Commentary for Sanhedrin 42:25

במשה הוא אומר (דברים ד, יד) ואותי צוה ה' בעת ההיא ללמד אתכם חקים ומשפטים בעזרא הוא אומר (עזרא ז, י) כי עזרא הכין לבבו לדרוש את תורת ה' (אלהיו) ולעשות וללמד בישראל חוק ומשפט ואף על פי שלא ניתנה תורה על ידו נשתנה על ידו הכתב שנאמר

Mar Zutra or, as some say, Mar 'Ukba said: Originally the Torah was givento Israel in Hebrew characters and in the sacred [Hebrew] language; later,in the times of Ezra,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Neh. VIII, 1ff. ');">⁴⁶</span> the Torahwas given in Ashshurith script<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Assyrian; modern Hebrew square writing. ');">⁴⁷</span> andAramaic language. [Finally], they selected forIsrael<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [R. Han. reads, 'Israel chose for themselves'.] ');">⁴⁸</span> the Ashshurith script andHebrew language, leaving the Hebrew characters and Aramaic language for thehedyototh. Who are meant by the 'hedyototh'? — R. Hisda answers: TheCutheans.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'The Samaritans', so called because they were brought by Sargon, king of Assyria, from Cuthea, to take the place of the exiled Israelites. (V. II Kings XVII, 24 ff.). The reason for the change from Hebrew to Assyrian characters, was to build a greater barrier between the Samaritans and the Jews. V. Weiss, Dor, v. I, 59. ');">⁴⁹</span> And what is meant by Hebrewcharacters? — R. Hisda said: The <i>libuna'ah</i>script.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: Large characters as employed in amulets. R. Tam, in Tosaf. s. v. [H] recognises in 'libuna'ah' an adjective from the name of some locality (Lebanon, or Libya). Another opinion is that libuna'ah is derived from 'lebenah', brick; hence writing found on clay-tablets. V. J.E. I, p. 445. ');">⁵⁰</span> It has been taught: R. Jose said: Had Moses not preceded him, Ezra wouldhave been worthy of receiving the Torah for Israel. Of Moses it is written,And Moses went up unto God,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XIX, 3. ');">⁵¹</span> andof Ezra it is written, He, Ezra, went up fromBabylon.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezra VII, 6. ');">⁵²</span> As the going up of theformer refers to the [receiving of the] Law, so does the going up of thelatter. Concerning Moses, it is stated: And the Lord commanded me at thattime to teach you statutes andjudgments;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. IV, 14. ');">⁵³</span> and concerning Ezra,it is stated: For Ezra had prepared his heart to expound the law of the Lord[his God] to do it and to teach Israel statutes andjudgments.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezra VII, 10. ');">⁵⁴</span> And even though the Torahwas not given through him, its writing was changed through him, as it iswritten:

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