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Repetition Is the Foundation of the Jewish Religion
Zig Ziglar, the 20th-century American author and motivational speaker best remembered for his sharp wit and Southern charm, once noted, “Repetition is the mother of learning and the father of action — which makes it the architect of accomplishment.”
Or, as Malcolm Gladwell put it, “Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good; it’s the thing you do that makes you good.”
In our fast-paced world, the concepts of repetition and practice often get a bad rap. We live in an era that glorifies novelty and innovation, pushing us constantly to seek the next big thing. But amid this constant chase for the new, we often overlook the importance of revisiting what we already know — or, more accurately, what we think we know.
The irony is that we set ourselves up for repeated mistakes by neglecting to review and reinforce our knowledge. This tendency to overlook the importance of repetition isn’t just some kind of accidental lapse — it’s a fundamental aspect of human nature, and we ignore it at our peril.
Consider the world of medicine. A 2015 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reviewed data from nearly 371 million older adults across 17 countries over more than 20 years. The study found that the use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in older patients has become increasingly common.
Critically, the researchers also discovered that nearly 30% of medical errors were due to what the study called “errors of omission”’ — mistakes caused by healthcare professionals forgetting key information or steps in their practice. The study’s conclusions emphasized that regular repetition and practice could have easily prevented these errors.
Bottom line: the adage that practice makes perfect isn’t just a motivational saying or something your teachers annoy you with in school; it’s actually a crucial part of maintaining excellence in any field.
In a groundbreaking 2001 study published in the Journal of Motor Behavior, titled “The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance,” K. Anders Ericsson and his colleagues delved into the mechanics of how individuals achieve expertise in sports and other performance-based domains.
The research emphasized that expertise is not merely a product of innate talent but primarily results from deliberate practice — repeated, focused practice sessions specifically designed to improve performance. This type of practice differs from mere repetition; it requires a conscious effort to push beyond current abilities, often under the guidance of a coach or mentor.
The study concluded that this deliberate, repetitive practice is critical in achieving high-performance levels, whether in athletics, music, or other skill-based activities. Ericsson’s work has profoundly impacted our understanding of skill acquisition, challenging the notion that talent alone determines success, and highlighting the vital role of repetition and structured practice in reaching the pinnacle of one’s abilities.
Legendary basketball player Michael Jordan was known for his explosive talent early in his career. Still, he was often criticized for his inconsistent jump shot. Frustrated by his shortcomings, Jordan sought advice from his trusted coach, Tex Winter. Winter told him that the only way he could turn his unique talent into perfection would be to practice the jump shot every day until it became second nature.
So, Jordan dedicated himself to countless hours of repetitive shooting drills, slowly but surely perfecting his form and technique. Day after day, he would shoot hundreds of jump shots in practice, focusing on every minute detail of his form. The relentless repetition eventually transformed his once inconsistent jump shot into one of the most feared weapons in basketball.
In Jewish tradition, the concept of chazara, or reviewing what you’ve learned, is central to mastering Torah study. Learning something once is not enough; proper understanding and retention come through repetition.
Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky — the “Steipler” — who was one of the foremost Torah scholars of the 20th century, emphasized the importance of chazara, telling his students that it only truly begins after a person has gone over the material at least four times. Simply put, according to the Steipler, the first four times you learn something are just to get familiar with the content; it’s only after this initial “review” that the real process of ingraining the knowledge can begin.
Perhaps the source for this idea of chazara is in Parshat Va’etchanan, where we encounter a similar principle at the very dawn of Jewish history. Moses stands before the Israelites, and he repeats the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments, originally stated by God at Mount Sinai forty years earlier, were a fundamental teaching of the Jewish faith, and no doubt they had been baked into the system. But sometimes familiarity breeds ignorance. If you think you know something, you may really not know it at all. Which is why Moses’ decision to repeat such a central tenet of Judaism wasn’t just a matter of formality; it was essential.
