Forgetting Forgetfulness
Forgetfulness is caused by negative energy associated with exile. In the Messianic Age we will no longer need teachers and other memory devices to retain our knowledge. Teachers will then serve a higher purpose.
The “Separation” of Levi
In Moses’ monologue that began at the beginning of the book of Deuteronomy and continues through this week’s portion – Ekev – and beyond, he recounts the highlights of their journey from Egypt through their arriving at the Jordan River.
“At that time (i.e. after the sin of the Golden Calf), G-d separated the tribe of Levi (who did not participate in the sin) to carry the ark of the testimony of G-d; to stand before G-d and serve Him, and to bless in His name, which continues to this day. Therefore, a Levite has no portion or inheritance (in the Land) with his brothers. G-d is his inheritance, as G-d your G-d told him.”
Immediately after the “separation” and dedication of the tribe of Levi, the narrative abruptly changes. Moses relates how he had “remained on the mountain for forty days and forty nights like the first days, for G-d listened to me also at that time and G-d did not wish to destroy you.” This is a reference to his going on the mountain to procure G- d’s forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf and replace the Tablets with the Ten Commandments that he shattered with a new set.
When we examine these passages it makes us wonder about the connection between these two narratives. What connection is there between the theme of how the tribe of Levi did not receive a portion of the land with the theme of Moses having to stay on Mount Sinai for another period of fort days and forty nights to receive the second set of tablets to replace the ones he had shattered?
No Need for Teachers
The Chassidic commentary Arugas Habosem answers this question by making reference to a Talmudic tradition that had the Jews not sinned with the Golden Calf, the phenomenon of forgetfulness would not have existed with respect to Torah knowledge. The first set of tablets brought in their wake an attachment to Torah the extent that it would have been so ingrained and etched in their memories that a Jew would not have needed to be prodded regularly about its teachings since the would have the teachings of Torah fresh in their minds.
And thus it would not have become necessary to have the tribe of Levi become the teachers of Israel to guide the rest of the population, for Torah knowledge would have become a universal phenomenon.
The reason the tribe of Levi was separated from the rest of the community and did not receive a portion of the land is because they were compelled to spend their time teaching the rest of the population and would not have time to tend to their land.
Alternatively in order for them to not be subjected to forgetfulness they had to be preoccupied with Torah exclusively. Involvement in the mundane affairs of life would have distracted them from Torah knowledge and they too would have been vulnerable.
We can now understand the connection between the two narratives. Moses is trying to convey what the effects of the Golden Calf were. Because this sin caused Moses to shatter the tablets, the people became spiritually and intellectually vulnerable; they would become prone to forgetfulness. As a consequence of this new situation, Moses explained, it has become necessary to deny the Levites a portion of the Land of Israel, and dedicate them to the cause of teaching the Torah to the people, who might otherwise allow their knowledge of Torah to be lost.
Back to The First Tablets Non-forgetfulness
This state of affairs that resulted from the sin of the Golden Calf will be reversed with the coming of Moshiach. Concerning this time the prophet Jeremiah declares:
“…I will put My Torah in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their G-d and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, `Know the L-rd; for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, says the L-rd, for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.’”
The prophet connects the lack of a need for a teacher with the elimination of sin. Sin is the cause of forgetfulness, as the sin of the Golden Calf and the resultant shattering of the tablets demonstrated. When the negative energies will be neutralized, we will no longer have to depend on teachers to keep us from forgetting.
Teachers Will Not be Collecting Unemployment
This does not mean that in the Messianic Age all teachers will disappear. Indeed, Maimonides writes that Moshiach himself will teach us Torah. Rather it means that the function of the teacher will change. A teacher’s role will not be simply to remove the impediments to learning and serve as a remedy for the natural propensity to forget. All obstructions to knowledge will be gone and teachers will be able to devote their full attention to enhancing the depth and quality of our knowledge. New dimensions and vistas of Torah knowledge will be opened for us.
From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Ekev by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
