Chapter III
פרק ג', משנה ח': רבי דוסתאי ברבי ינאי משום רבי מאיר אומר : בייחתמ ולאכ בותכה וילע הלעמ ותנשממ דחא רבד חכושה לכ בנפשו, שנאמר )דברים ד(, רק השמר לך ושמר נפשך מאד פן תשכח את הדברים אשר ראו עיניך ...
Chapter 3, Mishnah 8: Rabbi Dusta'i, the son of Rabbi Yannai, would say in the name of Rabbi Meir, "Anyone who forgets even a single word of his learning, the Torah considers it as if he had forfeited his life. As stated, 'Just be careful, and guard your soul, so that you do not forget that which your eyes have seen' ..."
The Simple Explanation
The serious consequences of forgetting Torah are because it is "Our life and the length of our days." Therefore, one who forgets what he learned is casting aside a part of his life! Rabbi Ovadia of Bartenura offers two explanations for this Mishnah. The first seems to apply primarily to a rabbi. As a result of his forgetfulness, he may permit that which is prohibited. This could thereby cause others to transgress the words of Torah. His second explanation is that the Torah, which one learned, can protect him. As a result of forgetting what he studied, he will lose this protection. Therefore, "the Torah considers it as he had forfeited his life."
Difficulties in Understanding the Mishnah
The Talmud tells us that Rav Zeira lived and studied Torah in Bovel (Babylonia). When he "ascended" to the Land of Israel, he fasted 100 fasts to forget the Babylonian Talmud. This was to ensure that it would not hinder his study of the Jerusalem Talmud.
We see from our Mishnah how serious it is to forget even one word of Torah. How was Rav Zeira allowed to cause himself to forget the entire Talmud Bavli intentionally?
- These words are from the blessing “Ahavas Olam” which precedes the recital of Shema. Torah is comparable to water, which is the source of a fish’s life (see Talmud Berochos 61, b.
- See his commentary to this Mishnah.
- “Ascending” to Israel means that he moved there. The Talmud tells us (Kiddushin 69, b) that Israel is the highest of all lands.
- See the Talmud Bava Metzia 85, a.
- The point of fasting in order to forget his learning, was part of his request for Divine mercy to help him do so. It is obvious that fasting in and of itself does not cause forgetfulness.
- The style of learning in the Jerusalem Talmud, and in Israel in general, was significantly different than that of Bovel.
The Explanation
The Talmud tells us that the Torah contains 613 commandments; included in these are 248 positive commandments (do's) and 365 negative commandments (do not's). The Sages do not tell us which commandments are included in the 613. Hence, it is a matter of discussion among the medieval rabbis who were occupied with counting the Mitzvos and codifying Jewish law.
As stated in the Mishnah itself, the source of the prohibition against forgetting a teaching of Torah is the verse, "Just be careful, and guard your soul, so that you do not forget that which your eyes have seen." There is a discussion about whether this verse prohibits forgetting words of Torah. According to the Ramban (Nachmanides), it does not. Instead, this verse prohibits forgetting the scene of the Jewish Nation standing at Mount Sinai and receiving the Torah. However, he says that the parameters of this verse can also be extended to include not forgetting individual teachings of Torah. However, this is not an actual prohibition but a matter of extra piety. It involves going beyond what the Torah requires.
This means that according to the Ramban, we have no question. Rav Zeira wished to forget the Talmud Bavli to attain an even higher level of study than he had reached earlier. Hence, he was under no obligation to be "pious" in such a way that would prevent him from achieving an even greater level of study.
However, among the rabbis, some disagree with the Ramban. Among them are the Sefer Mitzvos Gadol and the Sefer Mitzvos Katan. The Alter Rebbe writes that the accepted law is that "whoever forgets even one part of his learning because he did not review it properly, is considered as if he had forfeited his life, and has transgressed a negative commandment, as it says, 'Just be careful, and guard your soul ...'" According to this opinion, it is undoubtedly difficult to understand how Rav Zeira was permitted to intentionally try to forget such a large and fundamental section of Torah.
The reason for the prohibition against forgetting the words of Torah is that, as a result of this, one separates oneself from the Torah. This is true whether he actively tries to forget or passively forgets due to not reviewing his studies. In either case, the words of Torah are separated from him.
Based on this, it is clear that Rav Zeira's actions perfectly followed the Torah. He was not removing himself from Torah; to the contrary. He acted to absorb the Torah of the Land of Israel better, which is greater than the Torah studied in Babylonia. He was not removing himself from Torah or Torah from himself. Instead, he attained a far greater level of Torah.
As a result of our Torah study and our constant review of what we learn, may we merit the coming of Moshiach now! (Adapted from the Sichah of Shabbos Parshas Terumah and Shabbos Parshas Vayakhel Pekudei, 5740)
I hope you gained as much by reading this as I did by translating and adapting it.
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- This is as the Midrash states (Vayikroh Rabbah, Chapter 13), “there is no Torah like that of Israel.
