אות - יז

One time we told him of the matter of the printing of books — that in these generations the number of book-printers has greatly increased, and they print a great many books at every occasion, from the early and the later authorities, and they are very much snatched up, because everyone is buying books now, etc. And Rabbainu o.b.m. said: Because our Sages o.b.m. said [Shabbos 138b]: "The Torah is destined to be forgotten from Israel" — therefore many books are printed and every person buys books so that books will be in every person's hand, so that the Torah will not be forgotten through the abundance of books found in everyone's hand. And even in the hands of a tailor and the like — books are found now, and everyone grabs and buys books so that books will be in everyone's hand so that the Torah cannot be forgotten through this. But this is not known: that when one does not study the Torah, books are of no use at all — because, because of our many sins, Torah study has greatly fallen and study is very sparse now because of our many sins. (That is: what use are the many books that the Torah should not be forgotten, since no one is studying it because of our many sins.)