Part II
In retrospect, it is striking that on the last Shavuos of
his life he dwelt on the fact that, "Every generation loses a
Moshe Rabbenu, with whom three thousand halachos are also
lost" (they were forgotten during the mourning period of
Moshe Rabbenu). However, we also received a special gift from
Moshe that retrieves forgotten teachings —
pilpul. Besides the actual Torah that Moshe taught
Yisroel, he generously shared this means of preservation of
Torah.
The essence of giving generously is the underlying wish to
confer permanence, as the Ramban comments on the posuk,
"and He saw that it was good." Everything in creation was
first brought into being by Hashem's utterance and then given
permanence through His "seeing that it was good." It is
therefore fitting that generosity is the key to the
transmission of pilpul. Looking upon something with
benevolence makes it permanent and eternal. Pilpul
ensures the permanence and continuity of tradition by making
possible the retrieval of what has been forgotten. Torah
dissemination in every generation must be like that of Moshe
Rabbenu. It must include transmitting learning together with
the ability to preserve Torah.
Our teacher also said, quoting the Vilna Gaon, that the
last mitzvah in the Torah, to write a sefer Torah,
corresponds to "seeing that it is good" with respect to
receiving the Torah in its entirety, for committing something
to writing stems from the wish to accord it
permanence.
*
Impressions
"Be careful to honor a scholar who has forgotten his learning
by force of circumstances, because both the [complete,
second] Luchos and the broken [first] Luchos
rest in the Aron" (Brochos 8). This refers to the
Heavenly decree of forgetting Torah. With respect to the
level of the original Luchos, Knesses Yisroel have the
status of "a scholar who has forgotten his learning." [See
Pachad Yitzchok Yom Hakippurim, ma'amar 25:6 and
Pachad Yitzchok Shavuos, ma'amar 18, perek 3.]
"A tzaddik's departure from a place makes an
impression" (Rashi, beg. parshas Vayeitzei). See
Nefesh HaChaim (Shaar 4, perek 30), where the
following teaching of Chazal is explained. "`For a mitzvah is
a lamp and Torah is light' (Mishlei 6:23). Just as a
lamp only gives light for a certain amount of time, a mitzvah
also only provides temporary protection. Just as light
illuminates forever, so also Torah protects forever"
(Sotah 21). Chazal also rule that, "Objects used for
mitzvos [e.g. lulav, succah, shofar, tzitzis] can be
discarded, whereas objects used for kedushoh [that
have served a Torah scroll, or sections of it e.g. satchel
for seforim, tefillin and mezuzos, bags in
which a sefer Torah or tefillin were kept] must
be stored away" (Megilloh 26). Torah's strength lasts
forever.
"A tzaddik's departure leaves an impression," is a
principle that applies to every departed manifestation of
holiness [See Pachad Yitzchok Purim, Kuntrus Reshimos
9] and also to Torah's unfading strength. We are warned to
honor a scholar who has forgotten his learning because of the
impression left by the Torah he once had. The same applies to
the general level of Knesses Yisroel [with regard to
lost levels of Torah].
" `For your dew will be like the [reviving] dew of . . .'
(Yeshayohu 26:19) — whoever uses Torah's light,
will be revived by it . . ." (Kesuvos 111). Even after
a person's soul departs his body, Torah's force leaves
impressions on both the body of the soul and on the soul of
the body — like "a scholar who forgot his learning"
— and he will thereby merit revival after death.
The source of all the Torah that we merited on the second
Luchos is the impression left by all the Torah that
was forgotten when the first Luchos were broken.
"Osniel ben Kenaz retrieved them with the power of his
pilpul" — through the force of the impression left
by [the forgotten] Torah.
We continue to draw from this source, thanks to the giving of
the Torah at Sinai; the events at Sinai are the source of all
the powers of Torah that we merit possessing.
This is why the Torah warns us, "Lest you forget the things
that you witnessed . . .. and you shall impart them to your
sons and grandsons . . . the day you stood before Hashem . .
