Elul Day 6
Dear Elul Writers,
I am not a brain scientist. So, when I tell you that there is a growing body of research that demonstrates the pedagogical power of writing things out by hand, you will know that this is based on hearing an NPR story a couple years ago and just recently skimming a short article on the National Institute of Health’s website. That said, what I’ve learned in my extensive research is that writing by hand is one of the most complicated motor skills that our brain regularly manages. Researchers say, the type of learning that happens when we write, when our brain is intensely engaged, leads to greater understanding and retention.
I was drawn to this topic because I think a lot about writing by hand, about what emerges when pen meets paper. Almost all of my journaling is done in composition books, and there is something that feels positively revelatory about the results. Words appear on paper and I realize, “oh, I am feeling nervous” or “I had my feelings hurt” or “that interaction at the grocery store was quite funny.” I didn’t realize, in these moments, that my brain was at peak engagement, but I can’t say that I’m surprised to hear it. Hand writing, it seems, is both a path to learning and to self-discovery.
There is a lesser-known mitzvah that obligates each person to write out a Torah for themselves. Now, as I consider this mitzvah, I wonder whether the real point is in the writing. In one of her thought-provoking and lovely divrei Torah, R’ Dena Weiss explains the significance of writing out our sacred text.
When you purchase something that has been written or printed for you, all of the words and all of the verses come as a package. If there is a verse you do not want to encounter, it can be safely ignored…The purpose of writing the Torah is to evaluate your relationship to the text and identify what is uniquely significant to you. Where do you feel strong, and where do you feel weak? What is the Torah that feels less pressing, and what is the Torah that you absolutely must carry with you wherever you go?
Prompt
Before the month gets away from us, I wanted to encourage you to write a little Torah for yourself by hand. Maybe you want to write out the words of the shema (in Hebrew or English). Or, you might turn your attention and your hand to writing out Psalm 27, the official song of this season. Or, any other sacred text. If you’re less inclined towards the traditional sources, write out a poem by Dickinson or Hafez, Lucille Clifton or Wendell Berry. No matter what you write, pay attention to which words or lines call out to you. Don’t worry about your penmanship or the proper notebook, just scrawl it down. When you are done, consider what the process of writing something felt like in your hand, in your body, in your mind.
Take care,
Jordan