דברים, פרק כ״ז, פסוק ח׳

Upon entering the land of Israel, the law transitions from a closed book or a text confined to sacred tablets into a public document displayed openly for all [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The command to write the law on large stones ensures that during the covenant and oath-taking at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, the law is physically present. The people can swear to uphold it while looking directly at it [רשב״ם].

There are different views on what exactly was inscribed on these stones. One perspective suggests that the entire text, from the beginning of Genesis to its conclusion, was written upon them through a miracle [הכתב והקבלה בשם הרמב״ן]. Conversely, others propose that only a summary detailing the commandments and warnings was recorded [הכתב והקבלה בשם ראב״ע, ברכת אשר בשם רס״ג]. A third approach argues that the inscription contained only the most fundamental laws, such as the Ten Commandments and the Shema [הכתב והקבלה, תורה תמימה]. The method of writing itself is also a subject of discussion. Some commentators maintain that the words were etched directly onto stones that had been coated with plaster [מלבי״ם, העמק דבר]. Another opinion suggests that the text was written on parchment and then permanently affixed to the stones, similar to how a scroll is attached to a doorpost [הכתב והקבלה].

A central emphasis of this command is the requirement for the text to be presented with absolute clarity. On a basic level, this means the writing had to be beautiful, explicit, and highly legible, crafted by an artisan so that any person could read it quickly and easily [אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם, ביאור יש״ר, בכור שור]. However, a prominent tradition expands on this idea of clarity, asserting that the law was translated and written in seventy languages [רש״י]. The purpose of this massive translation was to grant all the nations of the world access to the text, allowing them to read, understand, and even copy it [שפתי חכמים, בכור שור]. This reveals a universal mission. Rather than remaining isolated within the borders of the Israelite nation, it offers a moral and spiritual message to all of humanity, providing an opportunity for other nations to correct their behavior and turn away from their sins [רש״ר הירש, העמק דבר].

Because it is difficult to imagine the practical logistics of writing the entire law in seventy languages on a limited number of stones, some explain this concept conceptually rather than literally. In this view, the idea of seventy languages refers to a method or perspective, representing the seventy faces of the Torah. The law was explained on the stones from all possible angles, depths, and facets, fully realizing the command to make it thoroughly clear [תורה תמימה, ברכת אשר].