According to an ancient Jewish legend, there are 70 faces of Torah (Chumash - the Five Books of Moses). These are divided into sidrot (Torah portions) read in the synagogue on every Sabbath morning.
The phrase "70 faces of Torah" (in Hebrew, shiv'im panim la'Torah) is a foundational Jewish concept expressing the idea that the Torah is multi-layered and can be interpreted in countless valid ways. It means there is no single, one-dimensional truth to the text; rather, every verse can yield multiple insights and perspectives, much like a diamond with many glinting facets. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The origins of the concept and how it is applied include:
1. The Origin of the Phrase
The exact expression "the Torah has seventy faces" first appears in the medieval Midrash Numbers Rabbah, which was compiled around the 12th century. The sages derived the number 70 through gematria (Hebrew numerology). In Hebrew, the word for "wine" (yayin) has a numerical value of 70. Because the Torah is frequently compared to wine—which deepens and gets better with age—the sages concluded there are 70 valid modes of expounding the text. [1, 2, 3]
2. The Symbolism of the Number 70
In Jewish tradition, 70 is a typological number that signifies "completion" or "a whole set". It often refers to the completeness of the world, such as the traditional belief that there are 70 nations and 70 languages. Applying this to the Torah means the text contains a complete, all-encompassing set of truths that speak to the entirety of the human experience. [1, 2, 3, 4].
However, if we think of what is happening in Israel today with the 70 faces of Torah and various interpretations and commentaries, some of which may be antagonistic towards each other and a source of disagreement among Torah scholars. This is when the Yeshiva students engage in "pilpul," or arguments among themselves, over the correct commentary on various aspects of Torah teachings.
In Israel, some sects in the ultra-Orthodox community are not all that uniform in their various interpretations. The extremist sects are against compulsory service in the IDF to defend Israel from its enemies and seem to follow one face of Torah that is against defending one's country against Israel's enemies. The Torah Face number that allows for this interpretation is unknown. Is it possible that this Torah Face is a face that is part of Satan's attempt to create evil and to ensure the destruction of the Jewish People by being one of the Faces of Torah? Maybe it is the completion of the number 70? This is the way their Rabbis interpret it, by being against defending Israel by the defence forces. Praying for peace rather than defence by arms is known to be totally ineffectual in Israel's defence. This appears to be the desire of Satan that has entered into many sectors of the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi Community) and the strong influence of its rabbis. Official religious coercion seems to also be part of their tactics.
