The Talmud relates several descriptive stories and events to show how the study of the oral law was conducted. These stories reveal that it was a detailed and tedious process which could only be accomplished when a dedicated teacher expended much time and effort on each student. The material was transmitted orally, and the student had to memorize the teachings.

Our Rabbis taught, “What was the system for teaching the Oral Law?⁵⁷

‘Moses learned from the mouth of the Almighty. Then Aaron came in and Moses taught him his lesson. Aaron then rose and sat down on Moses’ left. Aaron’s sons entered and Moses taught them their lesson. His sons then rose, and Eleazar sat at Moses’ right and Ithamar at Aaron’s left.’”

Rabbi Judah said, “Certainly, Aaron went around to Moses’ right. The Elders entered and Moses taught them their lesson. The Elders arose, and all the people entered and Moses taught them their lesson. Thus, it was presented to Aaron four times, to his sons three times, to the Elders twice, and to all the people once. Then, Moses left and Aaron taught them his lesson; Aaron left and his sons taught them their lesson; his sons left and the Elders taught them their lesson. Thus, it was presented to everybody four times.”

Based on this, Rabbi Eleazar said, “A man must teach his student four times. A qal va-homer⁵⁸ can be applied: If Aaron who learned from Moses who learned from the Almighty had to learn it four times, then all the more so must an ordinary student from an ordinary teacher.”

Rabbi Akiva said, “From where do we know that a man must repeat his teaching to his student until he has learned it? For it is written, ‘And teach it to the children of Israel’ (Deut. 31:19). And from where do we know [that he must repeat it] until it is established in the mouths of the students? For it is written, ‘Put it in their mouths’ (ibid.). And from where do we know that he must show reasons (literally faces) for his teachings? For it is written, ‘Now these are the rules which you shall set before them (literally before their faces)’ (Ex. 21:1).”

56. Trans. S. Berrin.

57. This section is based on the belief that the oral law was revealed to Moses at Sinai and then passed on by him immediately to Aaron and his sons. This passage surely reflects the procedure for transmission of oral tradition current in Rabbinic circles.

58. In Rabbi Ishmael’s thirteen rules (text 10.4.1) by means of which the Torah is interpreted, the first rule is qal va-homer, an inference drawn from a more important premise to a less important premise.