Since both proofs offered by Rabbi Elazar are rejected, we are left with two views:
1.) The Torah was originally written by Moses in Paleo-Hebrew (Ivri). It was changed to Ashuri script by Ezra during the Babylonian Exile and has remained so ever since.
2.) The Torah was written by Moses in Ashuri script. It was changed to Ivri towards the end of the First Temple period and then changed back again to Ashuri by Ezra.
This discussion is of monumental significance since it includes the writing of the Ten Commandments, "the two Tablets of Testimony, stone tablets inscribed by the finger of G-d." The Jerusalem Talmud maintains that the Ten Commandments were written in Ivri. The Babylonian Talmud says that they were written in Ashuri.
In the end, we find that the Talmudic discussion leaves us with a doubt concerning which script was the original. But we can possibly resolve this by considering a ceremony performed with the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) and the kings of the House of David.
The Mishna tells us that the Kohen Gadol must be consecrated by anointing with shemen hamischa, the anointing oil made by Moses. This is one of the 613 commandments of the Torah. A small amount of the oil is poured on the High Priest's head and applied between his eyes by a finger drawing the form of an X, the letter Tav, the 22nd letter of the Alef-Bet in Ivri script. And when the kings of the Davidic dynasty are anointed, the same oil is used, but applied in the shape of a crown, the vertical zigzag lines of a W, the form of the letter Shin, the 21st letter of Ivri script. Neither of these two shapes is found in our familiar Ashuri script.
Since Aaron, the High Priest, and King David appear to have been anointed with forms of letters of Ivri script, we can presume that Ivri was the script used during the early generations of the Children of Israel, and that Ashuri script was developed later. According to the opinion of Mar Zutra, it was a thousand years later during the Babylonian Exile.
My personal reflection on this subject is to avoid the mistake of thinking that if Paleo-Hebrew was the original, then it must be the holier of the two scripts. The fact is that Ezra, the father of Ashuri script, was the author of three books of the Hebrew Scriptures and worked with ruach hakodesh, a form of prophecy. The Hebrew letters that came from his hand contain some of the deepest and most mystical teachings of the Torah. These letters have sustained the Jewish people for 2500 years and will undoubtedly continue to do so in the future. But at the very least, the re-discovery of Ivri or Paleo-Hebrew suggests that we live in a new era, one that is struggling to synthesize the past with the present so as to become greater than both.
....
it['s sanctity] is enhanced, for R. Hisda said: The mem and the samek which were in the Tables stood [there] by a miracle.1 But as for a closed letter which is written open, it['s sanctity] is diminished, for R. Jeremiah-others state, R. Hiyya b. Abba-said [The double form of] manzapak2 was declared by the Watchmen [prophets].3 (But, is that reasonable: surely is is written, These are the commandments,4 [teaching] that a prophet may henceforth [i.e., after Moses] make no innovations! — Rather they were in existence, but it was not known which were [to be used] medially and which finally, and the Watchmen came and fixed [the mode of their employment]). But still, 'these are the commandments' [teaches] that a prophet may henceforth make no innovations?5 — Rather they had forgotten them, and they [the Watchmen] reinstituted them.6
It was stated above, R. Hisda said: The mem and the samek which were in the Tables stood [there] by a miracle. R. Hisda also said: The writing of the Tables could be read from within and without,7 e.g., nebub [hollow] would be read buban; — behar [in the mountain] [as] rahab; saru [they departed] [as] waras.8
.
.
.
1) The engraving of the Tables went right through from side to side. Consequently the completely closed letters, viz., the mem and the samek, should have fallen out, and the fact that they did not was a miracle. This assumes that only the closed mem was then in use, for it is now assumed that the employment of distinct medial forms was a later innovation. Hence if one writes a closed mem instead of an open one, he enhances its sanctity, since that is the older form. This is historically correct: the present medial forms were probably introduced in order to make it possible to join them to the next letter, and since this was unnecessary in the case of final letters, they were left in their original state. V.J.E., art. Alphabet, Vol. 1, 443.
Muman it is more appropriate to say that Rabbi Hisda of the Talmud Bavli believes that the Mem and Samech of the Ten Commandments were suspended by a miracle, since within the Talmud Bavli several conflicting viewpoints are brought about to which extent was the ancient Hebrew, Ktav Ivri script used.
I did not see the text directly that speaks about it, but I read that according to Talmud Yerushalmi it was the letter ayin written in Ancient Hebrew Ktav Ivri script, which was suspended by a miracle in the tablets of the ten commandments and not Mem and Samech.