The act of Moses reiterating the Ten Commandments was not just about passing down information; it was about ensuring that the core principles of Jewish faith and identity would not be lost because everyone thought to themselves: “But of course we know that!” And it’s worth remembering that something new is revealed with every repetition.
This case was no different. Moses not only repeated the Ten Commandments, he reframed them to resonate with a generation that had not directly experienced the miracles of the Exodus or the revelation at Sinai. He adapted the message to a new context, understanding that the failure to repeat and reinforce these Divine laws would inevitably lead to them being forgotten — something that could jeopardize the future for Jews as a nation.
The lesson here is timeless: Whether in our spiritual lives, our professional endeavors, or our personal relationships, the things we fail to review and practice are the things we are most likely to forget. And what we forget can have serious consequences.
In Jewish tradition, the Shema prayer is recited twice daily, highlighting the importance of repetition in maintaining our connection to faith. This daily ritual is an essential reminder that repetition isn’t just a tool for learning — it’s a safeguard against forgetting.
As we go through life, it’s easy to get caught up in pursuing new experiences and ideas. But we must remember the value of looking back, reviewing, and reinforcing what we’ve already learned. Whether it’s in our careers, our relationships, or our spiritual practices, repetition is not just a safety net — it’s the key to mastery.
The rapper and hip-hop artist, Dwayne Michael Carter — better known as Lil Wayne — says it so well: “Repetition is the father of learning, I repeat, repetition is the father of learning.”
The author is a rabbi in Beverly Hills, California.
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Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Announces Policy Review After Criticized for Canceling Concert of Anti-Israel Pianist
The skyline of Melbourne, Australia, the capital of Victoria. Photo: Alex Proimos/Wikimedia Commons.
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) said on Friday that its board will conduct an “independent external review into our policies, procedures, and processes” in light of its decision this week to cancel a performance by Australian-British pianist Jayson Gillham after he made ardently anti-Israel comments about the ongoing war in Gaza.
MSO said the review will also “canvass the events” leading up to its decision to call off Gillham’s concert that was scheduled for this Thursday. More information about the review will be revealed when details are finalized.
“The board determined a formal review would provide transparency and certainty for our people — including our musicians, management, and employees — and our broader community of audience members, supporters, and other stakeholders,” the MSO said. “The review will help ensure our policies and processes reflect best practice in the contemporary environment.”
The MSO added that it is “determined to ensure we have the protocols in place that are fit for purpose for our organization and the role we play within the community.”
The formal review was announced after musicians of the MSO passed on Thursday night a vote of no confidence in Managing Director Sophie Galaise and Chief Operating Officer Guy Ross because of how they handled the situation with Gillham.
“We no longer have faith in the abilities of our senior management to make decisions that are in the best interests of the company at large,” the orchestra’s musicians said in a letter to the board. “We believe it is the duty of senior management to lead and manage in accordance with the MSO’s values and behaviors; however, it has become apparent that these values no longer appear to be aligned with those of the orchestra and staff.”
The musicians called for Ross and Galaise’s resignations. They also asked for an “impartial investigation into both the events of the cancellation of Jayson Gillham this week, and further into the general standards of leadership that have led to the ongoing issues with communication, morale, and psychosocial hazards affecting our workforce.”
Gillham, who is described on the MSO website as “one of the finest pianists of his generation,” performed the world premiere of a five-minute piece called “Witness” at his recital on Sunday at Iwaki Auditorium in Southbank, where he also performed a number of other works by composers such as Beethoven and Chopin. The piece was written by Australian composer Connor D’Netto and dedicated to Palestinian journalists. The MSO said it was a last-minute addition to the show.
When introducing the piece to the audience, Gillham claimed, “Israel had killed more than 100 Palestinian journalists” in the Gaza Strip during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. “The killing of journalists is a war crime in international law, and it is done in an effort to prevent the documentation and broadcasting of war crimes to the world,” Gillham also claimed before playing “Witness.” He additionally accused Israel of “targeted assassinations of prominent journalists” who were traveling in marked press vehicles or wearing press jackets.
