Put the Emes-Das into MS-DOS
Here are questions I asked my 3rd, 4th, & 7th grade children about Parshat Noach that are related to mathematics. Can you answer them correctly?
Here are some of the topics I want to explore on Torah Technology…
There are other topics. I hope to address some of these over time in this space.
For 2 years, I have been learning Daf Yomi (a 2-sided page of Talmud every day), with help from audio podcasts and a printed Gemara. My 3-5 hour daily commute has been transformed from a boring trek of bitul (void of) Torah into a mind-bending tour of maleh (full of) Torah. Many details to share.
As an experienced digital professional, I assumed that a PDF image of each page of the Talmud and an eBook translation would keep me on top of the Daf without messy, time-consuming human contact. That didn’t quite work out. I was not learning the lingo, could not tell over to others the key topics on the day’s Daf (at least not coherently), and did not improve my comprehension over time. To make things worse, I was behind every Sunday and Monday, my Android tablet cracked, and my eyes are not what they used to be. I backed-off from a naive digital-first approach, and have found a balance that works for me. It may for you too.
Why should you make the same mistakes that I already made? Please make new mistakes and share what you learn with me and others. Here are some lessons I learned on my way to improve my learning with digital tools.
When I discovered Daf Yomi podcast, I was hooked. I have been listening to Divrei Torah podcasts for years, and had been learning on my commute and while working around the house. If you have a nice set of headphones, please only use them when you are sitting down and not when moving around, because they will get caught on something and break. Use a cheap set of earbuds when on the move, so when they break you won’t be upset.
The combination of audio podcasts and following along with a printed Gemara is almost as effective as being in a live shiur. For me, it’s the only way I can fit the learning into a busy day, and into my busy head.
A Daf Yomi class, a Rebbi, and/or a Torah Mate. Audio podcasts have been great and I recommend them. But they are best as a preparation for and/or review after a real-live in-person Daf Yomi session. My best learning has been with others. A good Daf Yomi group leader will see when you need help and will answer your questions, even if not fully formed.
Some audio podcasts went through my head like a subway announcement. An English-only literal translation of the Gemara in an Amazon eBook didn’t work because there was no context, the grammar makes no sense in English, and there was no correlation with the Hebrew/Aramaic words. Following along online with Sefaria.org and HebrewBooks.com is better than nothing, but doesn’t help on Shabbat or Holidays.
I recommend the ArtScroll Schottenstein edition with the each Talmud page opposite its interweaved translation … phrase-by-phrase Hebrew/Aramaic with nikkudot and English translation. The footnotes clarify unfamiliar concepts, and connect dots I didn’t notice were there. I prefer the Daf Yomi size ($38/volume), because the full-size ($45/volume) is too heavy for me on the train, and the paperback Travel size (2 x $12/volume) doesn’t feel right to me. In an upcoming Mesechta, I will likely use the Steinsaltz Edition published by Random House (because I have a few volumes on hand), and am looking forward to the Koren Talmud Bavli Noé edition published by Koren Publishers.
Daf Yomi means “a daily page” or “a daily leaf”, referring to both sides of a printed sheet. If you keep up, you won’t fall behind, and you won’t have to catch up, and you will remove a huge temptation to quit (a strategy to defeat the Yetzer HaRa). Learning Daf Yomi is about persistence, not completeness … you will learn about a wide variety of topics, and learn to connect concepts and recognize distinctions across the world of Torah knowledge. There are other opportunities to learn Gemara in depth.
I listen to podcasts with the Downcast app on an iPhone. Other podcast players include Podcasts, Overcast, SoundCloud, Pocket Casts, & Sticher. The key features for me are to search & subscribe to any podcast (not just a pre-selected list), to add a podcast by its “feed” address, and to change the playback speed. I usually listen at 1½ times the speed, and keep my finger on the Pause button, just in case the train is too loud, or I need to hear it again.
Three warnings about podcasts.
The Daf Yomi podcasts that I listen to every day are:
I frequently listen to these, but not every day:
These websites may help you as they have helped me.
B’Hatzlacha! (to your Success!)
~ David