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I remember hearing a story of a boy who was born without a philtrum, and he remembered all the Torah the angel taught him in the womb (Niddah 30b), and when he was brought to a Rav, the Rav said "this it not the way it is meant to be" (or something), and hit him on the lip, and he forgot.

What is the source of this story? I'd like to know who the Rav was and what the full reasoning was. Please summarise that point in the answer when you bring the source. Thank you.

Rabbi Kaii
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    As a parent I'd be pretty angry at someone who smacked my kid in the head and caused cognitive impairment. – Deuteronomy Mar 07 '24 at 19:33
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    @Deuteronomy as a Talmudist, how do you feel about the angels hitting your kid? – Rabbi Kaii Mar 07 '24 at 20:22
  • Taking the Rambam's approach to Midrash and Malakhim... it doesn't really bother me at all :) – Deuteronomy Mar 07 '24 at 21:41
  • Related: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/29673/ – Fred Mar 07 '24 at 22:10
  • @Deuteronomy Any approach to understanding angels and aggada would have to answer the question, in the context that one saw one's kid born reciting mishna, and then a Rav quoting and demonstrating the gemara, turning him back into a normal baby before one's very eyes. Even if the story is a tale, I would like to understand the reasoning given, to see if there's a worthwhile lesson (because I would also be annoyed that my son didn't get to be a Yanuka) – Rabbi Kaii Mar 08 '24 at 02:13
  • Seeing the two as mutually exclusive would mean refraining from answering, not forcing a merge. If this was something crafted and transmitted by Hazal, then yes - that is the approach I would have. For a tall-tale reputed to have happened in somewhat recent history and circulated by the masses, no, that is definitely not how I would approach it. – Deuteronomy Mar 08 '24 at 13:24
  • @Deuteronomy I had a feeling you would say that, which makes me wonder why you commented at all – Rabbi Kaii Mar 08 '24 at 13:36
  • Comments and answers don't impose the same rigorous demands. – Deuteronomy Mar 08 '24 at 13:44
  • @Deuteronomy I wasn't wondering about that – Rabbi Kaii Mar 08 '24 at 14:01
  • Thanks for the reports on what you are and are not wondering about I guess 🤷‍♂️ – Deuteronomy Mar 08 '24 at 14:04
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    @Deuteronomy comments don't impose rigorous demands :P – Rabbi Kaii Mar 08 '24 at 14:39
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    Perhaps you can more rigorously explain where you are coming from here: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/141022/interpreting-and-accepting-contemporary-reports-of-fantastic-events (and in case there is any feeling of personal animus between us, I promise you there is none on my end - I've got all the brotherly love in the world for you, even if we disagree on some big things). – Deuteronomy Mar 08 '24 at 14:52
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    @Deuteronomy unnecessary (and certainly not - and ditto) – Rabbi Kaii Mar 08 '24 at 14:55

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