וַיִּ֜פֶן וַיֵּ֤רֶד מֹשֶׁה֙ מִן־הָהָ֔ר וּשְׁנֵ֛י לֻחֹ֥ת הָעֵדֻ֖ת בְּיָד֑וֹ לֻחֹ֗ת כְּתֻבִים֙ מִשְּׁנֵ֣י עֶבְרֵיהֶ֔ם מִזֶּ֥ה וּמִזֶּ֖ה הֵ֥ם כְּתֻבִֽים׃
Então Moshe se virou e desceu do monte, com as duas tábuas do testemunho em sua mão, tábuas escritas de ambos os lados, de um lado e do outro estavam escritas.
Devarim Rabbah
“These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan; in the wilderness, in the Arava, opposite the Red Sea, between Paran and Tofel, and Laban, and Hatzerot, and Di Zahav” (Deuteronomy 1:1).
“These are the words” – halakha:1It is common in Devarim Rabba for the midrash to introduce halakhic discussions with the word “halakha.” Is it permissible for a person of Israel to write a Torah scroll in any language? This is what the sages taught: The difference between Torah scrolls and phylacteries and mezuzot is only that Torah scrolls may be written in any language. Rabban Gamliel says: Even Torah scrolls, the Sages permitted to be written only in Greek.2See Megilla 8b. What is the source for Rabban Gamliel who says that it is permitted to write a Torah scroll in Greek? This is what our Rabbis learned: Bar Kappara said: It is written: “May God expand Yefet, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem” (Genesis 9:27) – let the words of Shem be stated in the language of Yefet.3Israel descends from Shem, and the Greeks descended from Yefet (see Genesis 10:2, 11:10–27). That is why they permitted them to write it in Greek.
The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘See the language of the Torah, how dear it is, that it cures the tongue.’ From where is it derived? As it is written: “A healing tongue is a tree of life” (Proverbs 15:4), and a tree of life is nothing but Torah, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life for those who grasp it” (Proverbs 3:18). The language of the Torah unencumbers the tongue. Know that in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will take up excellent trees from the Garden of Eden. What is their excellence? It is that they cure the tongue, as it is stated: “Along the stream, upon its bank, on this side and on that side, [will grow every food tree]” (Ezekiel 47:12). From where is it derived that it is a cure for the tongue? As it is stated: “Its fruit will be for food and its leaf for healing” (Ezekiel 47:12). Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, one said: ‘It is a medicine,’ and one said: ‘Anyone who is mute and tastes of it, his tongue will be cured and it will immediately articulate matters of Torah,’ as so it is written: “on this side and on that side,” and [the phrase] “on this side and on that side” is [a reference to] nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “[Tablets that were inscribed on both sides,] from this side and from that side they were inscribed” (Exodus 32:15).
Rabbi Levi said: Why should we learn from elsewhere? Let us learn from its own place, as Moses, before he was privileged to receive the Torah, it is written in his regard: “I am not a man of words” (Exodus 4:10). When he was privileged to receive the Torah, his tongue was cured and he began speaking words. From where is it derived? From what we read in this context: “These are the words that Moses spoke.”
“These are the words” – halakha:1It is common in Devarim Rabba for the midrash to introduce halakhic discussions with the word “halakha.” Is it permissible for a person of Israel to write a Torah scroll in any language? This is what the sages taught: The difference between Torah scrolls and phylacteries and mezuzot is only that Torah scrolls may be written in any language. Rabban Gamliel says: Even Torah scrolls, the Sages permitted to be written only in Greek.2See Megilla 8b. What is the source for Rabban Gamliel who says that it is permitted to write a Torah scroll in Greek? This is what our Rabbis learned: Bar Kappara said: It is written: “May God expand Yefet, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem” (Genesis 9:27) – let the words of Shem be stated in the language of Yefet.3Israel descends from Shem, and the Greeks descended from Yefet (see Genesis 10:2, 11:10–27). That is why they permitted them to write it in Greek.
The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘See the language of the Torah, how dear it is, that it cures the tongue.’ From where is it derived? As it is written: “A healing tongue is a tree of life” (Proverbs 15:4), and a tree of life is nothing but Torah, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life for those who grasp it” (Proverbs 3:18). The language of the Torah unencumbers the tongue. Know that in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will take up excellent trees from the Garden of Eden. What is their excellence? It is that they cure the tongue, as it is stated: “Along the stream, upon its bank, on this side and on that side, [will grow every food tree]” (Ezekiel 47:12). From where is it derived that it is a cure for the tongue? As it is stated: “Its fruit will be for food and its leaf for healing” (Ezekiel 47:12). Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, one said: ‘It is a medicine,’ and one said: ‘Anyone who is mute and tastes of it, his tongue will be cured and it will immediately articulate matters of Torah,’ as so it is written: “on this side and on that side,” and [the phrase] “on this side and on that side” is [a reference to] nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “[Tablets that were inscribed on both sides,] from this side and from that side they were inscribed” (Exodus 32:15).
Rabbi Levi said: Why should we learn from elsewhere? Let us learn from its own place, as Moses, before he was privileged to receive the Torah, it is written in his regard: “I am not a man of words” (Exodus 4:10). When he was privileged to receive the Torah, his tongue was cured and he began speaking words. From where is it derived? From what we read in this context: “These are the words that Moses spoke.”
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
(Fol. 15) And Mordecai ascertained all that had been done (Est. 4, 1). What had been done? Rab said: "That Haman had persuaded Ahasuerus." (Ib.) Then called Esther for Hathach. Said Rab: "Hathach is Daniel, but why was he called Hathach? Because he severed connections with his high position." Samuel said: "On the contrary, he had the office, and his name signifies that all laws were decided by him." And gave him a change for Mordecai to know what this was, and why this was. R. Isaac Nafcha said: "Thus sent Esther to Mordecai. Perhaps they [Israel] transgressed the five books of the Torah concerning which it is written (Ex. 32, 15) On the one side and on the other were they inscribed." And they told Mordecai the words of Esther (12). But he (Hathach) himself did not come to her? "From this," said R. Abba b. Cahana, "we infer that one need not go back [to his sender] to bring bad news." And Mordecai went about. Rad said: "This means that he transgressed by fasting on the first day of Passover"; and Samuel said: "It means that he crossed a pool of water [to assemble the Jews of the other side]."
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
R. Elazar said: "What is meant by the passage (Songs 5, 13.) His checks are as a bed of spices, i.e., if a man makes himself as a garden bed upon which every one treads [extremely modest], and just as the spices give enjoyment to others [so he teaches others], then his learning will endure with him; but if otherwise his learning will not endure with him." R. Elazar said also: "What is meant by the passage (Ex. 31, 18.) Tables of stone, i.e., If a man makes his jaws as [untiring in repeating lessons as] a stone that cannot be defaced when trodden upon, his learning will then endure with him; otherwise, his learning will not endure with him." R. Elazar said further: "What is the meaning of the passage (Ib. 32, 16.) The writing of God, engraved upon the tables, i.e., if the first tables had not been broken, the Torah would not have been forgotten by Israel." R. Acha b. Jacob said: "No nation on the earth could have had power over him; for it is said 'engraved upon the tables.' Do not read Charuth (engraved) but read it Cheiruth (liberty.")