For the benefit of the Children of Israel “Moshe explained the Torah well” [1]. To explain the Torah “well” is interpreted that Moshe translated the Torah into seventy languages [2].
The question has been asked: who stood to benefit from all of these translations; we have been taught [3] that the other nations of the world refused to accept the Torah [4]?
Furthermore, whilst a translation of a text can indeed help people understand something in their own language that they otherwise might not have understood, how can a simple translation of a text EXPLAIN it any better than the original text itself?
When certain restrictions were placed upon the Jews of Russia, a group of honourable Jews from Kovna were requested by their brethren to approach the governing body. Heading the group was R’ Yitzchak Elchonon Spektor escorted by one of his family members.
Not fluent in the local language, the Rabbi affectionately pleaded the case of his Jewish brethren in Yiddish. When he was finished, his family member began translating the words of the Rabbi into Russian.
“It is not necessary to continue translating” the minister interrupted, “I fully understand the message of the Rabbiner, even without translation.”
Similarly, ninety years ago, the Polish government proposed a law that Jewish teachers would require official certification that they were fluent in the Polish language. Being that the spoken language of the Jews was Yiddish, this proposal was not only unnecessary, but would (at least in the short term) also be detrimental to the entire system of Jewish education, causing a major lack in available educators.
A group of Rabbis, headed by the Chafetz Chaim (R’ Yisroel Meir Kagan) journeyed to Warsaw with a view to annulling the decree. The Chafetz Chaim was indeed granted an audience with the Prime Minister of Poland where he emotionally pleaded the case of his Jewish brethren.
Afterwards a translation was offered.
“I do not need a translation,” forwent the Prime Minister, “I understand the message already.”
A message is conveyed in its clearest form through a special ‘language’: the ‘language’ of the heart. This is a ‘language’ above all languages; the language of truth; the language of the Torah.
And so the language of the Torah even if it is not ‘understood’ in the conventional manner, its message is nonetheless conveyed. Indeed we have been taught that words of truth are recognised [5] – even without complete understanding.
In other words, the Torah was not actively ‘translated’ per-se into other languages as much as its message was intrinsically manifest so-to-speak into other languages, i.e. ‘understood’ by everyone. All that is left for us to do is to open our hearts to it…
Have a heartfelt Shabbos,
Dan.
Additional sources:
Stories: Rav Shach (brought in Shimusha shel Torah, p. 58)
[1] Devarim 1:5
[2] Rashi, Devarim 1:5
[3] Avodah Zora 2b
[4] Sfas Emes
[5] Sotah 9b
