, as stated above.

Crises

There is no person who does not have difficulties and crises, at least minor ones. Our Sages of blessed memory said (Yalkut Shimoni, Tehillim, remez 800): “There is no person in the world without suffering: if his tooth hurts, he cannot sleep, etc.; one who toils in Torah does not sleep — this one is awake and that one is awake. Thus: happy is the man whom You chastise, Hashem, and from Your Torah You teach him.” Our Sages of blessed memory also said (Bereishit Rabbah 90): there is no person without suffering; fortunate is the person whose suffering comes upon him from Torah, etc.

It is explained that even when there are difficulties, crises, and suffering, fortunate is the one for whom this is caused by Torah study.

Tests and Challenges

Many of the difficulties stem from the fact that a person sees that others are very successful and know a great deal, or have good questions, whereas he knows less and asks less.

The truth is that there are many cases in which, at the beginning, it appears that those who know and ask, those who have a good grasp and those who have a good memory, are the successful ones. But in the end, one sees that those who exert themselves and find it difficult, and nevertheless study daf after daf with diligence and toil, are the ones who succeed and grow into great figures of Torah and fear of Heaven.

This matter — seeing how the other person succeeds and thereby despairing — stems from jealousy; and not the “jealousy of scholars, which increases wisdom” (Bava Batra 22), but jealousy that is a bad trait and harms a person. The Holy One, blessed be He, gave a person the strengths and possibilities, each one according to his own strengths.

The Holy One, blessed be He, wants each person to invest the best of his strengths according to what he received from Him, blessed be He; and only on this does his success depend, not on the abilities of his friends.

The main thing through which one succeeds — as experience shows, for many have done so and succeeded — is diligence: to learn all the time, even if one does not see success in the first period. But after several years of studying with diligence and toil, one reaches high achievements in knowing and understanding Torah.

The main reward is for the labor and toil, not for the results. Our Sages of blessed memory said (Pesachim 50, Bava Batra 10): “I saw an inverted world: those above were below, and those below were above.”

And when it is difficult to learn, the virtue of the learning is much greater.

Continuous Study

 Many times, when one begins learning Gemara at the beginning of the seder, there is difficulty in studying and concentrating, and one must exert effort in order to begin concentrating and to understand well what is being learned. Therefore, continuous study is very important: after one is already immersed in the learning, it is much easier to continue [than to begin the seder anew]. In continuous study for several hours, one feels an exalted holiness that draws a person to live in this way, and the vanities of this world do not interest him at all.

Completing the Tractate

It is important to complete the tractate being studied in the yeshiva (see Ketubot 17a and Masoret HaShas there) and to review it seven times [as explained at length in Practices and Guidance, issue 1]. In general, yeshivot study most of Nashim and Nezikin, and one who studies and knows most of Nashim and Nezikin before marriage is very, very successful in his life.

Studying Mussar

The Mishnah Berurah wrote (siman 1, se’if katan 12): “A person must set a time for himself to study books of mussar each and every day, whether a little or a lot, etc.”

The Gra wrote (Even Shelemah 1:1): “The main vitality of a person is to strengthen himself constantly in breaking his character traits; if not, why does he need life?”

Among the difficult things is coping with the traits of anger, pride, desire, jealousy, sadness, laziness, and other bad traits. Much inner work is needed in order to succeed in emerging from this, and this is possible only through Torah study, which refines a person, and the study of mussar.

Studying Halacha

As stated, in yeshiva one should focus on knowing Nashim and Nezikin by the time of marriage [and the first seder should of course be for in-depth study]. However, since a person must know halacha in order not to stumble in practical matters from day to day, one should study Mishnah Berurah for half an hour a day, and this too must be reviewed several times in order to remember the matters.