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The Eternal Effect of our Learning

By: SFW Students & Alumna
Miriam Sharman (SFW '09)

Taken from Shem MiShmuel

The Medrash Raba says that all 40 days that Moshe was up Har Sinai, he learned Torah and then forgot it. Once the 40 days was over, Moshe felt as if he hadn’t learned anything so Hashem gave him all of Torah as a present.

 Q1: If Moshe didn’t remember any of it, why was he up there for 40 days?

Q2: Why does the medrash say he received Torah over 40 days if in actuality he received it all at once?

Shem Mishmuel says that even though he forgot everything, there was an effect of the learning in his neshama, and on the 40th day there was an ingathering of all 40 days learning which provided the framework for receiving all the Torah.

There is a similar idea with Shabbat. Over the course of the week we do things for avodat Hashem, for example learning, but we sometimes forget these things because we’re so engrossed with our other work. However, the impression of avodat Hashem stays with us and comes together on Shabbat, and by doing so opens the gates of Shabbat so we can fully experience it as a true and meaningful day.

 The pasuk says: ‘vayechulu hashamayim vearetz’ – each day was its own creation but Shabbat was like the soul of all creation, and because of this, all days of the week come together in its celebration, like the soul of a man unites all body parts.

So we see there is a relationship between our souls and Shabbat, which is the soul of the world. Shabbat brings together all our avodat Hashem, and thereby sets us up to be mekabel Shabbat.

From here we can learn not to feel upset if we learn something and forget it, because it wasn’t for nothing – everything we do leaves an impression on us. These impressions prepare us for the days to come and a more meaningful avodat Hashem.