Review And Know

This blog mentioned in the past the contradiction between the Ramban and Mishna in Avos if the verse in Vaeschanan (4:9) is a lav to forget one's learning or מעמד הר סיני?

The Gemorah in Kiddushin has a derash שיהו דברי תורה מחודדים בפיך. שאם ישאל לך אדם דבר אל תגמגם ותאמר לו, אלא אמור לו מיד.  Why is the this derash about the bar of knowledge of Torah said in the context of giving Torah over to one's children?  Why must know Torah so clearly so that one can respond if asked any question?  The Gur Aryeh Devarim (6:7) says  והטעם, כי צריך שתהיה נקרא ״תורתו״, דכתיב (תהלים א, ב) ״ובתורתו יהגה יומם ולילה״, וגם נקראת קנינו, [דכתיב] (משלי ד, ב) ״כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם״, ואם מגמגם בהן אין זה ״תורתו״. ולא נקרא קנינו, שלא נקרא ׳קנינו׳ אלא אם שלו הוא, ואם מגמגם בתורה ומסופק בה - אינו שלו לגמרי: In order to be called תורתו, one must know it clearly.  Why is that the criteria for being called תורתו, does remembering more information make it more תורתו?  Its not that the person doesn't at all know the facts, but the fact of being מגמגם seems to detract from being called תורתו, why?

In Nisiv Hatorah Ch. 4 the Maharal says "ולא נחשב שהוא בעל תורה בפעל השלימות רק אם תכף שישאל אותו האדם משיב על זה ובזה נראה שהוא בעל תורה בפעל השלימות".  As mentioned in the previous weeks the point of שבועות is to bring out the abilities an individual מן הכח אל הפועל.  That is reflected by having a clarity in learning. What does this mean?

Yerushalmi Berachos (5:1) says א״ר תנחום, הסובר תלמודו לא במהרה הוא משכח, מה טעם, דכתיב פן תשכח את הדברים אשר ראו עיניך.  What does understand one's learning have to do with remembering learning?  Rashi Avodah Zarah (8a) says in explanation of adding to a blessing of shemone esrei מעין הברכה an example of one who forgets their learning should add to חונן הדעת.  In his words: אם היה משכח תלמודו מאריך בחונן הדעת.  Why add to אתה חונן, what does remembering have to do with knowledge, one should add to השיבנו אבינו לתורתך?  What we see is that knowledge means having a clarity in the subject.  The point of review isn't just to retain information; its to get a better clarity in the topic.  Rashi Kiddushin (30a) explains מחודדים בפיך, to review and understand the depth,  חזור עליהם ובדוק בעומקם; again we see the point of review isn't just to amass more information, its to gain a greater understanding in Torah. The obligation of מחודדים בפיך isn't an obligation of how many times to review, its a bar of clarity says review is ודוק בעומקם means the point of review is to get a further clarity. 

The possuk in Tehillim (119:34) says הֲ֭בִינֵנִי וְאֶצְּרָ֥ה תוֹרָתֶ֗ךָ וְאֶשְׁמְרֶ֥נָּה בְכׇל־לֵֽב.  The Even Ezra says הבינני – בכל לב – שלא אשכחנה.  Again we see it is the understanding of Torah that counteracts forgetting.  That is the peshat in the Maharal.  Its not amassing more information that makes it תורתו, its the level of clarity that gives a person a greater connection to Torah.  דעת means connection.  To have a true connection to Torah, to be called תורתו, there must understanding of Torah.  גמגום means there is a lack of דעת and then it isn't called תורתו.  Its not the information that makes the shlamus of a person, its the clarity in Torah.  Now we can understand why this derash is said in the context of transmitting Torah to the next generation.  You can give over to your children that which is clear to you.  It is that level of clarity necessary to transmit the Torah to the future generation.

The Gra on Avos (5:22) comments on הפוך בה הפוך בה דכולה בה- כמ"ש סלסלה ותרוממך.  And in Mishlay (4:8) he adds התבונה שבבינה שתחזור ותהפוך תמיד להבין על בוריו.  Review is to get a clarity.  That is what uplifts the person, the clarity, not just knowing more facts.

The aforementioned Yerushalmi cites the possuk of remembering Sinai to explain מסביר פנים בהלכה will save one from forgetting.  What's the connection? Because if one remembers Sinai then it is impossible to forget one's learning.  Something you see, you don't forget.  If one truly pictures Sinai then it will be impossible to forget one's learning.  The lav of forgetting Sinai (Ramban) and learning (Mishna) is the same; its a commandment to have such a clarity in one's learning that they will not forget (based upon a shmuzz by Rabbi Elefant.)