Ptolemy, King of Egypt, had requested that 72 sages be sent to his country to translate the Torah. They were wined and dined and then the king put to them 72 questions, to test their wisdom.
The Second Day
On the second day, the king made a grand feast and he again began questioning the sages.
“How can we always remain truthful?” the king asked.
“We must begin to realize how disgraceful lying is.”
“What should a person always think about?”
“The goodness of G-d and His kind bounty to all of His creations.”
“How can a man develop patience?”
“He must reflect that the life of a man is full of suffering.”
“What should a king avoid?”
“He should avoid graft and only associate with the righteous.”
“What is the most difficult thing for a king?”
“To master himself.”
“How can we silence those who slander us?”
“By doing good.”
“How can we acquire a good name?”
“By dealing kindly with one’s fellowmen.”
“To whom shall we do good?”
“First to our parents, our family, our friends and then to fellowmen.”
The King Is Overawed
As the king continued to question the sages he became more overawed by their brilliance.
“Truly the voice of G-d speaks through them,” he said.
“How can one drive away a care?” the king asked.
“You must look for social intercourse with people,” was the reply.
“How can one guard oneself against anger?”
“By reflecting on the consequences.”
“How can a stranger gain respect?”
“By being modest and upright.”
“Which of our works endures forever?”
“The works of righteousness.”
The king continued questioning the Jewish sages for seven days. Every sage had his chance to answer a question. At the conclusion of the questioning, the king rose from his throne and thanked the wise men of Israel for their sagacious advice. He gave each sage three measures of gold and he assigned to each a servant to wait upon him.
Placed In Separate Houses
The following day the king ordered his servant Aristeas to take them to an island outside the city and lodge each of them in a separate house.
When this was done, the king requested the wise men to begin their translation of the Torah. He provided them with food and drink and he locked the doors behind him.
G-d placed the same thoughts in the mind of each of the sages and they wrote the same translations. After 72 days they sent for the king and they gave him their scrolls bearing the translation of the Torah. He compared them all and he saw that they agreed in every way. The king then ordered his carpenters to build an ark and he placed the scrolls in it, to preserve them for future generations.
The following day he sent the sages home with many gifts.
