Memorization (Shinun BaAl Peh)

Memorization by heart is a method of Torah study that includes reviewing the learning from memory.

Learning by Heart

Memorization by heart is a method of reviewing learned or read material from memory alone and not from a book. Memorization by heart usually has two purposes: Learning method, through memorization the learned subject is absorbed in the mind of the one who memorizes and becomes more understood and clear. Memory method, the subject is engraved with its words, even if it is not understood.

The method of memorization by heart is an ancient method that predates the Torah learning method of our days. Before the time of writing the Mishnah, books and scrolls were not commonly available (except for the written Torah texts - namely the Chumashim) because of the prohibition against writing the Oral Torah, which is learned in the Gemara from the verse "Write for yourself these words." 'Oral matters you are not permitted to say in writing.' Therefore, students needed to remember the words of their teachers and the halachot by heart and not from any written text.

Nevertheless, even today when all books are printed and there is no need to memorize them by heart, there is great importance to memorizing words of Torah - as follows.

About our Rebbeim, many stories are told in Chassidic tradition about how they trained their sons and grandsons to memorize Mishnayot by heart, but they refrained from encouraging the daughters, implying that the main learning by heart is intended specifically for boys.

In the instructions of Rav Chodakov regarding the memorization of Mishnayot by heart, he instructed to learn by heart the Mishnayot studied in Gemara, as this would also assist in the study of Gemara.

Memorization of Written Torah by Heart

Despite the prohibition "written matters you are not permitted to say by heart," which includes all matters in the Written Torah, our Rebbeim instructed to indeed learn and memorize by heart, but not to repeat and express them in speech.

Signs in the Talmud as Memory Aids

In the Talmud, there are many places where one can see abbreviated signs so that the disputes or laws in that subject will be easy to memorize and remember. The giving of signs is one of the memory aids that Chazal used in the Talmud, as well as later sages, in order to remember by heart matters of halacha or aggadah.

For example, the sign "YA'AL KaGa"M" which are the initials of the only six places where the halacha is ruled according to Abaye in his dispute with his disputant Rava.

During Learning

In Kuntres Etz HaChaim, the Rebbe Rashab guides the students of Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch to review by heart after learning the details and opinions in the subject being studied in Gemara, in order to absorb the matter in the mind.

Actions of Learning by Heart

Upon the arrival of the Rebbe Rayatz to the United States, he began to emphasize the need to repeat letters of Torah by heart in the street, and established the Mishnayot by Heart Society.

Tool for Purifying the Air and the World

In the book Hayom Yom, the Rebbe writes about the concern for the purity of the air spiritually as a basic life necessity, just like the purity of the air physically, through memorization and repetition in the street of the letters of Torah, including the letters of Chumash, Tehillim, Mishnayot, and Tanya.

Reciting Mishnayot to Receive Moshiach

In Hayom Yom it states: "One should learn Mishnayot by heart, each according to his ability, and go in the street and review Mishnayot; through this one will merit to receive Moshiach."

Segulah for Memory

A segulah for memory appears in Igrot Kodesh where the Rebbe gives a segulah for memory, which is to study the maamar "V'hadarta Pnei Zaken" and to study Mishnayot, both by heart: "Among the segulot for this is to learn Mishnayot by heart, as mentioned above without straining... and it is appropriate to know the maamar 'V'hadarta Pnei Zaken' in Likutei Torah at the end of Parshat Kedoshim, also by heart."

In the maamar "V'hadarta Pnei Zaken," the great importance of acquiring Torah through memory specifically is explained, in a way that the Torah is always engraved upon one's heart.

Memorizing Tanya by Heart

Expanded topic – Memorizing Tanya by Heart

Throughout the generations, Chassidim have emphasized memorizing Tanya by heart with its exact letters to the point of precision of a single letter and adherence to the words of the author - the Alter Rebbe. Our Rebbeim instructed and encouraged the matter of memorizing Tanya on dozens of occasions in which they also revealed many segulot connected with studying Tanya by heart and reciting it in the street, including a segulah for health, prevention of foreign thoughts, doubts in faith, and scattered mindedness.

Over the years, a regular schedule was established in several Chabad yeshivot where students learn several lines by heart every day and also need to be tested on this at the end of a period.

Memorization Campaign - Dor De'ah

In the month of Nissan 5766, the Central Achei Temimim Organization 770 opened the "Dor De'ah Fund" - "Campaign for Learning by Heart" which assists Talmidei HaTemimim in financing their trip to the Rebbe in the month of Tishrei, in which the students learn Mishnayot, maamarim, and Tanya by heart, and receive financial scholarships according to the amount of learning.

Otiyot Eitan

In order to make it easier to memorize Tanya and Mishnayot by heart, various booklets have been published over the years that assist in memorization and self-testing, by erasing the words and leaving only the first letter of each word.

The first booklets published on Tanya were called 'Otiyot Eitan' and were published by R' Yehoshua Chaim Grissegatt, published by Mayanot in Jerusalem.

Subsequently, a booklet in a similar format was published by Rabbi Yeshaya Zushe Wilhelm under the name 'Otiyot HaTanya', with several advantages, such as preserving the original page format, including the glosses, and more.

In a similar format, the World Achei Temimim Organization published helper booklets for memorizing Mishnayot by heart on Seder Zeraim.

See Also

Chevra Mishnayot by heart

External Links

• Otiyot HaTanya edited by Rabbi Wilhelm