This Shabbos we begin reading the fifth book of the Torah – Devorim / Deuteronomy. Our Sages call this Book, Mishne Torah – the repetition of Torah – for our leader Moshe, 37 days before his death, taught the Jewish people many new laws and also repeated laws that were previously written. G-d instructed Moshe to write in the Torah as eternal law everything that he taught.
The Torah uses the word Be’er – which means to clearly explain it to them – when describing Moshe’s teaching of the Torah to the Jewish nation. Rashi comments that Moshe taught the Torah in all 70 languages that exist.
The question raised is, what was the purpose for Moshe to teach the Torah in all 70 languages? After all, he was speaking to the Jewish people who knew only two languages, Hebrew and Egyptian. And they had no use for Egyptian, as they were entering into the Land of Israel. So it begs the question, why did Moshe put the effort into teaching the Torah in 70 languages?
In truth, this is not the first time the Torah was taught in all languages. Our Sages tell us when G-d proclaimed the Ten Commandments, the main language was Hebrew as recorded in the Torah. G-d simultaneously expressed the Torah in all 70 languages as well.
Additionally, when the Jews crossed the Jordan River into Israel the Torah instructed them upon their entry into Israel to erect 12 stones and inscribe the entirety of the Torah in 70 languages onto the stones.
Again, what was the purpose for this?
My father, Rabbi Boruch Saks explains that G-d and Moshe expressed the Torah in all languages to teach us that although the Jews were heading into the Land of Israel where they would be able to fulfill all the laws of the Torah, someone may feel that the Torah is only pertinent, and applicable in the Land of Israel and not elsewhere. One may even base their claim on the verse in Isaiah, “From Zion Torah emerges and the word of G-d is from Jerusalem.”
Yes, Torah studied and observed in the Land of Israel has wonderful advantages – it is a holy land and it is where G-d picked to have His Sanctuary built. However, G-d foresaw the time when the Jews would be exiled from Israel, settling in Babylonia before the destruction of the first Temple and being exiled to other parts of the globe in the aftermath of the Roman destruction of the second Temple. At these junctures one might possibly consider that being in a foreign land, culture, and language, the Torah is no longer pertinent and obligatory.
G-d therefore expressed the Torah and the Ten Commandments in all 70 languages, and forty years later, when Moshe was reviewing the Torah he said it in all 70 languages. Furthermore, the Torah in 70 languages stood on a pillar at the entry and exit of the land. This is to impress on all of us that Torah is our way of life no matter where in the world a Jew may find himself due to exile, travel or business.
Furthermore, since the Torah was given by G-d and Moshe in all 70 languages it infused within each language the ability to contain the light of the holy words of Torah so that it could be understood and expressed in every language, enabling the eternal word of Torah to spread and be understood in every location on earth.
We are blessed to witness this phenomenon today!
The question is, how did Moshe know all 70 languages?
King David in the Book of Psalms states, “The secret of G-d is for those who fear Him.” The Medrash tells us that the Gematria of the word Sod – secret – is 70. G-d informed Avraham when he performed the covenant of circumcision the secret of 70. “Seventy souls will descend from you and go to Egypt (with Yaacov.) Seventy, will be the members of the Sanhedrin – high court. Moshe will teach your offspring Torah in seventy languages.”
G-d reveals His secrets to the ones who fear him. Moshe was infused with the knowledge of these languages by the Almighty.
The Talmud relates that when the Pharoh challenged Yosef of his knowledge of all 70 languages, the angel Gavriel taught them to Yosef. Yosef knew an additional language which the Pharoh did not know, namely, Hebrew.
In the Megilla of Esther it states that Mordechai overheard two foreign servants of King Achashvairosh speaking in their native tongue telling of plans to poison the king. Mordechai passed on the information to Queen Esther, and she passed it onto the king, who had it investigated, and the plotters were eliminated.
The Talmud asks, “How did Mordechai understand this foreign language?” Mordechai was a member of the Sanhedrin ― the court of law ―which required its members to understand all languages. This was necessary so that judges of the Sanhedrin could receive testimony from the actual witnesses and petitioners and not through an interpreter.
There are three expressions that are universally understood. That is a smile or laughter, a sigh and a cry.
We are currently in the nine day period which is an especially sad time for us due to the destruction of our Temples that occurred during this time of the year. Although this occurred over two thousand years ago, amazingly, we still mourn its loss – we still sigh and cry over it. Our Sages tell us, those who express mourning over the loss of the Temple, will merit to partake of the joy and happiness that will be associated with witnessing the Temple rebuilt. Along with the rebuilding of the Temple will come the restoration of peace, and healing of humanity, when the anointed one will herald the Moshiach. When this occurs all civilization will unanimously and resolutely have the same reason to smile and beam!
