Дварим 17:18 Мидраш: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Aggadat Bereshit & Sifrei Devarim

GEMARA: Rabba said: "Even if his ancestors left one a scroll, nevertlieless it is a meritorious act for him to write the Holy Scrolls at his own expense, as it is said (Deut. 31, 19) Now, therefore, write this song." Abaye objected [from our Mishnah]: "He shall write the Holy Scrolls for himself," and must not be satisfied with those of his parents. And this speaks only of a king, but not of an ordinary man. Our Mishnah treats of two Holy Scrolls, as we are taught in the following Baraitha (Ib. 17, 18) He shall write for himself a copy of this law — i.e., He must write for himself two Holy Scrolls, one which he must carry wherever he goes, and one which shall remain in his treasury. The one he has to bear with him he shall write in the form of an amulet, and place it on his arm, as it is said (Ps. 16, 8) I have always set the Lord before me. However, he must not enter a bath or a toilet with it, as it is said (Ib., ib. 19) And it shall be with him and he shall read; i.e., it shall be with him in those places where it is permitted to be read, but not in those places where it is not permitted.

Mar Zutra (according to others Mar Ukba), said: "Originally the Torah was given to Israel in Hebrew characters and in the Hebrew language; then it was given again to Israel, in Ezra's time, in Assyrian characters and in the Aramaic language; finally the Assyrian characters and the Hebrew language were selected for Israel, and the Hebrew characters and the Aramaic language were left to the Hedyotim (ordinary class)." Who are meant by Hedyotim? R. Chisda said: "The Samaritans." What is meant by Hebrew characters? R. Chisda said: "The Libunah characters." We are taught in a Baraitha: R. Jose says: "Ezra was worthy that the Torah should be given through him, had not Moses preceded him." Concerning Moses it says (Ex. 19, 3) And Moses went up unto God. And concerning Ezra it says (Ezra 7, 6) This Ezra went up. Just as the term Aliya (went up) used here [concerning Moses] refers to receiving the Torah, so also does the term Aliya, used there [in connection with Ezra] refer to the Torah. Concerning Moses it is said — (Deut. 4, 14) And me the Lord commanded at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances. And concerning Ezra it says (Ezra 7, 10) For Ezra had directed his heart to inquire unto the law of the Lord and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances. Although the Torah was not given through him, its characters were nevertheless changed through him, as it is said (Fol. 22) (Ib. 4, 7) And the writing of the letter was written in Aramaic, and interpreted in Aramaic. And it is also written (Dan. 5, 8) They were not able to read the writing, nor to make its interpretation. Hence it was a new character that the Aramaic people could not read. (Deut. 17, 18) He shall write for himself (Mishnah) a copy of this Law. This signifies a change in the character of the writing in the future. And why are they called Assyrian? We are taught in another Baraitha: Rabbi says: "In the Asshurith character the Torah was given to Israel in the very beginning, but after they had sinned it was forgotten by them; and after they had repented, it was returned to them, as it is said (Zech. 9, 12) Return to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope; even to-day do I declare that I will render double unto thee. And why is it named Asshurith? Because it is praiseworthy in character." R. Simon b. Elazar, however, said in the name of R. Eliezer b. Prata, quoting R. Elazar the Modai, that the characters were not changed at all, as it is said (Esther 8, 9) And to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language, i.e. Just as their language was not changed, so also was their character not changed. But if so, then what is the meaning of "He shall write (Mishnah) a copy of this Law, [which signifies a change in the future]? This refers to the two copies of the Holy Scrolls which a king has to write; one of which is kept in his treasury and another with which he goes out and comes in. The one with which he goes out and comes in should be in a miniature form attached to his arm, as it is said (Ps. 16, 8) I have always set the Lord before me. But he who maintains that the character of the writing was not changed at all, what does he infer from the passage just cited? He uses it for that which was said by R. Chana b. Bizna in the name of R. Simon the pious: "He who prays should always imagine that the Shechinah is opposite him, for it is said, I have always set the Lord before me.

[2] Another interpretation: And Judah approached him (Joseph), as it is said in scriptures, "and I will be with him in trouble, and I will deliver him and honor him" (Psalms 91:15). So too did the Almighty increase the Torah. Whoever seeks to engage in Torah study, the Torah plays with him, as it is said, "playing in the inhabited world" (Proverbs 8:31). There is no greater scholar than Solomon, and regarding one who sought to abolish the letter Yud (י) from the Torah, see what happened to him. When Solomon became king and sat on his throne and reviewed the Torah, it is written, "And it will be when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this Torah" (Deuteronomy 17:18). When he saw that he had not increased wealth or women, he said, "I will multiply wives for myself and gold and horses" (Deuteronomy 17:17). How many women did he have? As it is said, "And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines" (I Kings 11:3). How many horses did he have? As it is said, "And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses" (Ibid, 4:26). And how much silver and gold did he have? As it is said, "The king made silver and gold in Jerusalem like stones" (II Chronicles 1:15). "Immediately, the Torah ascended before the Holy One, blessed be He, and said to Him: 'Master of the Universe, why am I still waiting here on earth? If King Solomon, the wisest of the wise, annulled me, who will uphold me?' The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: 'Your life is worth a thousand times the life of Solomon, for even if all the sages were to nullify you, the letter yud (י) in the Torah cannot be nullified. Whatever is nullified, the yud is never nullified. I will treat it as if the entire Torah was nullified because of it, as it is said: 'And the Lord said to Solomon: "Since this has been your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees" (1 Kings 11:11). The Torah that is referred to as 'this' (זאת), as it is said: 'And this is the Torah' (Deuteronomy 4:44). It is said that it was 'with him' (Solomon), as it is said: 'And it shall be with him and he shall read it' (Deuteronomy 17:19). And you (Torah) have caused the tearing apart of the kingdom from him, as it is said: 'I will tear the kingdom away from you [and give it to one of your servants.]' (I Kings 11:11)[edit. Hebrew text says " shem " 11:15]. Why? Because you played games in his world."