Memory and Forgetfulness

[1] An expression derived from ^^^

[2] The expression mo-ach hazikaron literally means, “the brain of memory,” and has been translated here as “the memory center of the brain,” or “the cerebral memory center.” Chassidic philosophy explains that every bodily faculty is rooted in the soul. Thus, we may speak of “mo-ach hazikaron, the cerebral memory center, sheb’nishmaso, that is within his soul” -- that is, at its root source in the soul.

[3] The reference to Zohar 87b is in the original. See also Zohar I, 24a; II, 60a; and compare Tikunei Zohar 406 and 424.

[4] An expression derived from Exodus 25:2

[5] An expression derived from Psalms 84:3

[6] The Hebrew word used here for “soul” is nefesh. Compare the same expression used earlier (in the text accompanying footnote 2), in which a different word, n’shama, was used.

[7] See note following

[8] Kabbalah and Chassidus speak of the Hidden Realm (alma d’iskasya) and the Revealed Realm (alma d’isgalya) in various contexts. For example, thought – which is internal to the thinker and has not been communicated to others – is associated with the Hidden Realm, whereas, once a thought has been expressed as speech and thus made known to others, it is said to be of the Revealed Realm. In one sense, the Torah generally may be associated with the Hidden Realm. There is a well-known teaching (Zohar II:121a; see also there, 85a) that “the Torah comes from wisdom,” that is, that the spiritual source of the Torah is G-d’s attribute of chochmah, “wisdom.” Wisdom, like “thought,” is of the Hidden Realm, and is associated with the letter yud of G-d’s four-letter name, the Tetragrammaton (pronounced Havaye except when praying or reading the Torah). Thus, as stated in the text, a person whose memory is steeped in Torah, who has the Torah “resident” within him at all times – even when engaged in necessary worldly pursuits – has something of the G-dliness of the letter yud of G-d’s name shining within him always, even if only in “hidden” form while he is outwardly occupied with worldliness, for this (the letter yud and the G-dly Wisdom it represents) is the source of the Torah. Note, however, that in another context, we can speak of the Written Torah (i.e., the Pentateuch, Prophets and Hagiographa) as the “Hidden Realm” and the Oral Torah (the entire corpus of Jewish knowledge, including the Mishna, Talmud, philosophy, legal codes, etc.) as the “Revealed Realm” – as in the text at the end of this discourse.

[9] “Consecrate unto me every firstborn”, Exodus 13:1-10

[10]. Kadesh Li Kol B’chor is one of the four Torah portions which, written on parchment in accordance with Jewish law, form the content of the leather boxes worn as T’fillin. Kabbalistically, each of these four portions is associated with a Divine attribute, corresponding to a particular letter of the Tetragrammaton, G-d’s four-letter name. The first of the four (in terms of its placement within the T’fillin) is Kadesh Li Kol B’chor, which corresponds to the Divine attribute of chochma, associated with the letter yud of the Tetragrammaton. (See, e.g., the adaptation of the discourse, Ve-Ahavta Eis Havaye Elokecha on the Torah portion Va-Eschanan (found in Likutei Torah 12d), and the source cited in the references to Likutei Torah, loc. cit.) As explained in footnote 8, chochma and its corresponding letter, yud, represent the Torah. Thus, it is appropriate that the portion of Kadesh contain a reference to “memory” (“a reminder between your eyes”) – since one’s goal should be to saturate one’s memory with Torah.

[11] As explained in an earlier footnote, all of a person’s faculties derive from the soul. In particular, the Torah identifies 613 specific faculties, each associated with a particular part of the body (thought with the brain, sight with the eye, etc.). These each stem from a spiritual function of the soul. These in turn correspond to the 613 mitzvos of the Torah; each mitzvah serves as the channel for the spiritual “nourishment” of one soul-faculty, and, through the soul, for the bodily faculties as well. Knowing the entire Torah, then, encompassing all details of all 613 mitzvos, unites one’s entire soul with G-d. (The term “G-dly Soul” refers to the Jewish soul which is “actually a part of G-d above,” a concept more fully explained elsewhere.)

[12] Song of Songs is an allegorical love song between the Jews and G-d. Just as a person is comprised of 613 aspects, as explained above, “nourished” through the mitzvos of the Torah, so do the 613 mitzvos themselves each express one of 613 specific manifestations of G-dliness, which are their Heavenly source. In this sense, Jewish mysticism speaks of G-d (as He manifests Himself through the 613 mitzvos) as the “Man upon the throne” of Ezekiel’s vision. Thus, knowing the entire Torah also implies being united with all of G-d as He manifests Himself through the 613 mitzvos.

[13] See footnote 6. Here, the word nefesh is used.”

[14] The Oral Torah is generally classified into the six Orders of the Mishna, each of which contains numerous individual tractates that deal with particular subjects. The broad subject matter of the Order of Kodshim is the laws pertaining to sacrifices.

[15] The great Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchok Luria, known as the Ari Zal, or the Ari of blessed memory.

[16] This parenthetical reference is in the original. The discourse in question may be found in Likutei Torah, Shir Hashirim, 6c; the specific reference is at 7d.