On social media, the pianist has accused Israel of occupation, genocide, ethnic cleansing, colonialism, and apartheid. He has promoted the slogan “Free Palestine” and wrote in an Instagram post uploaded on April 2: “Every day is a day closer to the end of the Z!%nist regime in Pa/est|ne and the Z!%nist stranglehold on Western nations.” He criticized Western countries for supporting Israel and compared the “genocide” of Palestinians in Gaza to the Holocaust. On Instagram, he has a “highlight” dedicated to the anti-Israel boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement, which he encourages others to follow.
On X/Twitter, Gillham reposted a message in which Zionists are compared to Nazis and a separate post that said Israel’s goals in Gaza are “civilian deaths and destruction.” Gillham said the latter claim “seems obvious but worth repeating.” He also reposted a message about US President Joe Biden and his vice president, 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, that called them “Genocide Joe and Kamala Harris” for “using the ‘we need a ceasefire now to release the hostages!’ line for 6 months to launder the ongoing Gaza genocide and rape of Palestinians by the Israelis they vow to forever arm and fund.” Gillham has also made accusations about Australia’s “complicity in genocide” for supporting Israel.
Photo: Screenshot
Photo: Screenshot
Photo: Screenshot
Photo: Screenshot
The pianist was set to perform again at the Melbourne Town Hall on Thursday with the MSO, but the latter canceled his appearance in the recital because of his comments about Israel. The entire concert has since been cancelled due to safety concerns, according to the MSO. The orchestra said it is trying to reschedule the performance.
On Wednesday, MSO admitted it made an “error” in canceling the performance.
“While the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra maintains that a concert platform is not an appropriate stage for political comment, we acknowledge Jayson’s concerns for those in the Middle East and elsewhere,” a MSO spokesperson told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). “We recognize the strength of feelings of all parties on this matter and particularly acknowledge the dedication and commitment demonstrated by all our musicians and staff this week.”
Gillham accepted the MSO’s apology. He said in a statement to the ABC, “I hold my relationship with the MSO, its players, and audience with the highest regard and look forward to our continued working relationship in years to come.”
When MSO canceled Gillham’s appearance in Thursday’s recital, it sent an email to ticketholders explaining their position on the matter and apologizing for Gillham’s remarks. The MSO said his comments were “made completely without authority.”
“‘Witness’ was accepted for performance at the request of Mr Gillham on the basis that it was a short meditative piece,” the MSO explained. “Mr Gillham made his personal remarks without seeking the MSO’s approval or sanction. They were an intrusion of personal political views on what should have been a morning focused on a program of works for solo piano.”
“The MSO does not condone the use of our stage as a platform for expressing personal views,” it added. “The MSO understands that his remarks have caused offense and distress and offers a sincere apology … In standing for humanity and peace we seek for every one of our performances to be a welcome and safe place for all.”
A quick glance at the donors listed on the MSO website shows that the orchestra has a large number of Jewish patrons and supporters.
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Revealed: Wall Street Journal Contributor Shared Terrorist Propaganda, Fake News on Oct. 7
Hamas terrorists kidnapping Israeli women at the Nahal Oz base near the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023. Photo: Screenshot
October 7 was a busy day for Palestinian journalist Abeer Ayyoub, who works for The Wall Street Journal — but not because she was engaged in professional journalism.
The Istanbul-based reporter, who is originally from Gaza and covers the region extensively, used her X account (formerly Twitter) to spread terrorist propaganda and fake news, as Hamas massacred 1,200 Israelis.
She also exploited the social media platform to distribute antisemitic slurs and content that whitewashed Hamas.
Her posts, as well as the fact that she contributes to the Israel-hating Middle East Eye, should sound alarm bells in the newsroom of The Wall Street Journal, a publication that has always been a bastion of the highest journalistic standards.
HonestReporting has submitted an official complaint to the newspaper.