. at Chorev" (Devorim 4:10).
The Rambam writes, "Even though blowing the shofar on
Rosh Hashonoh is a decree of Scripture [i.e. a Torah
obligation] it carries a message, as if to say, `Sleepers,
shake off your slumber . . .!' This refers to those who
forget the truth amid the vanities of the moment . . ."
(Hilchos Teshuvoh 3:4).
The shofar arouses by making an impression. This is
the deeper meaning of the Ramban's comments on the posuk,
"a mighty sound that did not cease." He writes that this
refers to Hashem's voice which remained at the same level
while delivering the Dibros, whereas the sound of the
shofar started gently and increased in strength.
The impression of the events at Sinai remains for all
generations. It takes the most powerful impression possible
to last for such a long time, hence, the sound of the
shofar "was continually growing much stronger." [See
Pachad Yitzchok Rosh Hashonoh, ma'amar 20:10.]
Beyond His Lifetime
In his introduction to sefer Devorim, the Ramban
writes, "Before beginning to explain the Torah he began to
rebuke them . . ." In his commentary to the first
posuk he explains that sefer's opening words,
"These are the things that Moshe said to all of Yisroel,"
refers to "the mitzvos that will be mentioned throughout the
sefer, from the beginning of the ten Dibros in
parshas Voeschanon."
However, he notes, because of the lengthy preface the Torah
writes, "and this is the Torah that Moshe set before bnei
Yisroel" (4:44), before actually starting to explain the
mitzvos, in order to return to the original subject.
[Posuk 44 thus marks off the opening rebukes from the
mitzvos.]
Yet just before this, in posuk 41, we find, "Then
Moshe designated three cities"— a parsha that
speaks about the cities of refuge for unintentional
murderers. Surely this belongs with the explanations of the
mitzvos, not with the opening rebukes.
On the words, "then Moshe designated," Rashi comments, "He
betook himself to take pains over the matter, designating
them even though they would not start providing refuge until
the designation of the cities on the other side of the
Jordan" [which would not happen until bnei Yisroel
crossed over, not in his lifetime]. Moshe looked ahead to the
time after his death and mourning period. He ensured that
thanks to his efforts to fulfill the mitzvah of the cities of
refuge, the mitzvah could be completed later on.
This corresponds to what he did for Torah. The next
posuk, "and this is the Torah that Moshe set before
bnei Yisroel" refers to the explanations of the
mitzvos and to pilpul, which he generously shared with
Yisroel.
"Moshe received Torah at Sinai and transmitted it . . . The
prophets transmitted it to the members of the Great Assembly.
They said three things . . . and raise many disciples"
(Ovos 1:1). This was during the time of the Second
Beis Hamikdosh. The Rishonim explain that teaching
Torah to many talmidim increases pilpul and
broadens the spread of Torah. [Ed. note. See the Meiri's
comments here: "They should raise many disciples to debate
the topic so that it emerges clearly from between them
all."]
"Moshe received Torah at Sinai and transmitted it . . . to
the members of the Great Assembly" — this was Moshe's
generosity in his gift to Yisroel.
"The prophets transmitted it to the members of the Great
Assembly" — in their days the last of the prophets
prophesied. The last prophecy was, "Remember the Torah of
Moshe, My servant." [See Pachad Yitzchok Pesach, end
of ma'amar 78.]
To Our Own Days
Our master said that our times are unparalleled in the extent
of factors causing Torah to be forgotten.
"Avrohom Ho'ivri" (Bereishis 14:13). Chazal explain
this name: "The whole world was on one side (ever) and
he was on the other side" (Bereishis Rabba 42:8). In
our times we must also develop this ability and heighten our
toil in Torah, including Torah pilpul, to a greater
extent than all other parts of Torah.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said, "If you see a generation that
has lost hope with regard to Torah, stand up and strengthen
yourself with it and you will receive the reward of them
all!" (Yerushalmi Brochos 9:5, see Maharal, Tiferes
Yisroel 56)
