LETS STUDY ONKELOS

A Guide for Rabbis, Teachers and Torah Students to Study and Teach the Parashat Hashavua through the Eyes of its Most Important Translator By Stanley M. Wagner and Israel Drazin Based on the five volume, Onkelos on the Torah (Genesis-Deuteronomy), Understanding the Bible Text, by Israel Drazin and Stanley M. Wagner, published by Gefen Publishing House, Jerusalem/New York, 20062010.

STUDY GUIDE
VAYEITZEI (CHAPTER 28:1032:3) SUMMARY OF THE TORAH PORTION After departing Beersheba, Jacob dreams of a ladder extending from earth to heaven and he receives a divine promise that his descendants will become numerous and acquire the land of Canaan; Jacob meets Rachel and learns that she is his cousin; Rachel brings Jacob back to her home and her father Laban; Jacob agrees to work for Laban seven years if he will allow him to marry Rachel; Jacob is deceived and discovers that he was married to Leah, Rachels older sister; Jacob remains in Labans employ in order to marry Rachel; Leah bears Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah: Rachels handmaiden, Bilhah, gives birth to Dan and Naphtali, but Rachel remains barren; Zilpah, Leahs handmaiden, bears Gad and Asher; Leah gives birth to Issachar and Zebulun as well as a daughter, Dinah; Rachel gives birth to Joseph; Jacob amasses wealth and flees from Laban with his family; Laban pursues in anger, but then enters into a covenant with Jacob.

MULTIPLE CHANGES IN A SINGLE VERSE

Sometimes our targumist makes many changes in a single passage, as in 28:17 (pages 188191)1 where five different kinds of alterations occur.

All page numbers refer to the Onkelos on the Torah volume.

Jacobs unusual dream of angels ascending and descending a ladder stretching from earth to heaven and Gods promise to him has been interpreted creatively and imaginatively in Midrashim and by many commentators. Onkelos has an unusual reading. The Torah states that when Jacob awoke, he thinks about the place where he dreamt his remarkable dream and says, How awesome is this place. It must be the house of God (beit Elohim) and it is the gate of heaven. Onkelos transposes these words to, This is not an ordinary place, but a place in which there is pleasure from before the Lord and this is a gate facing heaven (28:17, pages 188-191). Our commentary explains:
AN ORDINARY PLACE. The Targum adds a phrase (This is not an ordinary place) that Scripture implies. A PLACE IN WHICH THERE IS PLEASURE FROM BEFORE THE LORD. Our targumist changes the bibles house of God for three reasons: (1) it is anthropomorphic to suppose that the omnipresent deity has a dwelling; (2) the plural noun Elohim is troublesome to the translator, and is generally changed to the Tetragrammaton, as it is here; (3) Bethel was not the later site of the Temple, but Jerusalem. Accordingly, the targumists rendering diminishes the sanctity and importance of the area. Neophyti gives a similar translation for this phrase: a place designated before the Lord; Pseudo-Jonathan and ibn Ezra are more specific: the place is suitable for prayer; and Radak specifies even further: a place suitable to be a sanctuary to God to pray there and offer sacrifices to God. Others, like Genesis Rabbah and Rashi, find various ways to prove that Jacob was referring to Jerusalem. GATE FACING HEAVEN. Bible: gate of heaven. Since Bethel was obviously not a literal earthly door to heaven, the targumist adds facing. Genesis Rabbah understands gate of heaven as a metaphor for the future Jerusalem Temple, which God showed Jacob.

