Pisqa’ 16095H: 193- 194; JN2:29-30. 1. “Now, when he occupies the throne of his kingdom” (Dt.17:18). That is: If he behaves according to all the stipulations in this matter, then he will be privileged to occupy the throne of his kingdom.96Cf. Pisqa’ot 156.1, 162.1, 170.1, 174.1, 297.1, etc..
“A copy”98Heb:mishneh.(Dt.17:17)— do I infer from this that he must copy only the Restatement of the Torah (mishneh hatorah)?99I.e., the Book of Deuteronomy. On what basis do I know that [he copies] the rest of the words of the Torah?100I. e.,Genesis-Numbers. The Teaching states: “To preserve all the words of this Torah, and these statutes, and to perform them” (Dt.17:19). If so, why is it stated: “A copy of this Torah” (Dt.17:17)? [This refers to a copy in the original script,]101=T.San.4:7. The Toseftan text continues: “Why was it called ‘Assyrian?” Because it ascended with them after the Assyrian conquest. Rabbi says: The Torah was given to them at the outset in the Assyrian script. But when they sinned, it was exchanged for Samaritan script (ro`atz). And when they were deserving in the days of Ezra, it was changed back to Assyrian . . . “ for the script was eventually replaced.102Heb: lehishtanot; literally, “changed. The assonance with mishneh, both words sharing an identical root (sh-n-h), supports the verbal play.
2. Inscribed “on a document”104Heb: `al sefer, literally, “in a book.”(Dt.17:18)— but not on a tablet; “On a document” (Dt.17:18)— but not on papyrus. Rather, it must be inscribed on a scroll, for it is said: “On a document” (Dt.17:18).105//Sifre Num, 16, s.v., basefer umakhah. See Pisqa’ 269 and161.4 Official proclamations were written on scrolls. So, too, the Torah—as befitting its status—should be written on a scroll.
“On a document” (Dt.17:18)— on the skin of a clean animal. And they correct it against Ezra’s scroll, supervised by the Court of Seventy One [which met in the Chamber of Carved Stone].107Cf. T. San.4:7.
“Before the levitical Priests” (Dt.17:18)— on this basis, R. Elazar b. Arakh expounded: [But for their intervention,] the Torah would have been forgotten!108Cf. T. Edu.1:1 and Pisqa’ 157.4.
(דברים יז יח) וְהָיָה כְשִׁבְתּוֹ עַל כִּסֵּא מַמְלַכְתּוֹ – אִם עוֹשֶׂה הוּא כָּל הָאָמוּר בָּעִנְיָן, כְּדַי הוּא שֶׁיֵּשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא מַמְלַכְתּוֹ.
Pisqa’ 16095H: 193- 194; JN2:29-30.
1. “Now, when he occupies the throne of his kingdom” (Dt.17:18).
That is:
If he behaves according to all the stipulations in this matter,
then he will be privileged to occupy the throne of his kingdom.96Cf. Pisqa’ot 156.1, 162.1, 170.1, 174.1, 297.1, etc..
וְכָתַב לוֹ – לִשְׁמוֹ; שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא נֵאוֹת בְּשֶׁל אֲבוֹתָיו.
“Then, he shall inscribe for himself” (Dt.17:17)—
for his personal use,
lest he benefit from the copies made by his ancestors.97//T. San. 4:7
מִשְׁנֵה, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא מִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה, שְׁאָר דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים יז יט): ״לִשְׁמֹר אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת וְאֶת הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה לַעֲשׂוֹתָם״. אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר מִשְׁנֵה הַתּוֹרָה? – שֶׁעֲתִידָה לְהִשְׁתַּנּוֹת!
“A copy”98Heb:mishneh. (Dt.17:17)—
do I infer from this that he must copy
only the Restatement of the Torah (mishneh hatorah)?99I.e., the Book of Deuteronomy.
On what basis do I know that
[he copies] the rest of the words of the Torah?100I. e.,Genesis-Numbers.
The Teaching states:
“To preserve all the words of this Torah, and these statutes, and to perform them” (Dt.17:19).
If so, why is it stated:
“A copy of this Torah” (Dt.17:17)?
[This refers to a copy in the original script,] 101=T.San.4:7. The Toseftan text continues: “Why was it called ‘Assyrian?” Because it ascended with them after the Assyrian conquest. Rabbi says: The Torah was given to them at the outset in the Assyrian script. But when they sinned, it was exchanged for Samaritan script (ro`atz). And when they were deserving in the days of Ezra, it was changed back to Assyrian . . . “
for the script was eventually replaced.102Heb: lehishtanot; literally, “changed. The assonance with mishneh, both words sharing an identical root (sh-n-h), supports the verbal play.
אֲחֵרִים אוֹמְרִים: אֵין קוֹרְאִים בְּיוֹם הַקְהֵל אֶלָּא מִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה בִּלְבַד.
Others say:
on the Day of Assembly (Dt.31:10-13),103See Pisqa’ 157.4.
they recite only from
[a copy of] the Restatement of the Torah.
עַל סֵפֶר – וְלֹא עַל הַלּוּחַ, עַל סֵפֶר – וְלֹא עַל הַנְּיָר, אֶלָּא עַל הַמְּגִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עַל סֵפֶר.
2. Inscribed “on a document”104Heb: `al sefer, literally, “in a book.” (Dt.17:18)—
but not on a tablet;
“On a document” (Dt.17:18)—
but not on papyrus.
Rather, it must be inscribed on a scroll,
for it is said:
“On a document” (Dt.17:18).105//Sifre Num, 16, s.v., basefer umakhah. See Pisqa’ 269 and161.4 Official proclamations were written on scrolls. So, too, the Torah—as befitting its status—should be written on a scroll.
מִלִּפְנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם, שֶׁתְּהֵא מֻגַּהַת מִלִּפְנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם.
“Before the levitical Priests” (Dt.17:18)—
the text should be corrected under
[the supervision of] the levitical Priests].106Cf. T. San.4:7.
עַל סֵפֶר, עַל גַּבֵּי עוֹר בְּהֵמָה טְהוֹרָה, וּמַגִּיהִים לוֹ מִסֵּפֶר עֲזָרָה עַל פִּי בֵּית דִּין שֶׁל שִׁבְעִים וְאֶחָד.
“On a document” (Dt.17:18)—
on the skin of a clean animal.
And they correct it against Ezra’s scroll,
supervised by the Court of Seventy One
[which met in the Chamber of Carved Stone].107Cf. T. San.4:7.
מִלִּפְנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם, מִכָּן דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ שֶׁסּוֹף תּוֹרָה עֲתִידָה לְהִשְׁתַּכֵּחַ.
“Before the levitical Priests” (Dt.17:18)—
on this basis, R. Elazar b. Arakh expounded:
[But for their intervention,] the Torah would have been forgotten!108Cf. T. Edu.1:1 and Pisqa’ 157.4.