גְּוִילִין נִשְׂרָפִין וְאוֹתִיּוֹת פּוֹרְחוֹת

ביטוי (אנגלית)

Scrolls are burned and letters fly away

הגדרה (אנגלית)

Despite the burning of the books, the ideas contained within them remain alive. Spiritual ideas have continuity.

("They found Rabbi Chanina ben Teradion sitting and occupied with Torah, gathering many communities, and a Torah scroll was placed in his lap. They brought him and wrapped him in a Torah scroll, surrounded him with bundles of song scrolls, and lit fire on them, and brought wool sponges soaked in water and placed them on his heart so that his soul would not leave quickly. His daughter said to him: 'Father, shall I show you like this?' He said to her: 'If I had been burned alone, the matter would have been hard for me; now that I am burned and the Torah scroll is with me, whoever seeks the edge of a Torah scroll, he seeks my edge.' His disciples said to him: 'Rabbi, what do you see?' He said to them: 'Scrolls are burned and letters fly away.'" - Avodah Zara 18a, and likewise: "As it is written: 'And I will break them before your eyes—tablets breaking and letters flying away'" - Yalkut Shimoni Melachim I, hint 215.)