The Miracle of Translating the Torah
Question: In the Talmud, an ancient source of Jewish wisdom, it is written:
There was an incident involving King Ptolemy of Egypt, who assembled seventy-two Elders from the Sages of Israel, and put them into seventy-two separate rooms, and did not reveal to them for what purpose he assembled them, so that they would not coordinate their responses. He entered and approached each and every one, and said to each of them: Write for me a translation of the Torah of Moses your teacher. The Holy One, Blessed be He, placed wisdom in the heart of each and every one, and they all agreed to one common understanding. Not only did they all translate the text correctly, they all introduced the same changes into the translated text.”
This is how the Torah was translated into Greek.
My question is, can this source be trusted? Can we say that this happened exactly how it is written?
Answer: Where is it written?
Comment: In the Talmud.
My Response: So, why are you asking?
Question: What is considered a miracle: the fact that the 72 elders translated the Torah as if done by one translator, or that God placed in them a single wisdom, one intention? What is the miracle here?
Answer: The miracle is most likely that they all translated it as one person. The root of this was, as it is written, that God placed in them a single wisdom and one thought.
Question: How does this happen? 72 different people write the exact same text without the slightest error. How does it happen that God places this in each of them?
Answer: Because it is God. And because these are 72 special sages at the highest level of knowledge (therefore 72). The number itself is the level of the highest knowledge. That is why they were able to do it.
Question: Can we say that if God instills one intention and a single wisdom, then God wants this source, the Torah, to be spread in the world?
Answer: This has been said many times and also directly stated that these laws should be for the entire world.
Comment: It is said here that they were able to reach one common understanding.
My Response: Yes, that is the miracle.
Question: Reaching one common understanding is a miracle. If in the past, 72, 120 people, the Sanhedrin, made one decision, today two people cannot make one decision. Two! They must clash, each asserting their own opinion.
How can ordinary people, politicians, leaders, or just individuals and families come to one decision, to one opinion?
Answer: There is a lack of understanding that we are under the authority of the Almighty, and everything comes from Him. Therefore, by agreeing with others, you, in principle, come closer to the Creator.
Question: Do you mean to say that I am somehow agreeing with the Creator who is expressing Himself through another?
Answer: Yes.
Question: If I can go this far, suppress and nullify myself, can I also hear what is being said to me from above?
Answer: You will hear the Creator.
Question: Does this apply to both disputing parties, and families, and generally to any states?
Answer: It is not about hearing what the other person is saying. Through them, you will hear the Creator. This is important.
Question: Specifically through my nullification?
Answer: Yes.
Comment: You attribute such great importance to nullification.
My Response: A person nullifies their egoism, the most important thing within them, and desires only to work with receiving from outside. And “from outside” comes to them from the Creator.
Question: Are you saying that the miracle here is precisely this nullification?
Answer: Yes, that is the miracle. If we could nullify ourselves before each other, we would hear the Creator. But He is concealed behind what we say to each other without listening to others.
Question: Is he waiting for us to be able to do this, to nullify ourselves?
Answer: Yes.
[325209]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 12/28/23
Related Material:
We Should Know How To Read The Torah
Write It On Your Heart
The Oral Torah Is A Key To Penetrating Inside
Discussion | Share Feedback | Ask a question