Q:
What should I do if I have a hard time finding a chavrusa in yeshiva?
A:
The first thing is to ask the mashgiach to give you a chavrusa. He might find someone for you. Another eitzah is to learn well by yourself. I want to tell you – some people have succeeded very well without a chavrusa. And when your chaveirim see you learning well, people will come over to you asking you to be their chavrusa.
Now, you have to know how to learn properly if you want to succeed. While you’re learning don’t just say the gemara and keep on going. Stop and talk it over in your own words – talk over the shakla v’tarya, the discussion in the gemara and you’ll succeed. First of all it will help you understand that which you didn’t understand yet, and secondly you’ll remember it better.
I remember once there was a man – I saw him in the yeshiva for years and years just sitting and talking over every little piece of the gemara again and again and again and again. At that time he was a beinoni, an average fellow – and today he is maggid shiur for one of the highest shiurim in a mesivta. I see him walking in the streets talking divrei Torah with his boys, his talmidim. Because when he was sitting and learning by himself without a chavrusa he utilized the opportunity to talk it over with himself.
When a person does that he becomes an amkan, he understands to reach into the depths of the words of the gemara, and he remembers it well too.
Now, that’s in place of a chavrusa; but if you do this, then eventually you’ll get a chavrusa too.
TAPE # E-74 (September 1996)
