Don't Forget to Remember

Photo: Rabbi Sacks Org

Text by Rabbi Benjy Simons

Parshas Vayikra and Zachor

If Alcohol can damage-your short-term memory? 

Imagine the damage Alcohol can do. 

There is a popular adage that goes, ‘everyone is born with a photographic memory, we just don’t bother developing the film.’ As we begin the complexities of the book of Vayikra, it is interesting to note that Rashi highlights an interesting titbit of information when it comes to how Moshe learnt Torah. He explains that in the Torah, there is often spacing and paragraphing which actually reflects not just separate ideas throughout the Torah, but also how the Torah was communicated to Moshe in that it represents a specific pause for contemplation and reflection before the following idea was transmitted. This concept has been often called ‘study breaks’ to facilitate further learning, focus and retention while preventing study fatigue. 

At the same time, the importance of reviewing that which one has learnt on a regular basis must also be emphasised . The Talmud [Sanhedrin 99a] likens reviewing learnt material to harvesting that which is planted, which the Maharsha explains enables a person to refine the information learnt and gain a level of mastery of the subject. 

The level of reviewing the subject material will often depend on how well the information was learnt in the first place. To maximise one’s memory retention it is encouraged to learn audibly [Eruvin 54a] and many move in a rhythm which too improves neural connections and offers a variety of health benefits. Music also activates both hemispheres of the brain which improves one’s recollection [Tosfos to Megillah 32a] and also is associated with creating a happier disposition which encourages learning [Chida]. 

The Yerushalmi [Berachos 5:1 54a] further encourages one to toil over one’s studies in a Shule or Beis Midrash and the importance of learning from within a book and as mentioned, taking regular intervals to ponder and digest what one has studied. The Talmud [Eruvin 54b] also advises one to chunk information or create mnemonics and acrostics to combine multiple units of information by recoding them into smaller bits of data. 

The Rambam [Laws of Studying Torah 3:12] stresses the importance of diligence and persistence in one’s learning to the extent of straining one’s body and not learning amidst physical indulgence. The Talmud [Eruvin 54a] further stresses the importance or having refined social attributes that contribute to one’s memory retention and the Chasam Sofer would urge one to write down their learning and novel ideas. 

The Gemara [Bava Basra 10b] writes that it is said in the next world that happy is the individual who reaches the next world with his learning in his hand. As we further have Parshas Zachor this week as we recall the actions of Amalek in the lead up to Purim, may we merit to always carry our learning with us and grow with our Torah studies.

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