On October 7, Ayyoub posted a violent propaganda video produced by Hamas’ armed wing. It showed terrorists lynching and executing Israeli soldiers near the Gaza border.
The faces of the terrorists in the video are blurred to protect them, unlike those of the Israeli soldiers. But Ayyoub probably didn’t care about the victims being recognized by their heartbroken families, as she wrote a caption that exclaimed: “More Israeli soldiers being captured by Hamas.”
Ayyoub said nothing about Hamas slaughtering Israeli civilians or taking hostages that day. But she did seem to deflect from them, in a rude reply to Israeli Arab Affairs expert Edi Cohen.
Cohen posted the following in Arabic: “In the Quran, God commanded respect for prisoners. The Palestinian militants killed and raped them.” Ayyoub replied: “So do you guys respect them, you sh*t?”
She also posted a photo of Hamas terrorists driving a stolen Israeli farming vehicle in Gaza, as one of them shows the victory sign:
Ayyoub also shared fake news aimed against the Israeli army. Around midday on October 7, she shared a post claiming that a top Israeli commander had been kidnapped:
Had Ayyoub been concerned with news accuracy, she would have deleted the post once it was exposed as fake several days later. But journalistic fact-checking didn’t seem to bother her that day.
About two hours later, in what seems to be an uncontrollable passion to humiliate Israel in its darkest hour, Ayyoub also posted: “I have not seen a single soldier defending himself. Why? I thought you said it’s the strongest army in the world”:
Ayyoub’s anti-Israeli sentiment is often hidden behind the facade of the Arabic language, making it easier to conceal from her bosses and colleagues in Western media.
For example, she replied in Arabic to Elon Musk’s solidarity post with Israel on October 7, telling him to “Eat sh*t”:
A day later, she made a disturbing reference in Arabic to “the Jewish mafia,” in reply to a post that called Hamas an “Islamic mafia”:
According to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, Ayyoub’s comment is antisemitic. It falls under the category of “making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews.”
Alongside her feelings towards Jews and Israel, Ayyoub shared content that indirectly made Hamas terrorists look like liberating heroes.
On October 9, she shared a despicable piece by the Middle East Eye, titled: ‘The first time I felt freedom’: When a Palestinian journalist crossed into Israel.”
She did not remove it when HonestReporting exposed that Gaza journalists worked side by side with Hamas to document their atrocities that day. And a month later, she labeled as “fake news” the description of Hamas as sworn to Israel’s destruction and committed to the establishment of an Islamic state.
When a journalist doesn’t know, or ignores, the black-and-white statements of Hamas’ founding charter, it amounts to the whitewashing of a proscribed terror group.
But Ayyoub is hypocritically high-minded about journalism.
Despite spreading terrorist propaganda and fake news, pushing an anti-Israeli agenda and whitewashing Hamas, she had the audacity to post a self-righteous thread about journalism, a week after October 7.
For Ayyoub, journalism is meant “to amplify the voices of the marginalized” and she’s concerned about those who “aren’t upholding the principles of the profession,” who should “seek alternative careers, allowing those who truly value the power of pens and microphones to take the helm.”
Presumably, the journalists who Ayyoub wishes to get rid of are those who try to tell the story as is (reporting, for example, that Hamas is sworn to Israel’s destruction.)
But Ayyoub is dangerously mixing journalism with activism, and blames others for not doing what she does.
Does The Wall Street Journal believe she can report on Israel and Gaza objectively, without letting her views contaminate her coverage?
Based on her own logic, she is the one who should leave this sacred profession to those who truly respect it.
HonestReporting is a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.
