Who Wrote the Fifth Book of the Torah

The קול התורה of Rabbi Elie Munk raises an important question related to the Book of Devarim.

The question is how are we to view this book as the word of G-d, when we are told that this was a talk by Moshe Rabbeinu during the last thirty seven days of his life. Bible critics jump on this and have the audacity to even claim that the fifth book of the Torah was added at a later time.

Rabbi Munk admits that the manner in which Moshe was completely speaking Hashem’s words, and not his own, is beyond the realm of comprehension.

However, we are meant to fully recognize the extremely high level of Kedusha, holiness, that Moshe was on. He was bonded with G-d on a level that no human being ever achieved.

In essence, he was Hashem’s mouthpiece, and Hashem spoke to the people through him. This also explains how Moshe wrote the other four books of the Torah. He did not take dictation. He knew what Hashem wanted him to write telepathically.

This is how we are to understand how ספר דברים was written. Moshe did speak to the people before his death. But he absolutely spoke the word of G-d.