אות - כה

In the eyes of the world, forgetting is a great deficiency. But in my eyes there is a great virtue in forgetting. Because if there were no forgetting, it would be impossible to do anything in the service of Hashem — if one would remember everything that passed, it would be impossible for him to raise himself up to His service blessed He in any manner whatsoever; all the things that would have happened to him would have confused him greatly. But now, through forgetting, what has passed is forgotten. And his way is: that whatever has passed and gone, it is severed and goes away completely and does not return to his mind at all. And he does not confuse himself at all any longer with what has already passed and gone, etc. And this matter is a very great good counsel in the service of Hashem. Because most often a person has great confusions and muddled thinking from what has elapsed and passed. Particularly at the time of prayer, when all the confusions come upon him and mix up and twist his mind with what has already passed. Sometimes he has confusions from the matters of his business and household affairs and the like — that he did not do well in such and such a matter and the like. And there are those that confuse him during his service of Torah or prayer and the like, with the transgressions he previously committed — that in such and such a matter he did not act properly before Him blessed He. And so forth — much, much — as every person knows about himself. Therefore, forgetting is a very great good counsel for this: that immediately and right away when a matter passes and goes by, one should pass it and remove it from his mind completely, and divert his mind from it entirely. And one should not begin to think about this matter at all any further in his thought. And understand this well, because it is a very great matter.[45] And it is stated in the books[46] that for this reason forgetting was given — so that the Torah should always be beloved to those who study it, as at the very first hour. Because through forgetting, when one returns and comes and studies again even what he has already studied, it is to him like something new and is beloved to him. And there is a parable brought about one who learns and forgets — about people who hired workers to fill barrels, and the barrels were punctured, and everything they poured into the barrels poured out. And the fools said: Since it keeps pouring out, why should we toil and fill, since afterwards it pours out anyway?! But the wise person said: What do I care about this? I am paid for the day, and my wages will not be diminished for each and every day, for I am hired by the day — what do I care if it pours out? Similarly — even though one forgets his learning, his reward will not be diminished for each and every day.[47] And know that in the future every person is reminded of all that he studied, even if he forgot.[48] Also, people who hear the Torah of the true *Tzadik* and do not understand it — in the future World to Come they will understand.[49] Because the essence of the Torah is for the souls — in the World to Come the souls will be well versed and will grasp well the Torah that a person studied and heard in this world. Fortunate is one who spends his days in much Torah and service.