Weekly Halacha Yomit: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch

This week, you may have noticed that your calendar contains a day, 30 Cheshvan, which has no learning designated to it. This is because in some years Cheshvan has 29 days and in others, such as this year, it has 30. The learning for the 30th Cheshvan has therefore been left for reviewing, or chazara, of something you have learnt previously.

We learn about the power of review from two passages in the Gemara in Eruvin (54a-b):

R' Chiya bar Abba said in the name of R' Yochanan: What is the meaning of that which is written (Mishlei 27:18), "He who guards the fig tree shall eat from its fruit?" Why are the words of Torah likened to a fig tree? Just as a fig tree - every time one handles it, he finds more ripe figs (the fruits of a fig tree ripen at staggered intervals), so too with the words of the Torah, every time a person studies them he finds in them new flavour…

R' Pereda has a pupil whom he taught his lesson four hundred times before the latter could master it. On a certain day, having been requested to attend to a religious matter, he taught him as usual, but the student was unable to master the material. The teacher asked, “What is the matter today?” The student answered, “From the time that the master was told that he had to attend to a religious matter, I could not concentrate, for I kept thinking, ‘Now the teacher will get up’, ‘Now the teacher will get up.’” The teacher said, “I will teach you again,” and he taught him another four hundred times. A Bat Kol (voice from Heaven) issued forth and proclaimed, “Do you prefer four hundred years to be added to your life or that you and your generation will have a portion in the World to Come?” “I prefer that I and my generation have a portion in the World to Come.” “Give him both,” Said the Holy One, Blessed be He.

It can sometimes appear to us that reviewing what we already know is a waste of time, or that it has no purpose – "ok, we know this, so why are we doing this again". However, it is clear from our sources above that this is simply not the case. We have the concept of 'shivim panim laTorah' – there are 70 different 'faces', ways of understanding the Torah. We cannot possibly have discovered all the ways of understanding the Torah, so we can always discover new ideas, just like we learnt regarding the fig in the passage above. Moreover, as the story of Rav Preida demonstrates, sometimes review will be necessary to gain a full grasp of what we just read – how many times have you been reading a book, essay or article and needed to reread a paragraph once or several time to totally understand the point being made?

Whether or not “four hundred times” is an exaggeration—perhaps it only seemed like four hundred times—R. Pereda’s sacrifice and heroism, as well as his sense of responsibility, as demonstrated by his being prepared to go over the material yet another additional four hundred times, stands out in one’s mind.
[Transmitting Tora to One and All, Rabbi Jack Bieler]

The most important point to be made here really is the recognition that we can only discover more by reviewing, and thereby deepen our understanding of the text and any messages associated with it. I saw this idea just yesterday in this week's "Torah Tidbits":

The beauty of these questions - any questions, that occur to us when we review Parshat HaShavua, is that we have so many commentaries to peruse, so many other people to share the questions with - with the result being different answers from different angles, all of which can enrich us.
Many years ago, during a break in a TARGIL in Milu'm, an army buddy saw me studying a pocket Chumash and asked me what I was doing. I told him that I was reviewing the weekly sedra. He apparently knew what that meant, but he asked if I hadn't done the same thing in past years.
The answer is clear to anyone who studies Torah. No, you didn't do the same thing in past years. Yes, you've gone over the sedra many times, but if you pay attention, each time is a new experience.
No point in kicking yourself for not having come up with the question before. This is just one indication that we can never FINISH learning the Torah, or any of Tanach, or Mishna or Gemara or...
[Reminiscing about Sara Imeinu, Torah Tidbits, Chayei Sara 5770]

We also learn this from our recent celebration of Simchat Torah. We do NOT, contrary to popular belief, celebrate the conclusion of our yearly reading of the Torah. Rather, we are celebrating the beginning again of our reading of the Torah. It is this realization that we are starting afresh with renewed opportunities to reconnect with the text which we have just concluded. In fact, the conclusion of Devarim is followed, as swiftly as possible by the beginning of Bereshit so there is never a point in the year when we are devoid of Torah.

Ben Bag-Bag said: Turn it [the Torah] over and over, for everything is in it. Reflect on it, grow old and gray in it and do not stir from it, for there is no better portion for you than this. (Avot 5:26)

If you have any comments or feedback, please email daniel@worldmizrachi.org.

• Kitzur Shulchan Aruch with English linear translation: http://www.geocities.com/yona_n.geo/index.html
• Hebrew Kitzur Shulchan Aruch with nekudot: http://www.kitzur.net
• Hebrew Kitzur Shulchan Aruch without nekudot: http://www.shofar.net/Content/Kitzur_Shulchan.htm?id=5417
• Kitzur Shulchan Aruch project, calendars and order books: http://www.kitzuryomi.org/
• Kitzur Shulchan Aruch with Misgeret HaShulchan: http://www.hebrewbooks.org/9214
• Kitzur Shulchan Aruch with She'arim Ha'Metzuyanim B'Halachah:
  • Part 1 - http://www.hebrewbooks.org/14621
  • Part 2 - http://www.hebrewbooks.org/14622
  • Part 3 - http://www.hebrewbooks.org/14619
  • Part 4 - http://www.hebrewbooks.org/14620
• Selected chapters grouped by theme: http://www.torah.org/learning/halacha/
• New Artscroll Kitzur Shulchan Aruch. Sample available at: http://www.artscroll.com/Books/ksa1.html