Halakhah su Deuteronomio 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).

It is correct that when you say "and chose us" to remember standing at Mt. Sinai , concerning 'chose us", as it is written "lest you forget the things....the day you stood before the Eternal Your God at Horeb(Deuteronomy 4:9)." And when you say, "Your great name, " remember the incident of Amalek that The Name is not whole until one wipes out the descendants of Amalek, as it is written, "Remember what Amalek did to you ..."(Deuteronomy 25:16)" And when you say, "To acknowledge You" remember that the mouth was created to acknowledge Him who is blessed and not to speak words of gossip. And remember the incident of Miriam, as it is written, "Remember what the Eternal your God did to Miriam...(Deuteronomy 24:8)" And when you say "In love" remember concerning what is written, "Remember how you provoked the Eternal your God in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 9:7)." And when you read, "And when you remember all of God's commandments", remember that Shabbat is equal to all the commandments, as it is written, " Remember the Sabbath day (Exodus 20:8)." As it is said, never forget the Sabbath day. And like Amram of blessed memory: From one Sabbath to the next Sabbath. And therefore in the Psalm of the day we read: "This is the first day of the Sabbath....." And when we say, "from the four corners of the earth," place the corners of the tallit that are upon his shoulders to fall downward. (Magen Avraham, small paragraph, Bet, and we are not concerned with this. See Pri Etz Chayim, Gate of the Recitation of the Shma, Chapter 3, and you will understand what we are not accustomed to. And be precise and find easy.)

From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Shevuot 35a) that it is forbidden to curse in any way. But nonetheless, he is not lashed unless he cursed with a name of one of the names [of God], such as Y-ah, Sha-dai, E-loah and similar to them, or with any appellation of one of the appellations [of God], such as Compassionate, Jealous and similar to them. And he is liable in any language that he curses with a name or appellation, as the names that the gentiles call the Holy One, blessed be He, are among the appellations (even though they are in their languages). And [also] that which they said (Shevuot 36a) that even one who curses himself is lashed, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:9), "But you shall guard yourself and guard your soul much." And also that [which they said] in Mekhilta (see Sanhedrin 66a), "'You shall not curse the deaf' - [it is speaking] about the wretched among men." And they also said there (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yismael 22:27) that when the verse (Exodus 22:27) states, "a chieftain (nassi) among your people, you shall not maledict, etc.," it implies both a chieftain and a judge. What [then] do we learn by saying, "[Judges] shall you not curse"? To impose liability for this one in itself and for that one in itself. From here they said, "One may speak one thing and be liable for four things. (How so?) If the son of a chieftain curses his father, he is liable on account of chieftain, on account of father, on account of judge, and on account of 'among your people you shall not maledict'" (see Tur, Choshen Mishpat 26).

And also from the content of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Kiddushin 30a), "To what extent is a man obligated to teach his son Torah? Rav Yehuda says that Shmuel said, '[Like], for example, Zevulun ben Dan.'" The understanding of [this is that there was] a man in their generation whose name was Zevulun ben Dan, whose father’s father taught him Scripture, Mishnah, Talmud, laws, and homiles (aggadot). And they challenged what they challenged about this in the Gemara, and the resolution was that the obligation is to teach him Scripture - which is Torah - like the father's father of Zevulun did, and even though the father's father of Zevulun ben Dan taught him more. And one who adds upon the obligation of the commandment, like the father's father of Zevulun ben Dan, brings a blessing upon himself. And one who was not taught by his fathers who are obligated in this - such as his father and his father's father - is obligated to teach himself when he is an adult and recognizes the thing, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 5:1), "and study them and do them." And if [both] the father and the son needed to study, and the father does not have [enough] in his hand that they can both study, he always [comes] before his son. But if his son is more understanding than he and his [son's] studies are more [effective], his son precedes him. And until when is every man obligated to study Torah? Until the day of his death, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:9), "and lest they be diverted from your heart, all of the days of your life" (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Torah Study 1:10). And the Sages emphasized the matter more by way of ethics and to teach people desire [for it] and said (Shabbat 83b) that even at the time of death, a man is obligated to study Torah, as it is stated (Numbers 19:14), "This is the law of the Torah, when a man dies in a tent." And everyone in Israel is obligated about the study of Torah (Yoma 35b) - whether poor or rich, whether healthy or one with afflictions. And they, may their memory be blessed, already said (Eruvin 54a) that all of the limbs are healed by involvement in Torah. And even a poor person that goes around to [other people's] doors, and even a married man with children - everyone - is obligated to set time for Torah [study] during the day and during the night, as it is stated (Joshua 1:8), "and you shall meditate about it day and night."

Likewise, one has a positive duty to remove and guard oneself of any life-threatening obstacle, as it is said "beware and guard your soul". If one did not removed said obstacles, one has cancelled a positive commandment and transgressed "do not bring bloodguilt" (Deut. 22:8).