If you did not forget, it would be utterly impossible to serve God. You would remember your entire past, and these memories would drag you down and not allow you to raise yourself to God. Whatever you did would be constantly disturbed by your memories of the past.
The past is gone forever and never need be brought to mind. Because you can forget, you are no longer disturbed by the past. [It was the Rebbe’s practice never to replay finished business in his mind. He put it out of his mind and never thought of it again.]
This is very important to consider when serving God. Most people are distressed by past events, especially during prayer. When a person recites his prayers, his thoughts are constantly disturbed by memories of the past. He may think about his business or household affairs, worrying whether he did something wrong or neglected something important. While attempting to serve God through prayer or study, he might become troubled by his many sins and shortcomings. This is a universal problem, and each person knows his own difficulties.
The best advice for this is simply to forget. As soon as an event is over with, forget it completely and never think about it again. Understand this well, for it is a very important concept.34See “His Wisdom” #72; Likutey Halakhot, Sefer Torah 4:5, 6.
In our sacred literature, we find that God gave us the power to forget so we can always appreciate the Torah just as we did the first time we learned it (Kohelet Rabbah 1:34). Because you forget, you can re-learn or review a lesson, and it is like learning it anew. Therefore, you appreciate it as much as the first time.
A good illustration is provided by men hired to fill leaky barrels. The more they pour into the barrels, the more leaks out. The fools complain, “Why are we working in vain? What good is it to fill the barrels if it all leaks out?”
In the future, God will make everyone remember everything he ever learned, even if it was forgotten during his lifetime (Zohar I, 185a). This is also true of lessons heard from the lips of a true tzaddik and not understood. In the World to Come, they will be comprehended (Tzaddik #388).
אֵצֶל הָעוֹלָם הַשִּׁכְחָה הִיא חִסָּרוֹן גָּדוֹל בְּעֵינֵיהֶם.
Most people think of forgetting as a serious drawback. But to me it has a great advantage.
אֲבָל בְּעֵינַי, יֵשׁ בְּהַשִּׁכְחָה מַעֲלָה גְּדוֹלָה. כִּי אִם לֹא הָיְתָה שִׁכְחָה, לֹא הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לַעֲשׂוֹת שׁוּם דָּבָר בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה', אִם הָיָה זוֹכֵר כָּל מַה שֶּׁעָבַר לֹא הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לְהָרִים אֶת עַצְמוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן, גַּם הָיוּ מְבַלְבְּלִים אֶת הָאָדָם מְאֹד כָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁעוֹבְרִים עָלָיו. אֲבָל עַכְשָׁו עַל־יְדֵי הַשִּׁכְחָה נִשְׁכָּח מַה שֶּׁעָבַר.
If you did not forget, it would be utterly impossible to serve God. You would remember your entire past, and these memories would drag you down and not allow you to raise yourself to God. Whatever you did would be constantly disturbed by your memories of the past.
וְאֶצְלוֹ הַדֶּרֶךְ, שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶּׁעָבַר וְהָלַךְ, נִפְסָק וְהוֹלֵךְ לַחֲלוּטִין! וְאֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר בְּדַעְתּוֹ עוֹד כְּלָל. וְאֵינוֹ מְבַלְבֵּל כְּלָל עַצְמוֹ עוֹד בַּמֶּה שֶּׁכְּבָר עָבַר וְהָלַךְ וְכוּ'.
The past is gone forever and never need be brought to mind. Because you can forget, you are no longer disturbed by the past.
[It was the Rebbe’s practice never to replay finished business in his mind. He put it out of his mind and never thought of it again.]
וְעִנְיָן זֶה הוּא דֶּרֶךְ עֵצָה טוֹבָה גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה', כִּי עַל־פִּי רֹב יֵשׁ לְהָאָדָם בִּלְבּוּלִים רַבִּים וְעִרְבּוּב הַדַּעַת מְאֹד מִמַּה שֶּׁחָלַף וְעָבַר. בִּפְרָט בִּשְׁעַת הַתְּפִלָּה, שֶׁאָז בָּאִים עָלָיו כָּל הַבִּלְבּוּלִים וּמְעַרְבְּבִים וּמְעַקְּמִים אֶת דַּעְתּוֹ מִמַּה שֶּׁכְּבָר עָבַר. לִפְעָמִים יֵשׁ לוֹ בִּלְבּוּלִים מֵעִנְיַן הַמַּשָּׂא־וּמַתָּן שֶׁלּוֹ וְעִסְקֵי בֵּיתוֹ (וְכַיּוֹצֵא, בַּאֲשֶׁר כִּי לֹא טוֹב עָשָׂה בְּעִנְיָן זֶה וְכַיּוֹצֵא וְכָךְ הָיָה צָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת וְכַיּוֹצֵא בְּזֶה הַדָּבָר). וְיֵשׁ שֶׁמְּבַלְבְּלִים אוֹתוֹ בְּעֵת עֲבוֹדָתוֹ בְּתוֹרָה אוֹ בִּתְפִלָּה וְכַיּוֹצֵא, בְּהַפְּגָמִים שֶׁפָּגַם מִקֹּדֶם (בַּאֲשֶׁר שֶׁבְּעִנְיָן זֶה לֹא עָשָׂה כַּהֹגֶן נֶגְדּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד). כַּאֲשֶׁר יָדוּעַ לְכָל אָדָם בְּעַצְמוֹ.
