What did you memorize for school (elem. and high)

willow

Tue, Feb 28 2006, 5:49 am

Please don't misunderstand what I am writing. I do think memorizing is importent for ex. I had to mem certain perakim of tehillim for tehillim class in high school and I am grateful for that b/c it's a valuabe asset to have on a everyday basis. Plus it's tefillah so it's great.
Here comes the other side. Very Happy

II know for some it's a breeze, or a challenge they enjoy and excel at, but it is not for every student and it shouldn't be mandatory for everyone. I had/have a really hard time mem stuff period. I went through gehinom in high school having tons of teachers making us mem a lot. Till this day I don't believe that the teachers were correct in forcing me and many others to mem stuff that we promptly forgot after being tested. just to prove to you that it's not lazyness my husband tried to teach me to saythe brocha u r supposed to say when greeting ppl rosh hashanah and it took me a very long time.

supermom

Wed, Mar 01 2006, 4:03 am

I agree with you one hundred percent. they should have made it a challenge whom ever wanted to take it upon themselves not something mandatory. I hated it, it took me ages and ages until I could remember it and now I don't even remember half of the things we were meant to memorize a shame.

TzenaRena

Wed, Mar 01 2006, 8:18 am

supermom, if you don't remember half of it, that means you remember the other half! That's 50%. Wouldn't you say it was worth it? It's like that with alot of things. I might be half a 'balabuste' compared with some of my friends, but 1) why compare. 2) At least half of it is getting done. and maybe that half is 100% or 85% for me. and I'd say that's 100% worth the effort

Motek

Thu, Mar 02 2006, 10:02 am

supermom wrote:

I don't even remember half of the things we were meant to memorize a shame.

since everything we see and hear makes leaves an impression on the brain, and any Torah you learn leaves its impression on your neshama, even if you don't remember what you memorized it's still there in you and that's a good thing!

amother - you're very welcome, glad that this thread will have something good come out of it! How old is your daughter?

other things that are wonderful to memorize and know are the names of all the parshiyos in each sefer of Chumash which can be done with a 2-3 year old!

misc. - names of the shevatim, names of the stones on the Choshen, names of the Trei Asar, of all 24 books of Tanach, the 39 Melachos

as far as incentive - how about doing it as a family project? and if you can pick a good tune that's so helpful!

amother

Thu, Mar 02 2006, 10:24 am

My 2 daughters have a very hard time memorizing anything. But instead of telling the whole class not to memorize, the teachers dont mark them(my kids) for it. Some teachers just make them memorize say the first 3 pesukim, when the class has to know 6.

proudmom

Thu, Mar 02 2006, 10:31 am

I had to memorize a lot of stuff

I had to memorize pirkei avos, al hamichya, asher yatzar, borai nefashos, shiras chana, parshas hazinu, lamed tes melocohos the national anthem, all the states and world countries with capitals and much more dont remember

lucky

Thu, Mar 02 2006, 10:49 am

We had to know..

The states & capitals
the 40 presidents
39 Malachos
Seforim in tenach
Pesukim in mishla
liniage of kings in Navi
Lineage between Adam and Noach, from Noach to Avraham,
What to say in bentching if you forget retzai(I don't remember it)
And tons of other things. Which of course I barely remember.

TzenaRena

Mon, Apr 03 2006, 1:23 pm

Motek wrote:

should the practice be continued - I have read/heard that there's a question about 1) memorizing Tanach as it's the Written Torah 2) girls memorizing it (as opposed to boys)

SaraYehudis wrote:

About memorizing Torah Shb'ksav, I read somewhere recently and can't recall where, that someone from Beis HaRav (don't rmember who) had a k'vius to learn Tanach everyday b'al Peh

The answer to this question came up in this Shabbos' Hayom Yom, 3 Nissan:

Among my father's* regular Torah-study sessions: Daily, a parsha of Chumash with Rashi. Reciting Tanach by heart: a chapter each of Torah, Nevi'im and Kesuvim. a chapter of Mishnayos. A regular session in profound study of Gemara---- two folio pages (dafim) weekly, another in rapid study of Gemara--- three pages daily. A session of study of the Talmud Yerushalmi. Also a shiur for Poskim, but not daily. During the course of the year he would conclude the entire Midrash Raba,: "borrowing" from the long sedros and "repaying" on the shorter ones. [I.e. he did not necessarily conclude each weekly Midrash portion that week wbut concluded the lengthier portions during another week when the portion was more brief.]

* the Rebbe RaSHaB

Tefila

Sun, Apr 09 2006, 11:41 am

Quote:

birchas yaakov
haazinu
b'yimei for chanukah and purim in bentching
all the states and world countries with capitals- best teacher ever
sefarim of tanach
tons of dikduk and grammar songs
shiras (I think) okay, one of the 7 nivios, I don't remember it anymore

lineage of kings in navi
high school:

39 melachos, not sure if was mandatory or just necessary
tons of psukim from mishlei

Though now I think I could do with refersher courses.
and

Quote:

tons of history dates and kingdom lineages

Yup I was and still are lousy at, I can't even remember my kids exact birthday they all seem to have been born on yud alef nissan embarrassed