Halakhah zu Dewarim 4:9

Indeed, it may be argued that the mizvah is fulfilled in the optimum manner by committing Torah novellae to writing. Since "Even that which a conscientious student will one day teach in the presence of his master was already told to Moses at Sinai" (Palestinian Talmud, Pe'ah 2:4) the Torah is, in a fundamental sense, incomplete until that novellum has been formulated.⁵Cf., Sefer Ḥasidim, no. 570: “Anyone to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals a matter and he does not write it even though he is able to write, [that person] steals from Him who revealed [the matter] to him. For He revealed to him only that he might write.” See also Brit Olam, ad loc. In a kabbalistic vein, R. Zadok ha-Kohen of Lublin writes that just as the original act of creation took place through Torah so is creation continually renewed through formulation of Torah novellae. Those novellae when endowed with permanence through transcription constitute “eternal life.” R. Zadok ha-Kohen further comments that an individual may have been created specifically in order to serve as the medium through which a particular insight is revealed. Hence, if that individual fails to transmit this insight orally to his students or to record it in writing for posterity he may be required to undergo reincarnation in order that this telos be achieved. See Maḥshevot Ḥaruẓ (New York, 5715), pp. 113-114. Committing such novallae to writing is, then, a completion of the transcription of the Torah. Accordingly, it follows that, fundamentally, an author writes for his own benefit,⁶I am indebted to my son for pointing out that committing Torah novellae to writing redounds to the author’s benefit in another sense as well. The Gemara, Menaḥot 99b, declares that one who forgets even a single detail of Torah transgresses a negative commandment. R. Moshe Sternbuch, Mo‘adim u-Zemanim, VIII, Introduction, cites a statement of R. Chaim of Volozhin to the effect that this prohibition applied only when the Oral Law was as yet not committed to writing. Under such circumstances there was reason to fear that any matter, once forgotten, would not be transmitted to subsequent generations. However, declared R. Chaim of Volozhin, once the Oral Law has been committed to writing it is readily available for posterity. Rabbi Sternbuch observes that one who does not commit his own insights to writing places himself in the position of causing them to be forgotten. Such insights, once formulated, constitute an integral part of the Oral Law and hence are subsumed under the prohibition “Only take heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently lest you forget” (Deuteronomy 4:9). for his writing constitutes the optimal fulfillment of his personal commandment "And now write unto yourselves this song and teach it to the children of Israel."

In order to resolve the apparent contradiction between Sukkah 42a and Kiddushin 29a and in order to explain Rema's ruling it may be postulated that there exist two separate and distinct mizvot with regard to teaching Torah to one's children. "And you shall teach them to your children" quite obviously constitutes a biblical command. Rambam, Hilkhot Talmud Torah 1:7, and Shulḥan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah 245:6, declare that a father must teach his son the entire Written Law, including the Prophets and the Hagiographa; according to Rashi, Kiddushin 30a, the father's responsibility is limited to instruction in the Pentateuch. However, once the child has become proficient in the designated subject matter the father is relieved of all further obligation. The commandment "And you shall meditate thereon day and night" (Joshua 1:8) does indeed establish an ongoing obligation to study Torah even if the subject matter has been totally mastered, and, as recorded by Rambam, Hilkhot Talmud Torah 1:10, the verse "and lest they [the precepts] depart from your heart all the days of your life" (Deuteronomy 4:9) establishes an obligation to review the material one has already mastered since "whenever one ceases to engage in study, one forgets." Nevertheless, the subject matter in which a father must cause his son to become proficient is clearly circumscribed.

The Mishnah Berurah and Aruch Hashulchan teach us not to get carried away on Purim. Unfortunately, many of us know of friends who have been killed or seriously injured in accidents on Purim as a result of excessive drinking. We must remember that Torah commands us to maintain our health and well-being (Devarim 4:9; Rambam, Hil. Rotzeiach 11:4).