Thursday, September 22, 2011

How Many Times Must I Tell You? #BlogElul

How many times have you heard yourself saying those words?

How many times must I tell you?

The answer? As many as it takes.

I once read a parenting book or article that suggested that this statement is ridiculous. Obviously, the telling must be done again, or the child or person in question might have remembered. Saying it only makes the listener feel bad that they've perhaps forgotten or chosen to forget the lesson that you're trying to impart.

How many times must I tell you?

God asks us this question too. God knows, as most of us do, that repetition is the key to learning.

Repetition is the key to learning.

That's why we do it again.
Do what again?
Everything.

We don't just read the Torah once.
We read it over and over again.
We don't just pray once a day.
We pray at least 3 times a day.
We don't just ask forgiveness on Yom Kippur once.
We do it again next year. And the year after. And the year after.

Repetition is the key to learning.

How many times must I tell you?
Tell me again, since I have to keep working on it.
And that's okay.
I'll keep working on it.
I'm a work in progress.
Aren't we all?


2 comments:

Batya said...

endless, yes
Shabbat Shalom

Jewaicious said...

Great post, and I'll repeat it over and over again.