I am told that currently the oldest verses of the Bible that have so far been found by archaeologists, from the First Temple period, are the verses containing Bircat Cohanim, (the priestly blessing, Bamidbar/Numbers 6 verses 24-26) and the text found was written in the ancient Hebrew Ktav Ivri script.
This of course does not prove, which script was used for the Ten Commandments, but it does shed light on some other issues.
Although Dan makes some interesting points, one can still raise the objection that perhaps, G-d had a special reason not to use the Ktav Ivri script for the ten commandments, such as to make some type of distinction between Holy Script and Secular Script or because it is easier to use Ashuri script to hint at deeper ideological messages.
Ashuri means Assyrian. Why would this Ashuri script be the "holy" script if it was only used once for the Ten Commandments, then turned over to the Assyrian persecutors of the Jews until the Jews reclaimed it?
The prime focus of holiness of Torah is to be found in the mitzvot and the stories, not the way the letters look.
I was standing between Hashem and you at that time to tell you Hashem’s word because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up on the mountain saying. (Devarim 5:5)
In this week’s parsha we learn about the Ten Commandments. The text of the Ten Commandments in our parsha significantly differs from the text of the Ten Commandments in parshas Yisro. Chazal explain that in parshas Yisro the Torah records the text of the first set of tablets that were later shattered. In our parsha the Torah records the text of the second set of tables that were given in the aftermath of the sin of the golden calf.
The Talmud (Sanhedrin 21b) relates a dispute regarding the script of the Torah. One opinion holds it was the ashuris script. This is the script with which our Torah scrolls are written today. The script is of Divine origin and the form and shape of each letter is filled with great meaning and kabalistic teachings. It is called ashuris either because it was commonly used by the Jewish people during their settlement in Assyria or because the word ashur may be translated as “choice” or “best.” This implies that this is the preferred script. The other opinion holds that the Torah was given in the ivri script. This was an ancient mundane man-made script that was commonly used during the time the Torah was given.
There is much discussion in the commentaries as to which script was used in the tablets. The Talmud relates that the letter mem and samach were miraculously suspended in the tablets. This appears to be true only if the script was ashuris. These letters are completely closed on all four sides. Being that these letters were carved out from end to end, the middle section could not stand under the natural laws of science. On the other hand if the ivri script was used, the only letter that required a miracle was the ayin. In the ivri script the ayin has a circular or triangular shape. Indeed, the Talmud Yerushalmi explains that according to this opinion it was the ayin that was miraculously suspended in the tablets not the mem and samach.
The Radvaz advances a novel approach to this matter by explaining that the first set of tablets was written in ashuris and the second in ivri. He brings support to this from the posuk where Hashem tells Moshe “Carve out two stone tablets for yourself just like the first ones and I will write upon these tablets the ‘matters’ which were on the first tablets that you broke” (Shemos 34:1). The choice of words intimates that only the ‘matters’ were the same not the script. What is the significance that the two sets of tablets were written with different scripts?
The Torah is broken down into two parts, the Written Torah and the Oral Torah. The two are inseparable. The Oral Torah is the only true interpretation of the Written Torah. The commentators explain that the first set of tablets is symbolic of the written Torah, whereas the second set is symbolic of the Oral Torah. The main difference between the Written Torah and the Oral Torah is accessibility. The written Torah is accessible to all whereas the Oral Torah is transmitted privately from teacher to student throughout history. The first set of tablets is symbolic of the written Torah because it was given to the Jewish people in public and with great fanfare. The entire world witnessed firsthand the giving of the first tablets. Chazal tell us that even the animals did not make sounds when the Torah was given. This is symbolic of the Written Torah which is accessible to all. The second set of tablets is symbolic of the Oral Torah. They were given to Moshe privately when he ascended heaven to plea for forgiveness on behalf of the Jewish people. These tablets are symbolic of the private nature of the Oral Torah.
We may now understand why there was a different script for each set of tablets. The first set of tablets was written with the ashuris script. Chazal tell us that the form of each letter in the ashuris script is full of meaning and insight. Even the crowns of each letter contain “mounds upon mounds” of halachik teachings. Within the ashuris script itself we find the entire Torah with all its laws and depth. Although not explicit, all of the Torah is hinted to through these letters. It is accessible for all. This is the character of the Written Torah. The second set of tablets was written with ivri script. This script is mundane. It does not have deep meaning. There are no laws derived from the form and unique shape of each letter. There are no crowns either. The second set of tablets was just the bare skeleton of Torah. The depth and breadth of the Torah was transmitted orally from Hashem to Moshe and from Moshe to the Jewish people.
