Translation and Interpretation of Torah

(72) The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel took up residence in their towns. (1) the entire people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the Teaching of Moses with which the LORD had charged Israel. (2) On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Teaching before the congregation, men and women and all who could listen with understanding. (3) He read from it, facing the square before the Water Gate, from the first light until midday, to the men and the women and those who could understand; the ears of all the people were given to the scroll of the Teaching. (4) Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden tower made for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah at his right, and at his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam. (5) Ezra opened the scroll in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people; as he opened it, all the people stood up. (6) Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with hands upraised. Then they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the LORD with their faces to the ground. (7) Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites explained the Teaching to the people, while the people stood in their places. (8) They read from the scroll of the Teaching of God, translating it and giving the sense; so they understood the reading.

The Gemara asks: Was the translation of the Torah really composed by Onkelos the convert? Didn’t Rav Ika bar Avin say that Rav Ḥananel said that Rav said: What is the meaning of that which is written with respect to the days of Ezra: “And they read in the book, the Torah of God, section by section; and they gave the sense, and they caused them to understand the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8)? The verse should be understood as follows: “And they read in the book, the Torah of God,”--this is Scripture; “section by section,”--this is the translation.

Not less than three verses of the Holy Law may be read in the synagogue to each person [called to read]. One verse only of the law may at one time be read to the meturgeman, or interpreter, but it is lawful to read three consecutive verses to him from the Prophets, but if each verse should form a separate section, one verse only may be read to the meturgeman at a time. Passages may be skipped over in the reading of the Prophets, but not in that of the Holy Law. What time may be suffered to elapse to skip from one passage to another? As long as the meturgeman has not concluded his interpretation.

A minor may read in the law [in the synagogue], and act as meturgeman, but may not publicly recite the Shema, nor act as minister at the ark, nor [if a priest] say [by himself] the blessing of priests. If ones clothes are torn, so that his arms and legs appear, or, as others explain it, one whose legs and arms are quite bare,] may repeat the Shema, and act as the translator, but he may not read in the Holy Law, nor act as minister before the tevah, nor [if he is a priest] say the blessing of priests; a blind person may repeat the Shema, and act as translator; but Rabbi Yehudah says, "One who never beheld the light [that is, was born blind], may not repeat the Shema."

"There was no speaker" The Meturgeman stands before the sage who provides the homiletic explanation. The sage whispers to him in Hebrew and he translates publicly in a language they understand.

GEMARA: With regard to the basic mitzva of zimmun, the Gemara asks: From where are these matters derived, that after a meal in which three diners participated, a zimmun must be recited? Rav Asi said: As the verse states: “Praise God with me, and we will exalt His name together” (Psalms 34:4), i.e., the one reciting the blessing turns to at least two others to praise God together. Rabbi Abbahu said: The source of the mitzva of zimmun is derived from the verse here: “When I call the Name of the Lord, give [plural] praise to our God” (Deuteronomy 32:3). Having mentioned these verses, the Gemara cites related matters. Rav Ḥanan bar Abba said: From where is it derived that one who answers amen should not raise his voice louder than the one reciting the blessing? As it is stated: “Praise God with me, and we will exalt His Name together”; together and not with the respondent raising his voice louder than the one reciting the blessing. Similarly, Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi said: From where is it derived that the translator who translated the public Torah reading into Aramaic is not permitted to raise his voice louder than the reader? As it is stated: “Moses spoke, and God responded in a voice” (Exodus 19:19). This verse requires further consideration, as there is no need for the verse to state: In a voice. The phrase, in a voice, adds nothing. Rather, to what purpose did the verse state: In a voice? In Moses’ voice, i.e., in a voice no louder than Moses’ voice. This verse instructs subsequent generations that Torah readers and translators should keep their voices at an equal volume just as Moses transmitted God’s word to the people and their voices were equal in volume. This was also taught in a baraita: The translator is not permitted to raise his voice louder than the reader. The converse is also true; and if the translator cannot raise his voice to match that of the reader, the reader should lower his voice and read.

And in a similar vein, Rabbi Zeira says that Rav Ḥisda says: The congregation is not permitted to answer amen to the blessing recited over the Torah reading until the blessing of the one reading from the Torah concludes from his mouth. And the reader is not permitted to begin reading from the Torah until the response amen to the preceding blessing concludes from the mouths of the congregation. And the translator is not permitted to begin the translation of the Torah reading until the reading of the verse from the Torah concludes from the mouth of the reader. And the reader is not permitted to begin reading another verse until the translation concludes from the mouth of the translator.

And the Lord said: “Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing?” (Gen. 18:17). May it please our master to teach us whether one may recite the Aramaic translation (Targum) of the Torah while looking into the Torah scroll. Our masters teach us: One is forbidden to look into the Torah scroll while translating it, lest someone should contend that the translation is contained in the Torah scroll. Conversely, one who reads the Torah is forbidden to turn away from the scroll as he reads, for the Torah was given only in writing, as it is said: And I will write upon the tablets the words that were on the first tablets (Exod. 34:1). The Meturgeman is forbidden to look into the Torah scroll while translating. R. Judah the son of Pazzi declared: There is an entire verse in Scripture that deals with this subject: Write for yourself these words, for in accordance of these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel (ibid., v. 27). Write these words alludes to the Torah, which was given in writing, while in accordance with these words (literally--"concerning my mouth") refers to the translation of the Torah that was given orally.

(10) Since the days of Ezra it has been the rule that an interpreter shall be present to interpret to the people what the reader is reading in the Torah, so that they may understand the subject-matter. The reader reads one verse only, waits till the interpreter has interpreted it, and then reads the next verse. The reader may not read to the interpreter more than one verse at a time.

