Rabbi's Blog

This Dvar Torah should be a zchus for Yocheved Bas Yitta for a Refuah Sheleima

I would like to give an update on the ongoing saga of my new smart phone search.  As soon as the Blackberry Priv came out, I was able to get a hands-on feel of the device. I would like to inform you that to my chagrin I have officially dropped the Blackberry option. It is now a question of whether to go with the new Samsung or switch over to Apple’s Iphone.

When searching for any of today’s electronic devices, one of the most important specifications is the memory capacity and how much internal memory the device holds. A word that is constantly used but perhaps not understood by most consumers is RAM (Random Access Memory)which is the main memory in a computer, smartphone, or tablet. RAM is the temporary work space where instructions are executed and data is processed. What makes RAM "random access" is its capability of reading and writing any single byte. This "byte address ability" differs from storage devices such as hard disks and flash memory chips which read and write sectors containing multiple bytes. In addition, RAM is used as a temporary space for the software, while storage is permanent until deleted by the user. The most common type of RAM is dynamic RAM (DRAM). When a computer data sheet states 4GB of memory or 4GB RAM, it refers to DRAM. Higher speed SRAM is also used as an internal staging area.

Most people don’t know the difference between RAM and Memory, but memory is often not RAM! A smartphone or tablet's specification of 16GB or 32GB of memory does not refer to RAM; rather it is the unit's flash memory capacity for storing apps and data. The internal RAM is in the 256MB-3GB range but is not widely promoted to the general public, presumably to avoid confusion between RAM (temporary workspace) and flash memory.

We often hear about the human mind being the greatest computer that was ever designed and will never be replicated. There are many comparisons and similarities between a chip and the brain. Unfortunately, there is one area where the computer can continue to expand and add but the human brain becomes more limited over time.  This are is memory. From the time we come out of the womb, we begin taking in information and storing it on our hard drive. As we continue to grow, our human minds display the ability to hold an ever-increasing amount of RAM and memory. This mental gift of elasticity and expansion, however, is limited by its own aging. Unfortunately, I have recently witnessed the deterioration of an older person’s memory. It is very difficult to understand and realize how a person who was sharp, who was really “with it”, can slowly regress and experience memory loss.  

In the classic Mussar sefer Orchos HaTzadikim, gate nineteen discusses ‘remembering’, stating that“memory is a midda  - a trait that the world could not exist without. Memory is the highest attribute a human being can have, it is a vessel that can hold all of the Mitzvos and the entire Torah.  The thought of memory in relationship to the Mitzvos is stated in Bamidbar 15:39,40: “We should remember to do all the Mitzvos.” Typically, memory loss begins with small day-to-day tasks, forgetting where something was placed, not being able to recall a number, etc. It then progresses to forgetting things that happened more recently, such as  a wedding of a close relative which took place only a few months earlier. This memory loss progressively gets worse until the person suffering this memory loss doesn’t even recognize or know the closest people in his or her life. My understanding of this horrible process is that the knowledge and information that has been ingrained the longest will be the last to be forgotten. Unfortunately, my mother’s memory has failed her greatly in a very short span of time. It is not the typical dementia that is associated with memory loss, but perhaps something physical.We still don’t know. All I know is that I see firsthand the value and importance of the power of memory.

The Torah commands us to remember six things: Going out of Egypt, Shabbos, receiving the Torah, making of the golden calf, Miriam’s punishment, and Amalek. But only one of them: to remember what Amalek had done to us when we left Egypt concludes with another command, Do Not Forget! It is one thing to remember, but additionally we are not allowed to forget this one. There are three opinions of when the Mitzva of remembering Amalek takes place. Rambam, in in his sefer Hamitzvos #189, says it is a daily command. The Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzva #603, says it is enough to remember this once in a lifetime, while the Chasam Sofer holds that we must remember this at least once a year. Many commentaries make a distinction in the manner of how we are to ‘remember’ things: in the heart or by the mouth. Rav Pinchas Halevi Horowitz, in his sefer Panim Yafos, says that all of the zechiros/rememberances are in the heart, and only one of the six requires explanation - that being to remember what Amalek did to us and  not to forget. All other five ‘zachor’ in the Torah are by mouth and there is no need to explain. Rav Horowitz explains all of the other zechiros are only for a set time. For example, Shabbos is remembered specifically to remind us of the sanctity of Shabbos. Similarly, we remember Miriam so as to remind us not to speak Lashon Hara, and so forth. Therefore, the need to remember only comes in the form of expressing it by mouth. In contrast, remembering of Amalek is not limited to a certain time; it is to be remembered  forever. Therefore, the zachor is to remember for now;  ‘lo tishkach’ - do not forget - is forever. Therefore the ‘lo tishkach’ needs to be embedded in our hearts so that when the time comes to take revenge against Amalek and to rise up against them, we will be ready.  This Zachor is  permanent.  It is reinforced daily for the time it will be needed.

We often joke about memory and forgetting things as we age. The Torah gives us clear and proper guidance to never forget things, and that is by constantly reminding ourselves of them. We need to be fit and healthy and keep our minds sharp. Exercise, proper diet and a good amount of studying will give longevity to our brains, providing us the capacity to not only remember but also never to forget.

Ah Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky