Sofrut and the Accuracy of the Torah

(9) Another opinion: The rabbis taught, when Moses knew that he was about to die on that day, what did he do? Rabbi Yannai said, he wrote thirteen Torah scrolls, twelve for the twelve tribes and one to leave in the ark, so that if someone forges a copy they will be able to check against the one in the ark. Moses said, because I am engaging with the Torah which is all life, when the day ends the decree will be annulled. What did God do, he hinted at the sun and it was stubborn and stood and did not set and said, "I will not set while Moses is alive". Thus Job explained, "Have I not wept at the difficulties of the day?" Because the day was stubborn to him. Thus, what is "For your days have come?" Like a person who says to his friend, accept it from the King. "Call Joshua" (Deuteronomy 31:14) Moses said to God, "Let Joshua take my authority while I am alive." God said to him, "He will do with you as you did with him." Immediately Moses got up and went to Joshua's house. Joshua was afraid but Moses said "Come with me." They went out and Moses walked to the left of Joshua. They went to the Tent of Meeting, the Cloud of Glory came down between them. When the Cloud was removed Moses went to Joshua and asked, "What did the Word of God say to you?" Joshua said, "When the Word was revealed to you, did I know what it said to you?" On that day Moses cried and said, "I would rather have one hundred deaths than one jealousy." And Solomon interpreted this "Love is as strong as death, jealously as hard as the grave." This is the love with which Moses loved Joshua and the jealousy that Moses had of Joshua.

(1) It is an affirmative precept binding upon every individual Israelite to write a scroll of the Law for his own use, as it is said, "Now therefore write ye this Song for you" (Deuteronomy 31:19). As the Torah is not written in separate sections, this text means, "Write for yourselves the Torah in which this Song is contained." Even if one's ancestors have left a person a scroll, it is a religious duty to write a scroll at his own expense. If he wrote it with his own hand, it is accounted to him as if he had received it from Sinai. If one does not know how to write a scroll, he should get others to write it for him. He who corrects a scroll, even a single letter of it, is regarded as if he had written it completely.

(1) For everyone to write a Torah scroll for himself: That we were commanded that each man in Israel must have a Torah scroll (Sefer HaMitzvot LaRambam, Mitzvot Ase 18). If he wrote it with his [own] hand, this is praiseworthy and very dear; and as they, may their memory be blessed, said (Menachot 30a), "If he wrote it" - meaning to say, with his hand - "Scripture attributes [it] to him as if he received it from Mount Sinai." But one who is unable to write with his hand must pay someone to write it for him. And about this it is stated (Deuteronomy 31:19), "And now, write for yourselves this poem and teach it to the Children of Israel" - meaning to say, write for yourselves Torah, which contains this poem.

(1) That is that He commanded us that every man among us should write a Torah scroll for himself. And if he writes it with his hand, Scripture accounts it to him as if he received it at Mount Sinai. But if it is impossible for him to write it, he should buy it or hire someone to write it for him. And this is His saying, "write for yourselves this song " (Deuteronomy 31:19). And it is not permitted to write [only] sections. For when He said, "this song," He intended the whole Torah, which includes this song (of Haazinu). And the language of the Gemara (Sanhedrin 21b) is, "Rabbah said, 'Even if his ancestors left him a Torah scroll, it is a commandment to write a scroll of his own, as it is stated, "write for yourselves."' Abaye raised an objection to him (from a baraita concerning the king’s Torah scroll), '"And he writes himself a Torah scroll for himself, so that he does not become proud from the Torah scroll of his ancestors." A king, yes, but an ordinary person, no!'" And the answer was, "No, [the ruling of that baraita] was only necessary [to teach that the king is commanded to write] two Torahs; as it is taught in a baraita, 'And he must write two Torahs for himself.'" This means to say that the difference between a king and an ordinary person is that every man is obligated to write a Torah scroll, whereas a king, two - as it is explained in the second chapter of Sanhedrin. And the regulations of this commandment - meaning to say, the writing of a Torah scroll and its stipulations - have already been explained in the third chapter of Menachot and in Shabbat, Chapter 16. (See Parashat Nitzavim; Mishneh Torah, Tefillin, Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll.)