אות - יח

The Rebbe once spoke about the printing of books in his day. The number of printers of both recent and earlier works had increased. They had no lack of customers, for everyone was buying these volumes.

The Rebbe said that the Talmud teaches, “The day will come when the Torah will be forgotten among Jews” ( Shabbat 138b) . Therefore, many books are printed and bought, with people building up their own libraries, so that the Torah is not forgotten. Even the simplest tailor has books. As each book is published, people rush to buy it, building up respectable collections

What people do not realize is that these books are of no help unless they look into them and study their teachings. But today, Torah study has fallen very low and few people engage in it. [How can books prevent the Torah from being forgotten if nobody studies them?]