Rav Nachman of Breslov on Today, Shiva Asur b'Tammuz

The Novi (Malachi 3:22) orders us: Zichru Toras Moshe, “Remember the Torah of Moses.” Considering that this order is given as part of the Prophet’s discourse on the sechar (reward) for the mitzvos, the word zichru (remember) is odd. It would have made more sense for the Prophet to have said kiymu (fulfill) Toras Moshe or tishmeru (observe) Toras Moshe. Why did the Prophet elect the weaker language of zichru (remember)?

Rabbeinu za”l, Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, explains this language in Likutei Moharan I:217.

When HaShem gave the 1^st set of tablets, He Himself engraved the words upon the stones (Shmos 32:16). The Gemora (Eruvin 54a) and many meforshim understand that the words, engraved by divine hand, were supernaturally “engraved” upon the hearts and souls of all those who studied them. The presence of the divinely engraved tablets made the Torah indelible to all who learned it. However, with Moshe Rabbinu’s smashing of the tablets, Chaza”l tell us that forgetfulness entered the world. The Gemora (Yoma 4b) pinpoints the date upon which the tablets were shattered and that the ability to forget the Torah entered the world: the 17^th of Tammuz. If it were not for the destruction of the luchos on that day, it would be impossible to forget Torah.

The initial letters of the phrase Zichru Toras Moshe are those of the Hebrew month of Tammuz: TMZ. The prophet is intimating, by use of the word zichru (remember) and the initial letters TMZ, that we must specifically strive to remember our learning in order to rectify the blemish of shichicha (forgetfulness) which descended into the world as a result of the destruction of the 1^st tablets.

Now, you may notice that this spelling of Tammuz is choser, lacking the letter vav. Rabbi Nachman writes that, as a result of the shattering of the tablets, the vav “departed.” As is common in the writings of the Rebbe, the letter vav is understood to refer to the tablets which the sages tell us (Bava Basra 14a) were vav hand-breadths long and vav hand-breadths wide (6x6 – the letter vav is the number 6). Thus, Zichru Toras Moshe is an adjuration to us to remember, to review, and to cling to the Torah so that we may rectify the events of the month of Tammuz when the luchos (the vav) departed.

Furthermore, note that the breaking of the luchos occurred 40 days after the 6^th of Sivan, which is Shavuos. In davening we call Shavous Zman Matan Toroseinu, the initial letters of which also spell TMZ without the vav. So we see that on the holiday of Shavuos, which commemorates the giving of the Torah, we hint to the forgetfulness that was brought into the world and the need to rectify it by constantly rededicating ourselves to the study and remembrance of the Torah.

In this sense, the fast of the 17^th of Tammuz and the celebration of the giving of the Torah on Shavuos share a common element – the rectification of shichicha (forgetfulness) and the blemish of the shattering of the luchos.

Therefore, in Breslov there is a minhag held by many to rededicate oneself on this day to Torah learning; to adopt a new seder, or to begin a new masechta.