In Sifrei Devarim, a collection of early Jewish legal interpretations, we find a fascinating instruction about writing a Sefer Torah, a Torah scroll. It says, "that he shall write for himself the mishneh of this Torah." What does that mean, exactly?
The text emphasizes "expressly for himself." The idea here is potent: you aren't supposed to just rely on your ancestors' scrolls. You can't just "bedizen" – adorn – yourself with what they left behind. You have to make it your own.
Now, the word mishneh is interesting. It literally means "repetition" or "copy." In this context, it initially refers to Mishneh Torah, which is another name for the Book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy is essentially a retelling, or a "repetition," of much of the material found earlier in the Torah. So, does this instruction only apply to Deuteronomy?
Not so fast! The text goes on to ask: how do we know this mitzvah – this commandment – applies to the entire Torah, not just Deuteronomy? The answer lies in another verse, Deuteronomy 19: "to heed all the words of this Torah." That seems pretty comprehensive, right? It implies that the obligation to write a Torah scroll applies to the whole thing.
So, if that's the case, why does it specifically mention "the mishneh of this Torah"? Why single out Deuteronomy? Here's where it gets really interesting. The text suggests it's because the script itself was destined to change.
Think about it. The script used to write the Torah wasn't always the same. There was a significant shift that occurred around the time of Ezra, as we see alluded to in Ezra 4:7 and Daniel 5:8. The original Hebrew script, known as Ktav Ivri, was replaced with the Aramaic-derived script, Ktav Ashuri, that we use today.
So, the mention of mishneh – repetition – might be hinting at this transition, this change in the very way the Torah was written. It's like saying, "Yes, you need to write the whole Torah, but be aware that even the script itself is subject to change and interpretation."
What does that mean for us today? Well, maybe it's a reminder that tradition isn't static. It's not just about blindly following what came before. It's about engaging with the text, making it our own, and understanding that even the most sacred things can evolve and adapt over time. We need to write our own scroll, metaphorically speaking, constantly reinterpreting and reapplying the ancient wisdom to our own lives.