Levi ben Sisi was a brilliant scholar, one of the finest students of his generation. When a community in the town of Simonia needed a teacher and judge, Rabbi Judah HaNasi sent Levi — the best man he had.
But something went terribly wrong. The Talmud (Pesahim 66a, Yevamot 105a) records that when Levi arrived in Simonia, the townspeople brought him their hardest legal questions. He could not answer a single one. His mind was blank. The knowledge that had once flowed effortlessly was simply gone.
The townspeople sent word back to Rabbi Judah: "The man you sent us cannot answer our questions." Rabbi Judah was astonished — he knew Levi's abilities. What had happened?
The sages explained: when Levi was promoted to a position of authority, pride entered his heart. He began to think of himself not as a servant of Torah but as a master of it. The moment pride took root, God withdrew the gift. The knowledge was not truly Levi's — it was God's, given on loan, and God could reclaim it at any time.
When Levi was humbled by his failure and returned to his former state of humility, his knowledge came back. He could answer questions again, teach again, think clearly again. The experience left a permanent mark: he never forgot that wisdom is not a possession. It is a gift, held in trust, and the moment you mistake it for your own accomplishment, it vanishes from your hand.