Take the 2-minute tour ×

Who wrote the last eight Pesukim of the Torah?

share|improve this question
I believe Ibn Ezra says Y'hoshu'a wrote the last 12 - i.e. from when Moshe went up the mountain. –  WAF Jun 19 '11 at 4:08

2 Answers 2

up vote 3 down vote accepted

either Moshe or Yehoshua, according to a machlokes in Baba Basra 15a. the Chasam Sofer puts it as Yehoshua: http://parsha.blogspot.com/2010/09/chasam-sofer-on-last-eight-pesukim-or.html

share|improve this answer
This is phrased poorly. Chasam Sofer does not necessarily "put it" either way. He simply quotes the opinion that Yehoshua wrote the last 8 pesukim, and asks that according to that opinion, perhaps the previous 4 pesukim were also written by Yehoshua. He has no question according to the other opinion and therefore does not cite it. Abarbanel, though, clearly favors the opinion that Moshe wrote the Torah in its entirety. –  jake Mar 3 '11 at 22:53

According to Rashi, Rav Yehuda holds it was written by Yehoshua. There are others that hold Moshe wrote it with his tears.

share|improve this answer
The g'mara says "with tears", if I'm not mistaken. While that is most easily read as "with tears in his eyes", I've heard another interpretation (which I don't recall in full, so won't supply). –  msh210 Jan 17 '11 at 17:26
@msh210, the other interpretation you heard was probably that of the Gra, who instead of reading "b'demma" (with tears) in the gemara, reads "b'dimua" (jumbled up), and then Yehoshua rearranged the letters. –  jake Mar 3 '11 at 22:43
@jake: I meant the explanation of the Sifse Chachamim at the end of "V'zos Hab'racha" (or, presumably, whomever he's quoting), that the words were written with tears instead of ink. –  msh210 Oct 18 '11 at 21:51

Your Answer


