ParshaDevorim/
Why did Moses Translate the Torah
Into 70 Tongues? (Deut. 1:5)
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Rabbi Zvi Aviner
NoahideSevenCommandments.com
הואל משה לבאר את התורה הזאת
Where are we now in the story of the Torah?
The book is written by Moses, standing with Israael on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, across of Jericho. 40 y passed since the Exodus from Egypt; the old generation had passed away and a new one who had grown free in the wilderness is ready to enter the Holy Land that was promised to the Patriarchs. Moses himself is about to pass away and leave the leadership to Joshua.
Moses agreed
Now our verse says that Moses “began” explaining this Torah. True, some commentaries (RMBN) interpret “Ho-Ee-L” as “Began”. But ask any person in Tel Aviv Street the meaning of the word and you will hear “agreed, despite an inclination not to.”
That fits Moses perfectly. He is not a man of words, as he had argued with Hashem, and he is the modest of all people, and to speak about himself, as he does in Deuteronomy, is a burden for him.
“This Torah”- Deuteronomy
The simplest explanation is that the expression “Explained this Torah” pertains to the Book of Deuteronomy. This is indeed the view of the Vilna Gaon, who elaborates on the structure of this Book.
This Torah -in seventy interpretations
Rashi, however, says differently. “Moses explained the Torah with Seventy Tongues.” Here Rashi follows the Talmud. The meaning “seventy tongues” assumes the idea that each verse in the Entire Torah can be understood in 70 different ways, a basic dictum behind the Oral Torah. It legitimizes the rabbinical way of discussing the Laws in the Talmud.
Seventy Noahide Tongues
But others say that ‘seventy tongues” refers to seventy foreign languages, spoken by the Seventy Families of Noahide Nations.
Why did be do this? – For he knew that the Israelites would be exiled into the Nations, and he sent the message that they could translate the Torah to fit their need. That is why we have several translations to Aramaic.
A famous interpretation to Greek was done in Egypt at around 100 BC by “Seventy Elders.” The Rabbinical world of that time did not accept the translation out of fearing that unscrupulous gentiles would distort the meaning, as indeed did happen in history. The day the elders finished their work has become an official fast day, till nowadays.
One can say thar Moses did not translate the Torah but rather explained it to the Nations. Because of this interpretation, Jews everywhere have followed the custom to “read” the Torah in the synagogues in Hebrew, while interpretations and “commentaries’” can be written in foreign tongues. This way the Hebrew has been kept alive over thousands of years in the diasporas.
He wrote it for the gentiles selves
Another view is that Moses translated the Torah into 70 languages for the sake of the nations themselves.
Support for that comes from Deuteronomy itself. Later in the Book (Ki Tavo) we are told that Moses ordered to erect at least four sets of stones on which the Torah is inscribed.
They are at (1) East bank of the Jordan River (2) at the passage of Israel to the Holy Land, where a miracle happened and the river dried under the preists who carried the Holy Ark. Joshua ordered to take 12 stones and inscribe on each one the Torah, against the 12 tribes of Israel (3) In the Gilgal mountain at the west bank, where Israel parked for some time (4) on mount Eival across the city of Shchem.
Now three of the four could be inscribed by the Torah in Hebrew. But the one pile at Shchem was clearly inscribed by the local Canaanite tongue for them to read.
Hence, in the same token we can say that Moses translated the Torah to 70 gentile tongues for the sake of the gentiles.
The question is why he did it at this special moment, just before entering the Holy Land?
He acted along Bilaam
We may say that he wished to send the message that Israel is entering the Holy Land for the sake of Mankind.
This indeed was the prophecy of Bilaam. He was hired by King Balak to curse Israel and prevent them from entering the Land. Bilaam, however, saw Israel as a tree planted in a good fertile ground to produce good fruit – David and the Messiah, the Son of David.
Israel, Bilaam said, ensembles a Tree with good roots, good trunk and a good canopy. The roots are the patriarchs, the trunk is their solid faith, and the canopy is their society filled with Torah academies and synagogues. Such a good Tree will produce good fruit -David and his sons.
While David would care for Israel,
The Messiah will care for the seventy Noahide Nations, says Maimonides. The Messiah, then, will teach the Nations the Torah, focusing on the Seven Commandments.
This is why Moses saw here the need to translate the Torah to seventy tongues. The Messiah will do the same.