Devarim (1:1) These are the words which Moshe spoke to all Israel on this side of the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite the Red Sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.
Ohr HaChaim(Devarim 1:1): These are the words that Moshe spoke to the entire nation… By saying “these are the words” it comes to exclude what was written previously in the Torah. In other words Devarim consists entirely of the words which Moshe spoke on his own initiative i.e., the chastisements and instructions to those who transgress G‑d words. Megila (31b) states the curses which are mentioned in Devarim were composed by Moshe. However even the laws which Moshe reviewed and explained, he did on his own initiative without a command from G‑d. Since Moshe composed the Book of Devarim, the Torah was concerned that we might mistakenly think that he might have also independently composed part of the previous four books of the Torah. That is why Devarim starts with “These are the words that Moshe spoke” - to tell you that only the words found in Devarim were Moshe’s own composition but not even a single letter of the Torah that preceded it. Those four books of the Torah were entirely from G‑d exactly as He commanded them without the slightest change – even a single extra letter added or subtracted.
Malbim(Devarim 1:3): And it was in the fortieth year – In other words these are matters which Moshe spoke on his own initiative on various occasions in the manner of a preacher who gives chastisement. However he did not have permission to write these words in a sefer and even if he had written them in a sefer they would not have had the sanctity of a Torah scroll. Rather they would be simply considered a collection of his sermons that he said based on his human understanding or as words spoke by a man with ruach hakodesh. However after 40 years G‑d commanded that they be said again to the Jewish people as specific command from G‑d. That is why the verse say, G‑d commanded Moshe to speak to the Jewish people saying.” Similarly G‑d commanded him to writes these words in a sefer at the command of G‑d. Furthermore G‑d said that they should be said and written in a different order than they were originally said in the 11 places but rather in the order that G‑d commanded…. Thus all of Moshe’s words were written by G‑d’s command and he didn’t write them on his own initiative even the point of the smallest letter. Consequently since all the words in Devarim were written at G‑d’s command they have the same halachic status as the rest of the Torah which was written from G‑d’s mouth…
Maharal (Tiferes Yisroel 43) it is appropriate for you to know the distinction which exists Devarim and the rest of the Torah. In the gemara Megillah 31b it says “…one may not interrupt the reading of the curses…Abaye said: They taught this only with regard to the curses that are in Leviticus, but with regard to the curses that are in Deuteronomy, one may interrupt. What is the reason for this distinction? These curses in Leviticus are stated in the plural, and Moses pronounced them from the mouth of the Almighty. However, these curses in Deuteronomy are stated in the singular, and Moses said them on his own.” This does not mean that, G-d forbid, Moshe said even one letter on his own. Rather it refers to the distinction between Devarim and the rest of the Torah, because the Torah which God gave to Israel has two aspects – one from the perspective of God who gave the Torah and the second from the perspective of Israel who received it. …In the rest of the Torah, even though Moshe spoke every word nevertheless it was as if God said that ‘thus was decreed and so commanded the Lord,’ God placed the words in Moshe’s mouth … Thus it was with everything that Moshe said – God put the words in his mouth. Devarim is different, because in this book Moshe spoke his own words as a messenger who has been commanded to deliver a message.
Sanhedrin (90a) These are the people who have no share in the World-to-Come, even when they fulfilled many mitzvot: One who says: There is no resurrection of the dead derived from the Torah, and one who says: The Torah did not originate from Heaven, and an epikoros, who treats Torah scholars and the Torah that they teach with contempt.
Sanhedrin (99a) Because he hath despised the word of the Lord — this refers to him who maintains that the Torah is not from Heaven. And even if he asserts that the whole Torah is from Heaven, excepting a particular verse, which he maintains was not uttered by God but by Moses himself, he is included in ‘because he hath despised the word of the Lord.’
Rambam (Sanhedrin 10:1) The eighth principle is that the Torah is from Heaven and that is that we believe that this Torah that is given to us through Moshe, is completely from the mouth of G-d; which is to say that it all came to him from G-d, , in a manner that is metaphorically called speech. And no one knows how it came to him except Moshe himself, since it came to him. And we believe that he was like a scribe who is dictated to and writes down all of the events, the stories and the commandments….And anyone who says, "These type of verses or stories were written by Moshe on his own," is for our sages and prophets a heretic
I've never understood this controversy.
ReplyDeleteFirst, read Devarim. It has the same narrator style as the rest of the Torah. It's just that Moshe's speeches occupy a good chunk of the book. The opening chapter isn't Moshe Rabeinu speaking but the narrator introducing the setting and letting us know a speech is coming. When the first speech ends, the narrator is back detailing how Moshe set aside the cities of refuge, then it introduces the second speech, etc. So it's similar in format to the rest of the Torah except Moshe's speeches are much, much longer.
Second thing to remember is that Moshe Rabeinu, more than anyone ever, was in tune with God. Yes, it was him speaking but would anyone think that he'd come up with something original? He would transmit what he thought God would want the people to know so it's still indirect speech from Him.