Rav Shmuel Berenbaum zt”l, the Rosh Yeshiva of Mir in America, once related that he asked Rav Yechezkel Levenstein zt”l (mashgiach of the Mir in Europe and eventually Ponovezh in Bnei Barak, Israel) why he had only a brief stay in America after the war and decided to make aliyah to Israel? Rav Chazkel Levenstein zt”l answered that he felt it was impossible to raise children to be Torah observant in America. Many years later Rav Shmuel Berenbaum zt”l questioned this reasoning because, as proven by many Bnei Torah and even Torah Giants being raised in America. America is also a major cornerstone of Torah in the world today; so did the Mashgiach zt”l err in his feelings? However, Rav Shmuel Berenbaumzt”l answer that absolutely, according to the nature of the world, The Mashgiach zt”l was correct; it is not naturally possible for Torah to thrive in such a place of spiritual impurity (טומאה) as America. However, the success of Torah in America is only through means of a miracle, and part of the promise by Hashem that Torah would never be lost by the offspring of those who received it in the desert at Sinai. Accordingly, Rashi (Devarim 31:21) writes that “‘it will never be forgotten by your offspring’ which is a promise to the Jews that Torah will never be completely forgotten by their offspring'” (See Shema Bni volume 2 by Rabbi Binayamin Luban, footnote 1292 quoting Sefer Kisra Shel Torah, page 58).
The Rashi that Rav Shmuel Berenbaum zt”l is referring to is in the second portion of this week’s double portion of Netzavim and Vayelech. We can see from the context of the pasuk how it relates to what he was saying, “It shall be that when many evils and distresses come upon it (the Jews as a whole), then this song shall speak up before it as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of its offspring, for I know it’s inclination, what it does today, before I bring them to the Land that I have sworn'” (Devarim 31:21). Rashi, in his entirety on this pasuk, exclaims, “‘This song shall serve as testimony before them as witness’ that I warned them, in it, of all that occurred to them. (The Mizrachi explains that the song of Haazinu [in next week’s parsha] details the suffering Israel must undergo for turning from Hashem.) ‘For it shall never be forgotten from the lips of their progeny’ this is a guarantee to the Jews that the Torah will never be completely forgotten by their progeny.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
The simple explanation and the way the Maskil LiDavid understands Rashi is that this promise is based on a gemara in Shabbos 138b. The Maskil LiDavid writes that “even though the simple explanation of the pasuk is that it refers to the song [of Haazinu in the next parsha] and not the Torah, one can still say based on a drasha using the 13 middos to extrapolate from the Torah, that it is referring to the Torah itself. For,this song is a part of the Torah and since anything that was included in a general statement but was then singled out from the general statement in order to teach something, it is not singled out to teach only about itself, but also to apply it’s teaching to the entire generality (see 8th attribute of Rebbe Yishmael’s 13 attributes); in this case the entire Torah. And when Rashi says that it will not be completely forgotten, he inferred this; meaning that even though you might not find clear-cut halacha, Jewish law, as it says in Amos 8:12 ‘they shall wander to seek etc., however it will not be completely forgotten as Rav Shimon bar Yochai says in the gemara Shabbos.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
There the gemara writes, “It was taught in a braisa, Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai says, Heaven forbid that the Torah would be forgotten by Israel! For it is stated (Devarim 31:21), ‘For it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of [the nation’s] offspring.’ But how then can I uphold Amos’ prophesy, ‘They shall wander to see the word of Hashem, but shall not find it’? This means that they will not find clear halacha and clear teachings in any one place where they shall seek.” The Ben Yehoyada points out that “clear halacha” refers to the reasoning behind the Mishna’s rulings and “clear teachings” refers to the accurate text of the Mishna itself. However, the Ben Yehoyada says that he feels that this is a good thing, as it will motivate them to work harder, and through this create for themselves a merit of protection by achieving clarity about halacha and mishnayos. Indeed, they will also put upon themselves restrictions (חומרות) to forbid things when in doubt, and this will also be a defendant for them [in the Heavenly court]. (Click here for Hebrew text.)
If Rashi is just quoting a gemara in Shabbos, as the Maskil LiDavid purported (and the Ben Yehoyada says that this gemara is simply saying that we are going to have to work very hard to understand the Torah, it might get quite difficult, and many opinions involved in order to achieve clarity; but the hard work, blood, sweat and tears, is in fact the merit for Torah never being forgotten) then why would Rav Yechezkel Levenstein run away from that; why would that take a miracle? That is our purpose in life, עמלות ויגיעה בתורה, toiling and putting a lot of effort into learning! If that is what produces merit, then why shy away from it?
However the Sifsei Chachamim (footnote 40 on Rashi) explains a reason in logic as to why Rashi had to say the Torah will not be be completely forgotten, “what that means is that we see with our own eyes that the hearts have diminished, so what does the Torah mean that ‘you will not forget it etc.?'”
It must be that even though Hashem has promised that the Torah will never be forgotten by the Jewish People, however, as the generations unfold, life gets hard, persecutions, antisemitism, exile from one country to another, and then everything looks fine and dandy in the “golden medina” America, the place where one can fulfill his dreams of life and prosperity, get whatever one wants and live a life of wealth and physical enjoyment – then it’s understandable that our hearts won’t be as much into learning.
The reality is that this is part of Hashem’s master plan, part of the nature of the world, in the context of hiskatnus hadoros, the diminishing of each generation. My Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Henach Leibowitz zt”l used to say that the generation which came after their arrival in America was as fragile as cobwebs; but nowadays, we are even more fragile, like tissue paper. But the Sifsei Chachamim didn’t say that as the generations go on there will be a drop in intellect, in brainpower (whether that’s true or not, who is to judge). However, there have been many intellectuals and geniuses raised in America and throughout the previous generations. The Sifsei Chachamim, though, is emphasizing the diminishing of one’s heart, the passion and drive, dedication and stamina to work hard, toil, sacrifice everything for the sake of remembering and understanding the Torah and knowing the right thing to do, the ratzon Hashem. That will be nearly forgotten but will never ever be completely forgotten.
When Rav Yechezkel Levenstein zt”l sensed that this would be an extra difficult threat in America, which would need a miracle to rely upon to ensure that his children would stay dedicated in their hearts to Torah and mitzvos, he then decided that it would not be right to rely on miracles, and he moved to Eretz Yisrael.
Hashem does, though, perform miracles, and though our hearts aren’t as strong as yesteryear, Torah has not been forgotten and is thriving to whatever degree, in our exile, even to this day! May we all merit to stop relying on miracles and be able to return to our Home and the ultimate redemption with the coming of Moshiach, bimheira biyameinu. “Grant us our share in Your Torah, and may we serve You there with reverence, as in days of old and in former years,” as we say in the conclusion of our shemone esray.