Q. In the beginning of Devarim is says that Hashem told Moshe to explain the Torah during the last forty days of his life in seventy languages.
Why were they required to hear the Torah in all languages that they probably didn't even know? What was the point to teach them those so many languages, when Torah learning time was of the essence, as Moshe was departing?
A. Our sages teach us that language and communication defines what a human being is, as illustrated by the often quoted targum on (Bereshis 2: 7); And man became a Nefesh Chaya or living soul, that the targum translates as; a communicating soul. Chovas Halevavos (Shaar Habechina) teaches that "the tongue is the pen of the hearth."
Speech is the tool of Creation, as it written; (Bereshis 1: 3) “And Hashem said, Let there be light." The language used teaches us who Hashem is. Talmud (Bava Kama 3: 2) defines a human as "mabeeh," his essence is what he desires and asks and prays for.
Most of the people coming into Eretz Yisroel, were born in the midbor, and had little if any contact with other nations and people. Now they were about to enter a new populated land with thirty-one kingdoms and a cross road to many other nations, and they were likely most unprepared. Not only they did not understand the language those nations spoke, they were not aware of the culture and values they stood for. There was great danger in that encounter, as they could easily be swayed by the new flashy, ostentatious and seemingly pleasant and successful ways of those cultures. Moshe Rabbenu saw as a most essential and crucial task to teach them how the Torah sees and understands each of those relevant new languages and cultures and how to avoid the pitfalls inherent in the encounter with them.
Mishne Torah was not given only to that generation, like the rest of the Torah it is eternal. The way and form it was given, is extremely essential in our days, when we may find ourselves living in countries that contain by the realities of immigration all or most of the seventy languages and cultures in the world.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
Important Numbers
