Menakhot 99 The school of hard knocks also teaches wisdom

On today’s daf TB Menakhot 99 the Gemara explains that there were three Tables upon which the shewbread was placed. “Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says: They would arrange the shewbread only upon the Table of Moses. Rather, how do I realize the meaning of the verse: “And the tables upon which was the shewbread…of pure gold” (II Chronicles 4:19–20)? These are the three tables that were in the Temple, of which there were two that were situated in the Entrance Hall to the Sanctuary, on the inside near to the entrance to the Temple, i.e., near the entrance to the Sanctuary. One of these tables was made of silver, and the other one was made of gold.

“On the table of silver the priest places the new shewbread that has been baked, before its entrance into the Sanctuary, so that the loaves may cool a little from the heat of the oven. And when the old shewbread is removed from the shewbread Table it is placed on the table of gold upon its exit from the Sanctuary, until the frankincense is burned on the altar. The reason the shewbread is placed on a silver table before it is brought into the Sanctuary and on a gold one when it is removed is that one elevates to a higher level in matters of sanctity and one does not downgrade (מַעֲלִין בַקּוֹדֶשׁ וְלֹא מוֹרִידִין). Since it is set on the gold shewbread Table all week, it cannot be downgraded to a silver table upon its removal. The Gemara concludes: The third of the three tables is the one Table of gold inside the Sanctuary upon which the shewbread is always found.” (Sefaria.org translation) (Obviously, gold is more precious than silver; consequently, once the loaves of bread rested upon the gold Table to return it to a silver one was deemed disrespectful.-gg)

“Having mentioned the principle that one does not downgrade in matters of sanctity, the Gemara cites a related issue. The verse states: “At that time the Lord said to me: Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first…And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke, and you shall put them in the Ark” (Deuteronomy 10:1–2). Rav Yosef teaches a baraita: This verse teaches that both the tablets of the Covenant and the pieces of the broken tablets are placed in the Ark. One should learn from here that with regard to a Torah scholar who has forgotten his Torah knowledge due to circumstances beyond his control, e.g., illness, one may not behave toward him in a degrading manner. Although the first tablets were broken it is prohibited to treat them with disrespect, due to their sanctity. A Torah scholar who forgot the Torah knowledge he once possessed is likened to these broken tablets.” (Sefaria.com translation)

I would extend this lesson of the rabbis to all people. There are two types of learning. One is book smarts and the other is street smarts. The life lessons learned in the school of hard knocks are no less valuable than sitting in a classroom. Just by living and experiencing life and learning from mistakes also constitutes wisdom. Consequently we should treat every elderly person who suffers from dementia or Alzheimer’s with the same type of respect the rabbis wanted us to treat a Torah scholar who has forgotten his Torah due to circumstances beyond his control. Nobody created in God’s image deserves to be treated in a degrading manner.