Our commentary of this single verse describes five characteristic changes made by the targumist throughout the Pentateuch. We note that he adds a phrase not found in the Torah that explains Jacobs exclamation, How awesome is this place, which could have many meanings. Our translator adds that it is not an ordinary place. This is a frequently appearing change to enhance clarity. He eschews calling the place the house of God because this description is too anthropomorphic and, as usual, he attempts to eliminate or soften biblical anthropomorphisms wherever he possibly can. He changes Elohim into the Tetragrammaton, the four lettered name of God (which we read as Adonai, Lord) to refrain from calling God by a name that has a plural ending in Hebrew. Fourth, since the site of his dream, Bethel, would not be the house of God because the Temple would be built in Jerusalem, he changes house of God to a site in which there was pleasure from before the Lord. Thus he modifies the biblical phrase because 2

of subsequent history. This is similar in some respects to the targumist updating the names of places and coins discussed in a prior guide. Fifth, the targumist very often explains biblical metaphors, such as gate of heaven because many people are unable to understand what some metaphors are suggesting. This phrase is found frequently in rabbinic writings and in Jewish liturgy. The writings view God metaphorically and anthropomorphically residing in heaven, although we know that the entire earth is filled with His glory (Isaiah 6:3). They also depict heaven as having a gate that can be opened through prayer. By changing gate of heaven to gate facing heaven, the Targum explains the metaphor and removes the anthropomorphism.

ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS ON ONKELOS Our commentary to 28:17 (page 188, continuing on page 191) offers the views of other commentators and Midrashim concerning the nature of the place mentioned in the verse. Each commentator has his own view because of his personal mission and style. Jewish sages said, There are seventy faces to the Torah, but in reality there are many, many more faces than that. It requires a lifetime of study to become familiar with the totality of these interpretations. Hence, rather than allow us to become frustrated by the enormity of this task, Rabbi Tarfon said, you are not required to complete this labor, but he adds, neither are you free to abstain from it (Ethics of the Fathers 2:21). Within this spectrum of interpretations stands Targum Onkelos. It should be clear, simply from this verse, that its reputation as a strictly literal translation is over-stated. It is often not literal, although as we continue to discover, it is the most literal of the targumic translations. It is not a commentary, which has the luxury of being interpretative, creative, and imaginative. Yet, our targumist clarifies words, phrases, and whole verses at times, in ways that may be regarded as commentary, although his motive is simply to make the text clear. No other translation of the Torah in existence has withstood the test of time. (The Greek translation called the Septuagint was composed long before Onkelos, but the currently existing version is different than the original.) No other translation or commentary has been included in almost every Hebrew Bible for well over fifteen hundred years. It is the most quoted of all translations in Jewish history. As we continue our study, we will understand why this was so. Perhaps, you can already suggest why Onkelos has been considered so important. 3

GENERAL DISCUSSION Read the thirteen verses of 28:10-22 (pages 186191) again. Imagine Jacobs frame of mind as he is fleeing from his home, fearing that Esau might pursue him and kill him as he vowed to do (27:41). He is agitated and alone and can only find stones to prop up his head before going to sleep. He wonders about his mothers family in Paddan-aram, with whom he was told to stay. How would they treat him? He needs reassurance that all will turn out well. How do you understand the meaning of Jacobs unusual dream? What is the significance of the angels ascending and descending the ladder? Why angels? Could the dream convince Jacob that his journey will be successful? Or, is the dream nothing more than an expression of Jacobs anxiety? Was Jacobs affirmation in verses 28:20-22 (pages 190 and 191) only a conditional commitment (if the Lord does such and such, Jacob will worship him and set aside a tenth of his wealth before Him) and not a thank you for Gods reassurance. Our commentary on verse 21 (page 191) provides many opinions:
THEN. Rashi and Bechor Schor consider it a condition, but Radak and Nachmanides regard then as part of the vow; then I will be able to return to my fathers house and worship God. If it is a condition, where does the condition end? According to Rashi, it ends at the end of verse 21Jacob promised to worship at the pillar. According to Bechor Schor, it ends in the middle of verse 21, that since people will see that the Lord helped Jacob, they will know that He is Jacobs God.

What is your opinion?

FOR FURTHER STUDY

1. See 29:12 and commentary, THE SON OF HER FATHERS SISTER (pages 192, continuing on page 195). The targumist clarifies a biblical phrase describing Jacobs relationship with Rachel. 2. See 30:2 (pages 198 and 199) and commentary. Clarifying Jacobs angry response to Rachels importuning. 3. See 30:22 (pages 200203) and commentary. The targumists understanding of Gods response to Rachel.