The post Revealed: Wall Street Journal Contributor Shared Terrorist Propaganda, Fake News on Oct. 7 first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel Has Killed 17,000 Terrorists in Gaza Since Start of War, IDF Says
Israeli soldiers inspect the entrance to what they say is a tunnel used by Hamas terrorists during a ground operation in a location given as Gaza, in this handout image released Nov. 9, 2023. Photo: Israel Defense Forces/Handout via REUTERS
The Israeli military has killed 17,000 terrorists in Gaza since the beginning of the war against Hamas on Oct. 7, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“IDF forces continue to fight in Gaza — in Rafah, Khan Yunis, the central Strip, and are attacking everywhere,” IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters during a briefing on Thursday night. “So far, we have eliminated more than 17,000 terrorists.”
Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group that rules Gaza, launched the war with its invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7. During the onslaught, Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists murdered 1,200 people and kidnapped some 250 hostages while committing mass atrocities, including widespread sexual violence.
Israel repelled the surprise invasion and responded with weeks of airstrikes before launching a ground offensive in neighboring Gaza on Oct. 27. According to Israeli leaders, the main goals of the ongoing military campaign in the enclave are to free the hostages and dismantle Hamas’ military and governing capabilities.
Hamas leaders have vowed to carry out attacks on Israel similar to the Oct. 7 massacre “again and again.”
“The significant combat and the ensuing high accomplishments impede Hamas’ ability to raise its head again and rebuild itself, and we are determined to keep this up,” Hagari told reporters.
Hamas and Israeli officials have both said that Hamas has about 35,000 armed fighters in Gaza, although other terrorist groups in the enclave, primarily Palestinian Islamic Jihad, have also been fighting the IDF.
In May, Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, disclosed that the IDF had at that time eliminated 14,000 terrorists. Government spokesman Avi Hyman also revealed that Israeli forces had killed “sadly around 16,000 civilians” in Gaza.
“We would expect everyone to now take these figures as a genuine estimate from a free democratic country that fights in strict accordance with the laws of armed conflict in one of the most challenging urban warfare scenarios in history,” Hyman told Fox News. “Let me make it clear: Every civilian casualty is a tragedy. That would not have happened if Hamas hadn’t insisted on using their own people as human shields.”
Israel says it has gone to unprecedented lengths to try and avoid civilian casualties, noting its efforts to evacuate areas before it targets them and to warn residents of impending military operations with leaflets, text messages, and other forms of communication. However, Hamas has in many cases prevented people from leaving, according to the IDF.
Another challenge for Israel is Hamas’ widely recognized military strategy of embedding its terrorists within Gaza’s civilian population and commandeering civilian facilities like hospitals, schools, and mosques to run operations and direct attacks.
“Israel is setting the new gold standard for urban warfare with what appears to be the lowest civilian-to-combatant casualty ratio in history,” Hyman said in May.
Hamas-controlled health authorities in Gaza say about 40,000 Palestinians have died during Israel’s campaign. Experts have cast doubt on the reliability of casualty figures coming out of Gaza, in part because they do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Beyond rank-and-file terrorists, Israel has also killed several of Hamas’ leaders during the war. Last month, the IDF said it had eliminated half of Hamas’ military leadership in Gaza.
However, the terrorist group’s top leader and the mastermind of the Oct. 7 massacre, Yahya Sinwar, is still alive. Israeli Brig. Gen. Dan Goldfus told Channel 12 news in an interview broadcast on Sunday that the IDF was “minutes away” from capturing Sinwar in a tunnel underneath Gaza.
Israel has said that Sinwar is “marked for death” as the architect of the Oct. 7 attack, which was orchestrated along with Hamas military wing commander Muhammad Deif, who was killed by the IDF last month.
Hamas’ top leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an explosion in Iran two weeks ago. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied being behind the killing. Sinwar, who had been Hamas’ chief in Gaza, was picked to succeed Haniyeh as the terrorist group’s overall leader.
In June, Netanyahu said that the intense combat in Gaza was winding down and that the IDF would deploy more troops to Israel’s border with Lebanon, where the terrorist group Hezbollah has been attacking northern Israel almost daily since October.
Hamas and Hezbollah are both backed by Iran, which provides the Islamist terrorist group with weapons, funding, and training.
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