(11) The reader may not raise his voice above that of the interpreter nor may the interpreter raise his voice above that of the reader. The interpreter may not begin to translate till the sound of the verse uttered by the reader has ceased. The reader may not read the next verse till the interpreter's translation of the previous verse is ended. The interpreter is not to lean against a pillar or beam, but stands in reverence and awe. He does not read the translation from a script but translates it by heart. The reader may not prompt the interpreter so that it should not be said that the translation is written in the Torah. A minor (under thirteen years) may act as interpreter to an adult who is reading. But it is not respectful to an adult that he should act as interpreter to a minor who is reading. There should not be two interpreters acting together. But one reads and one interprets.

Behold, My word is like fire—declares the LORD—and like a hammer that shatters rock!

§ The Gemara discusses the ruling of Rabbi Yoḥanan: From where is this matter derived? Abaye says: As the verse states: “God has spoken once, twice I have heard this; that strength belongs to God” (Psalms 62:12). Abaye explains: One verse is stated by God and from it emerge several explanations, but one explanation does not emerge from several verses. Alternatively, the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught that the verse states: “Is not My word like as fire? says the Lord; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces” (Jeremiah 23:29). Just as this hammer breaks a stone into several fragments, so too, one verse is stated by God and from it emerge several explanations.

With regard to the revelation at Sinai, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “The Lord gives the word; the women that proclaim the tidings are a great host” (Psalms 68:12)? It means that each and every utterance that emerged from the mouth of the Almighty divided into seventy languages, a great host. And, similarly, the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught with regard to the verse: “Behold, is My word not like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that shatters a rock?” (Jeremiah 23:29). Just as this hammer breaks a stone into several fragments, so too, each and every utterance that emerged from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He, divided into seventy languages.

§ The Sages taught: If one said to a woman: Be betrothed to me on the condition that I am literate with regard to the Torah, once he has read three verses in the synagogue she is betrothed. Rabbi Yehuda says that she is not betrothed until he reads and translates the verses. The Gemara asks: Does Rabbi Yehuda mean that one translates according to his own understanding? But isn’t it taught in a baraita (Tosefta, Megilla 3:21) that Rabbi Yehuda says: One who translates a verse literally is a liar, since he distorts the meaning of the text, and conversely, one who adds his own translation is tantamount to one who curses and blasphemes God? Rather, to which translation is Rabbi Yehuda referring? He is referring to our accepted translation.

​​​​​​​Tosefta Megillah 4:41 [The translator] [does not?] modify a verse written in the singular into the plural and does not modify the plural into the singular. Rabbi Yehuda says: The one who just translates a verse according to its form, this is a liar; the one who adds to it, this is a blasphemer. A translator who stands before a sage is not permitted to subtract, to add or change anything unless they are [the sage's] parent or teacher.

(1) One may save all sacred writings from a fire whether they read from them [on Shabbat] or not. And even though they may be written in a different language [other than Hebrew] they require storage. And why are they not read on Shabbat? [To avoid] neglect of the Beit HaMidrash [a facility devoted to the study and teaching of Torah]. One may save the case of a scroll with the scroll, and the case of tefillin with the tefillin even if there is money in it. To where are they moved? To an enclosed alley. Ben Beteira says: [One may] even [move these items] to an open alley.

GEMARA: It was stated that amora’im debated the status of sacred writings written in Aramaic translation or in any other language. Rav Huna said: One may not rescue them from the fire on Shabbat. And Rav Ḥisda said: One may rescue them from the fire on Shabbat. The Gemara adds: According to the one who said that sacred writings written in other languages may be read, everybody agrees that one may rescue them. Where they argue is according to the one who said that they may not be read. Rav Huna said: One may not rescue them, as they may not be read. Whereas Rav Ḥisda said: One may rescue them due to disgrace to sacred writings that will result. We learned in the mishna: With regard to all sacred writings, one may rescue them from the fire on Shabbat whether they are read in public or whether they are not read in public, even if they are written in any foreign language. What, is it not that the phrase: “That they are read” is referring to the books of the Prophets, and the phrase: “That they are not read” is referring to the Writings? Even though these are books written in any foreign language, which may not be read, it is taught that one may save them. This then is a conclusive refutation of the opinion of Rav Huna.

If they [scrolls] are written in a Targum, in any language, we save them and store them.

§ The Gemara cites another ruling of Rabbi Yirmeya or Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba. Rabbi Yirmeya said, and some say that it was Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba who said: The Aramaic translation of the Torah used in the synagogues was composed by Onkelos the convert based on the teachings of Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua. The Aramaic translation of the Prophets was composed by Yonatan ben Uzziel based on a tradition going back to the last prophets, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The Gemara relates that when Yonatan ben Uzziel wrote his translation, Eretz Yisrael quaked over an area of four hundred parasangs [parsa] by four hundred parasangs, and a Divine Voice emerged and said: Who is this who has revealed My secrets to mankind?

"This is one who curses." One who despises God, changing God's words. That which Onkelos added he did not add of his own accord, for it was already given at Sinai. Rather [the Targum] was forgotten and then he [Onkelos] came and reestablished it, as it is stated in Megillah, 3a, "they gave the sense"--"this is the translation [Onkelos]."

(3) "So that he learn to fear the Eternal God": We are hereby taught that study leads to Scripture; Scripture leads to Targum, Targum leads to Mishnah, Mishnah leads to Talmud, Talmud leads to works, works lead to fear of God. (Or, more metaphorically---"In order to teach us that study brings us to Scripture, Scripture brings us to translation/explanation, translation/explanation brings us to codification, codification brings us to arguments over the meaning of the codes, argumentation brings us to perform good acts and the performance of good acts leads us to fear of God.)