If you see a student whose learning is as hard for him as iron—it is because his Mishnah is not organized for him
If a student struggles to understand the study material, the reason may be a lack of method and order in the way the material is presented to him.
(Reish Lakish said: 'If you see a student whose learning is as hard for him as iron—it is because his Mishnah is not organized for him' – Ta'anit 7a)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
אִם רָאִיתָ תַּלְמִיד שֶׁלִּמּוּדוֹ קָשֶׁה עָלָיו כְּבַרְזֶל-בִּשְׁבִיל מִשְׁנָתוֹ שֶׁאֵינָהּ סְדוּרָה עָלָיו
Definition (Hebrew)
אִם תַּלְמִיד מִתְקַשֶּׁה בַּהֲבָנַת הַחֹמֶר הַלִּמּוּדִי הַסִּבָּה יְכוֹלָה לִהְיוֹת גַּם חֹסֶר הַשִּׁיטָתִיּוּת וְהַסֵּדֶר בָּהּ מַצִּיגִים בְּפָנָיו אֶת הַחֹמֶר שֶׁעָלָיו לִלְמֹד.
(רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר: אִם רָאִיתָ תַּלְמִיד שֶׁלְּמוּדוֹ קָשֶׁה עָלָיו כַּבַּרְזֶל- בִּשְׁבִיל מִשְׁנָתוֹ שֶׁאֵינָהּ סְדוּרָה עָלָיו"- תַּעֲנִית ז ע"ב)