We may further note another important difference between the two sets of tablets. The first set of tablets focused solely on Moshe. He spoke with Hashem and served as an intermediary between Hashem and the Jewish people. After the sin of the golden calf Moshe pleaded with Hashem for forgiveness. Here, he invoked the merit of our forefathers Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. It was only in their merit that Hashem conceded to give the Torah once again. In summary, the first set of tablets was in the merit of the Jewish People through Moshe, the second, in the merit of our forefathers.
The first time a word appears in the Torah has great significance. The word ivri appears in the Torah for the first time in reference to Avraham. The posuk says “The one who had escaped came and told Avram the ivri” (Bereishis 14:13). Rashi explains that Avram was called ivri simply because he came from the other side of the river. Chazal however explain that he was called ivri because he took a stand against the practice of idolatry. The whole world was on one side and he on the other.
We may suggest that it is also for this reason the second set of tablets was written with the ivri script. This script served as a reminder that the Torah was given a second time only in the merit of our forefather Avraham the ivri. His ability to stand up against a whole world of idolaters was the merit the Jewish people needed in order to counteract their sin of idolatry.
It is customary on the High Holy Days to dress the Torah and Aron Hakodesh in white. Where does this custom come from? White is a symbol of purity and forgiveness. It is certainly appropriate that we dress ourselves in white. After all, we are the ones in need of forgiveness, but why the Torah? The Torah is pure all year around.
The Talmud (Sanhedrin 21b) when discussing the ivri script asks, “What is the ivri script?” The Talmud answers “It is the Libonaah script.” The root of the word Libonaah is lavan, which means white.
The climax of the High Holy days is Yom Kippur. The day Hashem forgives us. It is noteworthy that Yom Kippur was the day when we received the second set of tablets. It was on this day Hashem forgave the Jewish people for the sin of worshiping the golden calf.
The two sets of tablets represent two different approaches to Torah. The first set of tablets represents an ideal. We earn the Torah and all blessing that come with it in our own merit. When focusing on the first set of tablets we reflect how Hashem took us out of Egypt and how we faithfully followed Him to the desert. We stood by Mount Sinai and received the Torah. We were free from sin and lifted to an exalted level of spirituality, all in our own merits. This indeed may be our approach to Torah the whole year around. During the High Holy Days, however, we focus on the second set of tables. We are cognizant that we were sinners and did not deserve the Torah. We only survived due to the merit of our forefathers. We dress our Torah scrolls and Aron in white, reminiscent of the second tablets that were given on Yom Kippur written in the Livonaah (white) script and are symbolic of forgiveness and atonement.
Zevachim 62a
.
.
.
Rabbah b. Hanah said in R. Johanan's name: Three prophets11 went up with them from the Exile: one testified to them about [the dimensions of] the altar; another testified to them about the site of the altar; and the third testified to them that they could sacrifice even though there was no Temple.12 In a Baraitha it was taught, R. Eleazar b. Jacob said: Three prophets went up with them from the Exile: one who testified to them about [the dimensions of] the altar and the site of the altar; another
who testified to them that they could sacrifice even though there was no Temple; and a third who testified to them that the Torah should be written in Assyrian characters.13
I don't think that only the Jews used the Ashuri script. The script is the script of Aramaic which was the language used by the Assyrians.
(http://www.torahtots.com/gifs/alef-yud.gif)
(http://www.torahtots.com/gifs/caf-eyn.gif)
(http://www.torahtots.com/gifs/peh-tav.gif)
There are various commentaries in the Gemara, especially from Rabbi Akiva
on the ideological messages that the shape of the Ashuri script , convey.
I myself have noticed that letters, aleph, lamed and mem, have a shape which alludes to the number 26, which is the numerical value of the letters that make up the primary name of G-d in the Bible.
The script used by the Assyrians according to archaeologists, seems to be similar but not identical, to the script pictured above which is used today in Torah Scrolls.
According to our sages, Ashur, the founder of Ashur [Assyria] unlike his descendants was a righteous man, who left his homeland, to avoid participation in the sin of the Tower of Bavel {Babel}. Perhaps, he indeed have the merit, to be the nation with the script closest to the Holy Script or perhaps, they got it from a religious Jew. After all we see the prophet Yona, {Jonah} had connections with Ashur and his words were respected at that time by them.
All the above is not proof, that Ashur script was the holy script used for the Ten Commandments. Just raising it as a possibilty.