Forgetting your learning if you leave a Sefer open, unattended

I find it helpful to consider how forgetting one’s learning is midda-kenegged-midda for leaving an open sefer unattended.

First, I think the term ‘sefer’ in this context originally referred to scrolls, though these days we apply it to books as well.

Scrolls have a tendency to roll off a table, which would be a bizayon. Two main reasons one leaves a scroll in such a precarious position are either one is momentarily distracted by some other task and “forgets” about the sefer or that one is worried about “forgetting” one’s place.

Both reasons show a weakness in one’s appreciation of the kedusha and value of the sefer and it’s contents. A more dedicated attitude towards the materials one studies from also influences the person to retain that learning.

The Halacha is brought in שו”ע יו”ד סי’ רע”ז by the ש”ך, who brings the source from either a Yerushalmi Megilla or the Gemara Eiruvin 98a.

The source that contravening this Halacha causes forgetfulness in learning is from “חכמי האמת”, that a Malach called שומר דפין is appointed to cause those who leave a sefer open to forget their learning.

This is the לשון of the ש”ך:

כתב הב״ח דמירושלמי דמגילה יש ללמוד שלא ילך אדס לחוץ ויניח הספר פתוח אס אין עליו מפה דלאו דוקא ס״ת דה״ה שאר ספריס עכ״ל ולא היה צריך ללמוד כן מהירושלמי דהכי מוכח נמי מש״ס דילן בעירובין במשנה וש״ס שס )דף צ״ח ע״א( ע״ש וידוע לחכמי האמת שיש מלאך א׳ נקרא ש״ד והוא ״שומר דפין״ על מי שמניח ספר פתוח ויוצא שמשכח תלמודו:

http://beta.hebrewbooks.org/tursa.aspx?a=yd_x6790

Yekke2 – thank you for bringing the sources. I had never heard of this before, so it’s good to know.

Even though R’ Chaim shlita says that women don’t have to be careful about things that cause forgetfulness, I wonder if this is different since the reason it’s a problem might be because it’s disrespectful to the Sefer (and not just because it causes forgetfulness). If that’s the case, presumably, it would be a problem for women as well.

I also wonder if the fact that women don’t HAVE to be careful about these things because they don’t have a chiyuv of Talmud Torah means that they don’t forget their learning if they do these things or do they still forget their learning but it’s not assur for them to do so?

If it’s the latter, then it would still be kidai to be cautious even if it’s not a chiyuv.

On the other hand, I would think that if it does cause them to forget their learning, it would also be assur since they have a chiyuv to try to remember the halachos they have learned so maybe it is in fact the former.

Yekke2,

Thank you for defining what lesschumras calls “Bubba Maaseh”.

Lesschumras, let me get this straight – the Shach is not proof enough for you??

Less

Whether you really have respect for R Shach has yet to be demonstrated. However, it seems you must have left a Sefer or two open at some point if you doesn’t know who the ש״ך is. The שפתי כהן is one of the classic נושא כלים that we pasken from.

And no one said forget “all” ones learning, rather it causes one to forget his learning. Any amount of it. Which it is אסור to do intentionally and the psak is that you cannot do action which can cause it.