More Discussions for this daf
1. Lashon ha'Kodesh 2. Sechok and Ratzon 3. The Netziv
4. Kusim 5. Korban Chatas 6. On Top or On the Slope of Har Gerizim and Har Eival
7. קריעת ים סוף מול קריעת הירדן
DAF DISCUSSIONS - SOTAH 32

David Goldman asked:

I noticed that both the mishnah and the gemara discuss the issue of Elon Moreh being near Shechem. R. Elazar here and in the Yerushalmi points to the addition of the word Shechem (Devorim 27:4) in the Torah of the Kusim/Samaritans and indicates it is a falsification "be-toraschem".

(a) I wonder why the gemara does not use the word "ba-Torah" since there is only ONE "Torah."

(b) Furthermore, a couple of lines further down the gemara mentions "Har Eval" yet doesn't even comment that the Kusim falsified that posuk from Devorim 11:30 by CHANGING Eval to Grizim. I looked in meforshim and didn't find any explanation for that difference, especially since the gemara mentions it in the context of the falsification of the Torah by the addition of the word Shechem.

(c) Finally, it's interesting to note that what the Samaritans call their Torah She-bichtav includes many examples where it integrates information from the Targum Onkelos, Yerushalmi and Yonasan!!

David Goldman, USA

The Kollel replies:

(a) He is separating his Torah which is interpreted correctly from the Torah of the Kusim which they interpret falsely, making it into a book that is not Toras Emes.

(b) I assume you are referring to Devarim 27:4, as neither the word Eival nor Grizim is in Devarim 11:30, and in 11:29 both Grizim and Eival are there. I am not sure where the source is that they took out Eival and put in Grizim. However, if there is such a Chazal, it could be that this is such a blatant falsification (as opposed to the falsification in explanation mentioned above) that it did not have to be addressed.

All the best,

Yaakov Montrose