How I learn in Yeshiva

In my last column I discussed the "why," or the reason why I study in yeshiva. I will now explain how one can do so.

Studying in yeshiva is a task that is not without its challenges, especially when one begins the process later in life amid family and financial responsibilities. The following are some elements to consider when embarking upon the venture of studying in yeshiva.

Time

Granted, there are only 24 hours in a day, but we all know that some of us utilize our time better than others. Figure out the time of the day when you think the clearest, and block off that period of time for Torah study.

Once you've figured out the time when you want to study, morning, afternoon, or evening seder, figure out a realistic way that you can reorganize your work schedule to accommodate this block of time to study.

If you are an employee, think of creative ways in which you can telecommute outside of business hours.

If you are self-employed, you have the ability, at least in theory, to create your own hours. One of the advantages of being an entrepreneur is that it's within your power to set limits and design your day the way you see fit.

Once you have designated specific times to studying in yeshiva, it's crucial to make this time sacrosanct, and only change your schedule for emergencies.

Money

While we have to work for our money, it's important to realize that the effort that we put into making a living is a condition and not the cause of the outcome. In other words, our responsibility is to put forth effort to work, but the end result of our effort is in God's hands. That being said, create a realistic but challenging schedule that demonstrates that you are putting forth genuine effort to make a living. The results are out of our hands. Although one should study Torah for its own sake with no thought of reward or any ulterior motive, perhaps the merit of learning Torah will generate a blessing upon your efforts.

Intellectual challenges

While Israelis might have an edge over non-native Hebrew speakers in terms of their language skills, the Talmud is a mix of Hebrew and Aramaic that is presented and decrypted with a type of thinking, reasoning and logic that is foreign to the way most of us were educated in the West. Even when one has mastered the language, there is still a great deal of challenge to learn Torah correctly.

Torah in general, and Talmud in particular, is not a linear style of study. In other words, you don't read the page from top to bottom like you would study a page out of a history book. A page of Talmud is more analogous to a website with hundreds of links going in numerous directions than it is to a page from a textbook.

The following tips and tricks might help you in your efforts:

1) Don't expect to get it the first time

We are dealing with God's infinite wisdom. As long as you know ahead of time that you will not understand what is written the first, second, third, fourth or even fifth time, you won't be frustrated as you plow through numerous readings without understanding anything. When you do "get it," however, it is a very sweet experience, and a wonderful reward for your hard work

2) Review, review, review

Because of the depth and breadth of Torah study, it is crucial to review what you have learned over and over. In fact, there is a source that states one should review his learning 101 times, and that number is qualitatively superior to reviewing something only 100 times. While many of us may not be on the level of reviewing our lessons 101 times yet, we can nonetheless do our best to review our lessons daily as many times as we can.

3) Withstand and ignore the desire to quit

Any worthwhile pursuit will have its challenges; the greatest obstacle of course being our own inner voices, which often will try to persuade us to throw in the towel and leave the beit midrash (study hall). As long as you don't quit before you figure it out, you are almost guaranteed success.

4) Slow down

Don't focus on getting to the bottom of the page, but rather enjoy the moment as you plumb the depths of the text, the subtleties and nuance of each word, phrase and letter. As is the case with many other aspects of life, enjoy the journey and not just the destination. When you are truly living in the moment and fully focused on the task at hand, you will transcend time and space and experience a taste of the world to come.

5) Pray

Finally, and most important, ask God for His Divine assistance in understanding and internalizing His Wisdom. You will be amazed at the efficacy of such requests for assistance from Above.


In Torah study, every letter, every phrase that you learn is preserved eternally and worth every second of effort that you invest in it. Given the powerful "why," the "how" will soon become second nature.


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Ben Goldfarbwas born and raised in El Paso, Texas, and is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He moved to Israel in 1988. He divides his time between his yeshiva studies and his coaching practice. His life calling is to help others understand their personal mission and accomplish it with humor, creativity and spirituality. He lives with his wife and children in Jerusalem. His novel "Double Feature" will be published in the fall. For more information about his coaching practice, visit the Paradigm Shift Communications website, or send an email to ben@pdshiftcoaching.com. © Copyright 2007 by Ben Goldfarb.