Moments before his passing, Moses commits the Torah to writing, entrusting it to the spiritual and practical leadership of the nation. This act serves as a lasting testimony and a secure deposit for all future generations. The primary approach among commentators is that this written record encompasses the entire Torah, complete from the beginning of Genesis up to this exact moment [רמב״ן, רש״י, רבנו בחיי, ביאור יש״ר]. Others suggest a more specific focus, proposing that Moses wrote down only the book of Deuteronomy, which contains the essential summary of the commandments and rebukes [אברבנאל], or perhaps just the specific portion designated for the king to read publicly [ספורנו].
During this monumental event, Moses did not settle for producing a single copy. He wrote thirteen distinct Torah scrolls. Twelve were distributed among the tribes of Israel to ensure constant study. The thirteenth scroll, crafted with extraordinary precision and including vowels and cantillation marks, was placed within the Ark of the Covenant. This master copy was designed to prevent any future alterations or forgeries, and it served as the definitive text from which the kings of Israel would later proofread their own personal scrolls [שפתי כהן, צפנת פענח, בעלי ברית אברם].
The distribution of the Torah was a gradual process based on distinct leadership roles. Initially, Moses handed the scroll to the priests, the sons of Levi, who were members of his own tribe. Upon seeing this, the rest of the Israelites approached with a heartfelt claim, arguing that they too possessed a rightful share in the Torah and that access should not be restricted solely to the tribe of Levi. This reaction brought great joy to Moses, as it demonstrated the nation's fierce desire to remain close to God. In response to their passion, he extended the handover to include all the elders of Israel [חומש קה״ת, משכיל לדוד].
The division among these three groups reflects their unique purposes. The priests received the Torah to study it day and night as the primary spiritual guides. The Levites were tasked with teaching these laws to the general public. Meanwhile, the elders, representing the high court, received it to establish legal rulings and judge the nation [אבן עזרא, הכתב והקבלה, אברבנאל]. Furthermore, the specific sequence of these groups, priest, Levite, and ordinary Israelite, established the permanent order in which individuals are called up for the public reading of the Torah throughout history [תורה תמימה, העמק דבר].
An intriguing detail in this handover is the description of the priests as the ones carrying the Ark of the Covenant, a duty typically assigned to the Levite family of Kohath. Commentators resolve this in several ways. Some explain that while the Levites were the regular carriers, the priests themselves bore the Ark during uniquely historic moments, such as crossing the Jordan River, circling the walls of Jericho, and bringing the Ark into King Solomon's Temple [רש״ר הירש, בכור שור, חזקוני]. Another perspective suggests that the priests are credited with carrying the Ark because they were responsible for preparing and covering it before any journey, making the Levites who physically carried it their direct agents [מלבי״ם, שפתי כהן]. Alternatively, the handover occurred near the Ark because the priests were the only ones permitted to enter the inner sanctuary and place the original scroll beside it [מלבי״ם, אם למקרא]. Finally, some view the concept of carrying the Ark symbolically, representing the immense effort the tribe of Levi invested in bearing the yoke of Torah study [העמק דבר].
Ultimately, entrusting the scroll to the priests and elders served an immediate public function. It was prepared for the grand assembly during the festival of Sukkot following the Sabbatical year. Designed to recreate the awe of receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai, this ceremony involved passing the scroll from the priests, to the elders, and finally to the king. The king would then read it aloud to the entire gathered nation, ensuring that the people would hear, learn, and forever revere God [ספורנו, בעלי ברית אברם, אברבנאל].