Photo Credit: Jewish Press
- Train yourself before learning the daf to have in mind to fulfill the mitzvas aseh of “vedibarta bam.” (The Ran in Nedarim says these words command us to learn Torah.) Having this in mind ensures that the Torah you learn is lishmah, which Reb Meir says (Pirkei Avos 6) is a guarantee that you will merit many blessings.
- If you attend an evening daf, try to be as rested as possible. Take a short nap if you can. If you can’t, try drinking a caffeinated beverage. Glancing over the material beforehand can make a world of difference in your ability to concentrate, even when you’re tired. When you come home after learning the daf, make sure to be nice to your spouse or parents. The Tosefos HaRosh says the Torah was given in darkness and smoke because we sinned right afterwards with the golden calf.
- Learn with your own Gemara so that you can write notes in it. Your Shas will become an important heirloom in the future if you do so. If you are not using an ArtScroll, you might want to write the translation of a word you didn’t know inside the Gemara. It will help you next time around. On the front or back of the Gemara, mark down the dafim together with any agadata or halacha that made a special impression upon you. As the mesechtos you finish grow, you’ll have quite a collection of memorable highlights.
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- If you had to be absent for a daf, carefully mark down the daf you missed. You might be able to make it up before you finish the mesechta. If not, you’ll be able to give it special attention during the next cycle.
- It is a worthwhile investment to make a festive siyum at the completion of each mesechta. Besides for it being a wonderful seudas mitzvah, it concretizes the fraternity of your daf family and gives everyone great chizuk. Invite outsiders to attend as well. Your Talmudic successes are infectious. They will cause others to want to participate.
- At the conclusion of a mesechta, make a point of celebrating with your wife. Take her out to rejoice or buy her something. It will make her feel like she is a partner in your Daf Yomi achievements. After all, she sacrifices when you leave the house at night, leave early from a wedding, etc.
- If you go to a nighttime Daf Yomi shiur, try to occasionally go to a different shiur or listen to one on the phone or online so that you can have a date night with your wife.
- Remembering what you’ve learned is a great challenge. If you are retired or have extra time, you might try to attend more than one Daf Yomi shiur a day. Getting a chavrusa to review the daf with you is also a great idea. Another idea is to listen to a speed shiur for review. Perhaps utilize Shabbos to skim the previous week’s shakla v’tarya.
- If you have the opportunity to review the daf with your son or parent, great. You can even do that over the phone or Skype. It’s a great opportunity to combine Talmud Torah with the glorious mitzvah of veshinantam levanecha or kibbud av.
- After finishing a mesechta, review the mishnayos of that mesechta. It will help to cement in your mind the basic concepts you just studied. Also follow Rashi’s advice at the beginning of mesechtos Avodah Zarah: Pray to Hashem in the blessing of “Ata Chonen” to help you remember your learning.
- Make it a habit to regularly talk about the daf at home. Noticing the sacrifices you make for the daf and often hearing about the daf will breed future Daf Yomi devotees.
- If this is not your first time doing Daf Yomi, don’t fall prey to the yeitzer harah of BTDT (Been There Done That). Try to upgrade your learning. If during the previous cycle, you used ArtScroll and didn’t learn Rashi inside, perhaps this time learn Rashi. If you learned Rashi, perhaps try some of the Tosafos, especially since we’re getting a powerful aid this cycle: The new ArtScroll Tosafos series.
- In general, be an ambassador for the daf. Tell people how it has changed your life and impacted your family and how amazing it feels to finish many masechtos, one after another, from cover to cover. Remember, if someone starts learning Daf Yomi because of you, you get shares in every daf he learns.
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