- Torah and Jewish Thought
- Torah Teachings
Accuracy of the rest of the Tanach?
Question
Is the accuracy of the Torah also in the rest of the Tanach?
Answer
There are more small textual differences in the rest of the Nach (78) as opposed to the Torah (which has rare individual differences in the Yemenite scrolls, which "can be counted by a child"), but they also are almost all spelling differences which do not change the meaning. Even if we take for example, the largest difference, Proverbs 8, 16, where in a minority of editions, there is a different word [“By me (wisdom) princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of justice/earth], it is clear that the correct reading is “justice” as found in the ancient Aramean, Syrian and Roman translations, and as is written in the Keter Aram Tzova, the oldest manuscript of the Tanach which was recently publicized. In addition, the context of the wisdom of judges is explicitly not (!) found in all of the earth’s judges (see Isa. 10, 1) but only in the “judges of justice”. We can even be pretty certain in identifying the source of that mistaken scribe, who apparently just slipped and accidentally wrote in Proverbs, that which is written in Isa. 40, 23 (“… judges of earth”). In other words, even in this unique and most extreme case, the correct version is clear, as opposed to the incorrect one found in a minority of scrolls.
In short, the world can rest assured that the Hebrew Bible, the Book of Books (both the Torah- given 3,300 years ago, and the Nach which was finished 2,500 years ago), is extremely accurate and unadulterated.
Rabbi Ari Shvat

Shas?
Various Rabbis | 14 Kislev 5764

Was Yael a Jew or a non-Jew?
Various Rabbis | 16 Tammuz 5763

The Shin on the Tefillin
Various Rabbis | 3 Tammuz 5763

COMPLAINTS AGAINST OUR GEMARRAH OR TALMUD
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Tishrei 6, 5778

Rabbi Ari Shvat
Lectures at various yeshivot, michlalot and midrashot. Has published many books & Torani articles and is in charge of Rav Kook’s archives.

Writing a Torah Scroll in English
Adar II 25, 5771

Fasting or giving Tzedaka on seeing Sefer Torah fallen
Shevat 7, 5771

Davening if Hashem knows future
Adar II 25, 5771

Keeping non-definite chametz and staying in a dorm
Nisan 3, 5771
Genesis 24: 2-9 – Put your hand under my thigh
Rabbi Moshe Leib Halberstadt | Tevet 26, 5770

Not Having Motivation to Pray
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Kislev 4, 5781

On which day may one start wishing "Shabbat Shalom"?
Rabbi David Sperling | Iyyar 9, 5780

On which day may one start wishing "Shabbat Shalom"?
Rabbi David Sperling | Iyyar 9, 5780

Torah vs. Tanak additions
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Shevat 4, 5783

Talmud
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Shevat 4, 5783
