The following is a Grok 3 AI summary (with minor corrections) of a YouTube talk given by Rabbi Tovia Singer explaining that the rabbinic sages who translated the Septuagint did not support the “Virgin Birth” ideology of J-man idol worshipers. Vilnagaon.org is providing the summary of the talk, since there are certain spiritual problems connected to visits to YouTube.
The YouTube video by Rabbi Tovia Singer (posted August 3, 2025 – 9th or 10th of Av 5785) addresses a common Christian argument regarding the translation of Isaiah 7:14 in the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. The discussion focuses on the claim that the Hebrew word “alma” (meaning “young woman”) was translated as “parthenos” (often interpreted as “virgin”) in the Septuagint, supporting Christian interpretations of a virgin birth prophecy.
Rabbi Singer refutes this by explaining that the original Septuagint, translated around 256 BCE by 70 or 72 rabbis for the Alexandrian library, included only the Five Books of Moses, not the Book of Isaiah. Later translations of the Tanakh into Greek, including Isaiah, were done by Jews and early Christians, such as the 3rd-century church father Origen, who adjusted translations to align with New Testament interpretations. Rabbi Singer argues that “parthenos” in Greek does not exclusively mean “virgin” and cites examples, like Genesis 34:3-4, where it is used for a non-virgin. He also references Proverbs chapter 30, where “alma” is used in contexts that do not imply virginity, such as a woman committing adultery.
Rabbi Singer challenges the claim that pre-Christian Greek manuscripts of Isaiah 7:14 used “parthenos” to mean “virgin,” asserting that no such manuscripts exist. He highlights how later Greek translations were all labeled as “Septuagint,” causing confusion, unlike distinct English Bible translations (e.g., King James, NIV). He recounts confronting Christian missionaries, particularly from Jews for J-man, with this argument, noting their tendency to delete his responses online to avoid engagement. Rabbi Singer emphasizes the lack of evidence for a pre-Christian Septuagint translation of Isaiah 7:14 using “parthenos” and encourages viewers to like and subscribe to his talks.
In Modern Times Some Liberal Rabbis Contend that Worshiping Hashem with Partner Deities is Idolatry for a Jew but not Idolatry for Non-Jews.
The Sages of Israel who translated the 5 Books of Moses into Greek seemed to do everything possible to stop Gentiles from belief in Hashem with partner deities.
This section is mostly an excerpt from a much larger article entitled: Did Rabbi Moshe Isserles Permit Gentiles Who Are Obligated by the Noahide Laws to Believe in the Creator of the Universe in Partnership With Foreign Gods?
The Translation of the Septuagint Proof (Sefaria.org Translation of the Talmud, tractate Megilla page 9)
The Gemara continues: And this was due to the incident of King Ptolemy, as it is taught in a baraita: There was an incident involving King Ptolemy of Egypt, who assembled seventy-two Elders from the Sages of Israel, and put them into seventy-two separate rooms, and did not reveal to them for what purpose he assembled them, so that they would not coordinate their responses. He entered and approached each and every one, and said to each of them: Write for me a translation of the Torah of Moses your teacher. The Holy One, Blessed be He, placed wisdom in the heart of each and every one, and they all agreed to one common understanding. Not only did they all translate the text correctly, they all introduced the same changes into the translated text…
To the verse that discusses the worship of the sun and the moon, about which it is written: “Which the Lord your God has allotted to all the nations” (Deuteronomy 4:19), they added a word to make it read: “Which the Lord your God has allotted to give light to all the nations,” to prevent the potential misinterpretation that the heavenly bodies were given to the gentiles so that they may worship them.
Rashi as well as Rabbi Avraham Min Hahar explain that if they had not added “to give light”, to the translation the non-Jews would have wrongly concluded that a descendant of Noah is permitted to practice idolatry.
The “Daf Al HaDaf” commentary on that section of the Talmud adds that since Hashem gave the sun and the moon (and stars) to give light to all of them and to bring about other great benefits, this would be cause for an error; for an assumption would be assumed that on account of gratitude and expressing thanks it is correct to bow to them and worship them. Now to remove this claim, comes the warning, (Deuteronomy 4:19) “When you raise your eyes to the sky, and see the sun, moon, stars and other heavenly bodies, do not bow down to them or worship them…”; for there is no obligation of gratitude to those that are compelled to act and have no free will and on the contrary it will be considered idolatry to do so. And this is what the Sages added in the translation for King Ptolemy “that I did not command you to worship”, and one should not grant them gratitude over doing the will of their master without free will, and therefore by default it should be understood that it is forbidden to bow to them.