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JANUARY 20, The Jewish Jewish Home Home OCTOBER 29, 2022 2015 || The
Teen Talk
By Rabbi Zvi Soroka
Dear Teen Talk,
I’m a good kid who has a lot of friends and love to play ball. Camp is a place where I thrive. Yeshiva just isn’t. I just don’t connect with learn-
Teen Talk , column in
a new
TJH, is geared to wards the teens in o ur commu nity. Answered by a rotati ng roster of teachers, rebbeim, clinicians , an d peers (!), te ens will b e hearing answers to many que stions the had perco y lating in th eir minds wished th an d ey had th e answers for.
ing Gemara. I fail my rebbe’s tests week after week and feel like a big loser. Why should I even bother learning Gemara? I’m simply not good at it. Is there anything I can do to motivate myself and get the enjoyment that I’m told I’m supposed to have from learning? Any advice is greatly appreciated.
B
Dear Bachur,
It’s pretty impressive that you’re aware of what’s bothering you and that you are able to identify your dilemma. You are not alone. In fact, scores of bachurim struggle with the same challenge. Don’t be surprised to learn that even some Gedolim had a similar predicament and pulled through with great success. Rabbi Akiva himself struggled greatly before he became the leader of his dor and the main transmitter of our Torah for generations. I keep a stone riddled with holes on my desk to remind me that whenever students struggle in learning, if they persist, they will catapult to the top. Learning Gemara is the secret to thinking and behaving like a true ben Torah. It will shape your worldview for life. Working diligently in understanding Gemara will also be the greatest protection against the yetzer hara and will enable you to build a strong foundation for growth in Yiddishkeit. Here are a few vital pointers to con-
sider and review: • Tefillah is your greatest weapon for success. Try to have extra kavana by birchas haTorah, ahava raba, and ata chonen in Shemonai Esrei. Recite the special yehi ratzon before opening up your Gemara. Great Gedolim were
stand it clearly. Review it and chazer it over and over again. There are so many helpful seforim and available shiurim that will guide you step-by-step. After reviewing it countless times, you will become a master and taste true enjoyment from your clarity and learning.
You are not alone. In fact, scores of bachurim struggle with the same challenge. observed crying by these tefillos and achieved amazing results. • Get a rebbe, one with whom you will connect and will understand your way of thinking. He has already taught many talmidim who encountered similar issues and will not think of you any less that you are struggling. On the contrary, he will have great admiration for you! • Try the Vaharev-NA/ Kinyan Meschta-style limud. Have someone teach you the Gemara until you really under-
Real hasmada doesn’t even kick in until you have chazered the Gemara at least four times. • There are 2,711 blatt in Shas. Some have interesting stories, others are more halacha-based, and we follow those halachos even today. Others are more complex. Don’t give up on learning Gemara; rather try to find Gemaras that “speak to you” and learn those. One day you will connect with the others as well. And even if you feel you won’t, there are still another 1,000 you can learn!
