ב"ה
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Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Halachic Times (Zmanim)
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Jewish History

In a second attempt to translate the Torah into Greek (after an unsuccessful attempt 61 years earlier), the ruling Greek-Egyptian emperor Ptolemy gathered 72 Torah sages, had them sequestered in 72 separate rooms, and ordered them to each produce a translation. On the 8th of Tevet of the year 3515 from creation (246 BCE) they produced 72 corresponding translations, including identical changes in 13 places (where they each felt that a literal translation would constitute a corruption of the Torah's true meaning). This Greek rendition became known as the Septuagint, "of the seventy" (though later versions that carry this name are not believed to be true to the originals). Greek became a significant second language among Jews as a result of this translation. During Talmudic times, Tevet 8 was observed by some as a fast day, expressing the fear of the detrimental effect of the translation.

Links: The Day Before; Translating Truth; more on translation

Daily Thought

To an astrobiologist:

A black hole was once a fiery sun. But then its fire went out. Eventually, it collapsed upon itself, rendering it a mass of tremendous density.

And now, a star that once shone brightly holds its light within, even pulling in any surrounding light. In the place of light, a star now creates darkness.

A person, too, may end up a black hole: Someone who is meant to shine and teach others—but has burned out and collapsed inward, absorbed in his own self.

Now, rather than shining light for others, he dampens all light, energy and wisdom that passes his way, causing a greater and greater darkness.

We live in times when every one of us can be as brilliant as the sun. The universe has enough black holes. You have light. Shine it for us.

Watch Prof. Greene tell the whole story in JEM’s documentaryThe Honest Truth