Derashah (Sermon)

In the Midrash it is written [b. Arakhin 16a]:

There are three different types of actions that are established within us: those that are natural, those that are in accordance with the attributes of virtue, and those that are learned. Those that are natural are the forces of action according to that which was naturally ingrained in man from the beginning of his creation. Learning and warning does not apply to these, and nor does forgetting and remembering, for these actions are consistent, whether they are performed with the knowledge of the person in question or—as is more likely the case—without his knowledge. For example, when one is sleeping it cannot be said that the heart has “forgotten” its movements, nor that it has “remembered” them; its movements are simply part of its nature. The same is true of the stomach and its activity of digestion. It cannot be said that it “remembers” this activity, for it is simply in its nature. An exception is when one speaks by way of poetic exaggeration, in order to portray the loss of strength, as when the psalmist said: My heart is smitten like grass, and withered; for I forget to eat my bread (Psalms 102:5).

Those actions that are learned are the ones that man is commanded to perform for some purpose or another, and whether they agree with one’s nature or are contrary to it is not taken into account. An example of this is the divine commandments and other things like them. Regarding these, just as the words “commandment” and “learning” apply to them, so do the words “remembering” and “forgetting.” As the Tanna said: “There are four types among those who attend the house of study, etc.” [m. Avot 5:14]. For forgetting and remembering apply to them according to the disposition of their natures. This is as it is always mentioned in the scriptures: Remember the Sabbath day; Remember what Amalek did to you; Beware, lest you forget the Lord your God; lest you forget the things, etc. For this reason, I began with: A remembrance for the children of Israel (Exodus 28:12).

The actions that are in accordance with the attributes of virtue are in fact, at their inception, learned actions according to learning. “Command,” “forgetting,” and “remembering” apply to them. However, after habituation, they mimic the natural type of action, to which command, forgetting, and remembering do not apply. This is as it is said, man does not forget virtue, just as he does not forget whether each of his hands is the right hand or the left hand. As the psalmist, may peace be upon him, allegorized: If I forget thee, Jerusalem, may my right hand wither (Psalms 137:5). This is to say that Jerusalem is remembered and will be redeemed by the Lord; it is always in front of His eyes, according to the saying of the prophet, may peace be upon him: Behold, I have graven you upon the palms of My hands; your walls are continually in front of Me (Isaiah 49:16). Just as “forgetting” does not apply to my right hand, so it cannot be imagined that I should forget you. Thus, the psalmist said: Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His compassions (Psalms 77:10)? He said: I have pondered the days of old, the years of ancient times, etc. (Psalms 77:6–7). In the night I will recall my song, etc. He is saying: when I consider the first days, [I notice] that the Lord, blessed is He, acted in regard to us with great acts and with wonders on account of His mercy; and now He is silent like a dumbfounded man, like a mighty man who cannot offer salvation. For this reason, I wonder during the night, during the time of leisure and quiet thoughts, whether this abstention is truly from His side or from ours. And I do not find any way of justifying the idea that the abstention is from His side, in light of the customary behavior of man: for there are three reasons why a righteous man might abstain from his usual ways. The first is a change in his will from doing to not doing. The second is an inability to do anything more. The third is that he forgets to do something, as people often forget.