This is very important to consider when serving God. Most people are distressed by past events, especially during prayer. When a person recites his prayers, his thoughts are constantly disturbed by memories of the past. He may think about his business or household affairs, worrying whether he did something wrong or neglected something important. While attempting to serve God through prayer or study, he might become troubled by his many sins and shortcomings. This is a universal problem, and each person knows his own difficulties.
עַל־כֵּן הַשִּׁכְחָה הִיא עֵצָה טוֹבָה גְדוֹלָה מְאֹד לָזֶה, שֶׁתֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד שֶׁחוֹלֵף וְעוֹבֵר הַדָּבָר, יַעֲבִיר וִיסַלֵּק אוֹתוֹ מִדַּעְתּוֹ לְגַמְרֵי, וְיַסִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ מִזֶּה לְגַמְרֵי. וְלֹא יַתְחִיל לַחֲשֹׁב עוֹד בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ בְּעִנְיָן זֶה כְּלָל. וְהָבֵן הַדָּבָר הֵיטֵב, כִּי הוּא דָּבָר גָּדוֹל מְאֹד.
The best advice for this is simply to forget. As soon as an event is over with, forget it completely and never think about it again. Understand this well, for it is a very important concept.34See “His Wisdom” #72; Likutey Halakhot, Sefer Torah 4:5, 6.
וְאִיתָא בַּסְּפָרִים: שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל זֶה נִתַּן הַשִּׁכְחָה כְּדֵי שֶׁתְּהֵא הַתּוֹרָה חֲבִיבָה עַל לוֹמְדֶיהָ תָּמִיד כַּשָּׁעָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה. כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הַשִּׁכְחָה כְּשֶׁחוֹזֵר וּבָא וְלוֹמֵד אֲפִלּוּ מַה שֶּׁכְּבָר לָמַד, הוּא אֶצְלוֹ כַּחֲדָשׁוֹת וְחָבִיב עָלָיו.
In our sacred literature, we find that God gave us the power to forget so we can always appreciate the Torah just as we did the first time we learned it (Kohelet Rabbah 1:34). Because you forget, you can re-learn or review a lesson, and it is like learning it anew. Therefore, you appreciate it as much as the first time.
וְאִיתָא מָשָׁל, עַל הַלּוֹמֵד וְשׁוֹכֵחַ, שֶׁשָּׂכְרוּ אֲנָשִׁים לְמַלֹּאת חָבִיּוֹת וְהַחָבִיּוֹת הָיוּ נְקוּבִים וְכָל מַה שֶּׁהָיוּ שׁוֹפְכִין לְתוֹךְ הַחָבִיּוֹת נִשְׁפַּךְ לַחוּץ, וְהַטִּפְּשִׁים אָמְרוּ: 'הוֹאִיל וְחוֹזֵר וְנִשְׁפָּךְ לַחוּץ, לָמָּה לָנוּ לְיַגֵּעַ וּלְמַלֹּאת מֵאַחַר שֶׁאַחַר־כָּךְ נִשְׁפָּךְ?!'
A good illustration is provided by men hired to fill leaky barrels. The more they pour into the barrels, the more leaks out. The fools complain, “Why are we working in vain? What good is it to fill the barrels if it all leaks out?”
אֲבָל הֶחָכָם אָמַר: 'מַה לִּי בָּזֶה? הֲלֹא פּוֹרְעִין לִי עַל הַיּוֹם, וּשְׂכָרִי לֹא יְקֻפַּח מִכָּל יוֹם וָיוֹם, כִּי אֲנִי מֻשְׂכָּר לְיָמִים וּמַה לִּי אִם נִשְׁפָּךְ?'.
But the wise ones reply, “What difference does it make? Don’t we get paid for every day we work? If the barrels leak, our wages are not reduced.”
כָּךְ אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁשּׁוֹכֵחַ לִמּוּדוֹ, שְׂכָרוֹ לֹא יְקֻפַּח מִכָּל יוֹם וְיוֹם.
The same is true of your sacred studies. You might forget them, but your reward is not reduced.35Avot deRabbi Noson 27:3; Vayikra Rabbah 19:2.
וְדַע, שֶׁלֶּעָתִיד מַזְכִּירִין אֶת הָאָדָם כָּל מַה שֶּׁלָּמַד. אַף אִם שָׁכַח. גַּם בְּנֵי אָדָם הַשּׁוֹמְעִים הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק הָאֱמֶת וְאֵינָם מְבִינִים אוֹתָהּ, לֶעָתִיד בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא יָבִינוּ.
In the future, God will make everyone remember everything he ever learned, even if it was forgotten during his lifetime (Zohar I, 185a). This is also true of lessons heard from the lips of a true tzaddik and not understood. In the World to Come, they will be comprehended (Tzaddik #388).
כִּי עִקַּר הַתּוֹרָה הִיא לְהַנְּשָׁמוֹת, שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא יִהְיוּ הַנְּשָׁמוֹת בְּקִיאִים וּמַשִּׂיגִים הֵיטֵב אֶת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁלָּמַד וְשָׁמַע הָאָדָם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה.
The Torah exists mainly for the soul. In the future life, all souls will remember and understand everything they heard and studied in this world.
אַשְׁרֵי הַמְבַלֶּה יָמָיו בְּתוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדָה הַרְבֵּה.
Happy is he who fills his days with much Torah and devotion.