Q:
How many times should a person review a mesechta before going to the next one?
A:
That’s a very important question! Rabosai, I want to tell you something. One of the most tragic errors is הלומד ואינו חוזר – learning and not reviewing. What a pity! Some people spend a lifetime in learning, and at the end almost nothing remains with them.
It’s so important to review! And I want to tell you right now, I think a person should make it his business to review the mesichta not only four times — four times he should do it without question! He should review it, saying the words aloud; not the exact words of the gemara; he should explain the sugya aloud in his own words. Talk it over. Aloud. Aloud. The whole thing he should talk over in his own words. Talk it over, talk it over.
Many times, you’ll discover that you were deceiving yourself all your life. You never understood pshat. When you start saying it aloud, then you realize how wrong you had been until now.
What a tragedy when nothing remains. If you review it, כמאן דמונח בקופסא, it’s like you have it in your pocket. אשרי מי שבא לכאן ותלמודו בידו – How fortunate is the man who comes here and brings along his learning.
That’s why I say, it’s better to know one blatt gemara well, then to learn fifty blatt and to know nothing at all. And therefore, chazara is of the most utmost importance. And this chazara means saying it over aloud. Every word. Not the words of the gemara. Every word of the svara; the whole shakla v’tarya aloud, aloud, aloud. Constantly say the words to yourself. The more you do it, the wiser you are.
TAPE # E-259
