The Sages Are Chosen
Eliezer Kohen Gadol chose 72 of the sages of Jerusalem and presented them to the king’s servant. “Treat the men with respect,” he said, “and grant them whatever they may request of you. After they are through with their translation, let the king not detain them even one day.
“If I did not consider the blessings that the translation of the holy Torah can bring to all humanity, I would not permit these sages to depart from here. My soul is entwined with theirs and only with the greatest of reluctance do we part from each other.”
Greeted By The King
Aristeas and the sages arrived in Alexandria, Egypt. The king and a large multitude of people turned out to greet them. A parade was held in their honor and when they arrived at the palace the king greeted them and gave them his blessing.
“Have you brought the Torah scroll with you?” the king asked.
“Here it is,” they answered.
They took out the sefer Torah encased in a golden mantel and inscribed in golden letters. As they unrolled the parchment, the king noted the beautiful penmanship and the fine texture of the parchment. He was impressed and in awe. He blessed the sages and bowed before them seven times. He clasped the hands of each sage and said: “Today is the happiest day of my life. I will not forget it.”
The king then ordered a magnificent feast to be held in honor of the sages. He invited all the ministers, officials and leaders of the country to participate in the festivities. Because they were strangers, the Jewish sages sat apart for that was the custom in Egypt.
Before the banquet began, one of the sages rose and offered the following prayer: “Eternal Father in heaven, bless King Ptolemy and may everything that he undertakes meet with success. Bless also his wife, his children and his friends.”
“Amen,” answered all the other sages. Then the musicians began playing and an enjoyable evening was had by all.
At the conclusion of the festivities, the king turned to the sages and said, “I have heard that you possess wisdom and knowledge; I would like to ask you many questions and by your answers I will confirm whether you are as clever as people claim.
“Inasmuch as you are 72 sages, I will therefore address a question to each of you, during the next seven days – a total of 72 questions.”
“Ask, your majesty, and we will answer you to the best of our ability,” they replied.
The first question the king asked was, “What shall a king do to make his rule successful so that he can reign all of his life in peace and happiness?”
The first sage replied, “He should serve G-d and walk in the path of righteousness, reward the good and punish the wicked.”
The second question was, “What shall a person do to succeed in life?”
“A person must realize that G-d knows all of his intentions and actions. He can hide nothing from Him. Therefore, if he gives charity, helps the poor and is kind to his fellowman, G-d is sure to reward him with success.”
“How can a person increase his goodness and happiness?”
“Let all of his efforts be turned towards helping his fellowman.”
“How shall a ruler punish those who slander him?”
“By being merciful and patient with them.”
“How can a king triumph over his enemies?”
“By having a powerful army ready and prepared to do battle at a moment’s notice. But he should be discreet in using the army. He should carry a big stick but speak softly.”
