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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_commentaries_on_the_Bible Phil Burnstein 00:15, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

This article describes the first printing of the Hebrew Bible with major Jewish commentaries, notes concerning translations into Aramaic and English, and lists some universally accepted Jewish commentaries with notes on their method of approach.

Contents

[edit] Earliest printing of commentaries

The Hebrew Bible was codefied by the rabbis at the Great Assembly and was first printed as volume 1 of the Gutenberg Bible in 1455. The complete Tanach in Hebrew, with commentaries by Rashi, Radak, Ramban, and Ralbag was printed in 1517 by Daniel Bomberg and edited by Felix Pratensis under the name Mikraot Gedolot.

The Hebrew Bible was handed down in mamuscript form along with a method of checking the accuracy of the transcription known as mesorah. Many codices containing the masoretic text were gathered by Jacob ben Hayyim ibn Adonijah and were used to publish an exact manuscript. It was published by Daniel Bomberg in 1525. Later editions were edited with the the help of Eliyahu ben Asher ha-Levi Ashkenazi Levita. Mikraot Gedolot is still in print, and a sample page can be found here.

[edit] Translations

"All translations are commentaries".[1] All nations and all languages have translations of the Bible. According to the Bible study wiki [2](not affiliated with the wikipediia) there are at least 90 English translations and thousands of translations into other languages. Within the scope of this article, we will consider the earliest translations into Aramaic called targum, and we will consider some modern translations into English.

[edit] Targum

A Targum is a translation of the Bible into Aramaic. The classic Targumim are Targum Onkelos on the Chumash, Targum Yonason on Neviim, and a fragmentary Targum Yerushalmi. There is no standard Aramaic translation of Kesuvim[3].

[edit] Onkelos

Onkelos wrote the most literal translation of the Bible.[4] with a few exceptions. Figurative language, is ussually not translated literally but is explained (e.g., Gen. 49:25; Ex. 15:3, 8, 10; 29:35). Geographical names are often replaced by those current at a later time (e.g., Gen. 10:10; Deut. 3:17).
According to the Talmud[5], the Torah and its translation into Aramaic were given to Moses on Mount Sinai, because Egyptian slaves spoke Aramaic. After the Babylonian exile, the Targum was completely forgotten. Onkelos, a Roman convert to Judaism, was able to reconstruct the original Aramaic.
R. Saadiah Gaon disagrees and says the Aramaic of Onkelos was never a spoken language. He believed that Onkelos's Aramaic was an artificial construct, i.e. it was a combination of Eastern and Western dialects of Aramaic[6].

[edit] Jonathan ben Uzziel

Jonathan ben Uzziel was the greatest pupil of Hillel the Elder.

[edit] Targum Yerushalmi

[edit] Modern Translations

Ex. 20:9–10:
ששת ימים תעבד ועשית כל מלאכתך׃ ויום השביעי שבת ליהֹוה אלֹהיך לא תעשה כל מלאכה אתה ובנך ובתך עבדך ואמתך ובהמתך וגרך אשר בשעריך׃
yields the following:

Aryeh Kaplan: Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. You can work during the six weekdays and do all your tasks. But Saturday is the Sabbath to God your Lord. Do not do anything that constitutes work.

Samson Raphael Hirsch: Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it. Six days shall you serve and do all your [creating] work, and the seventh day is a Sabbath to God, your God. On it you shall not perform any kind of [creating] work….

ARTSCROLL: Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it. Six days shall you work and accomplish all your work; but the seventh day is Sabbath to HASHEM, your God; you shall not do any work….

SCHOCKEN: Remember / the Sabbath day, to hallow it. / For six days, you are to serve, and are to make all your work, / but the seventh day / is Sabbath for YHWH your God: / you are not to make any kind of work….

NJV[7]: Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the LORD your God: you shall not do any work….

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[edit] Commentaries

[edit] Methodology

[edit] Rishonim Early (1000-1600)

Targum Yonathan ben Uzziel found in the Chumash was not written by Yonathan ben Uzziel according to English speaking Bible critics who call it Pseudo-Jonathan. According to the Encyclopedia Judaica[8] internal evidence shows that it was written sometime between the 7th and 14th centuries ce. For example, Ishmael's wife's name is translated into Aramaic as Fatima (who was Mohammed's wife) and therefore Targum Pseudo-Jonathan must have been written after Mohammed's birth.
The classic Hebrew commentators would turn this arguement around, and say that Mohammed's wife was named after Ismael's wife.
Both sides will agree, however that styalisticly that the commentary on the Chumash is very different than the commentary on Neviim.

[edit] Acharonim Later(1600-)

  • Sifsei Chachomim 1641-1718
  • Ohr Hachayim 1696 - 1743
  • Malbim 1809 - 1879
  • Haemek Davar 1817 - 1893
  • Sfas Emek 1847 - 1905
  • Torah Temimah 1860-1941
  • Minchat Shai
  • Metsudot
  • Klee Yakar

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Leo Baeck Pharisees
  2. ^ http://biblestudywiki.com
  3. ^ Megilla 3a
  4. ^ Encyclopedia Judaica:Bible:Targum Onkelos:third paragrph
  5. ^ Bavli, Megilla, 3a as understood by the Marshah, Chidushai Agadot on Nedorim, 9b. See also the Yam Shel Shlomo on Yebomot chapter 12
  6. ^ Encyclopedia Judaica: Bible
  7. ^ New Jewish Version from Jewish Publication Society
  8. ^ 2nd ed., vol. 3, p. 591

Category:Biblical exegesis Category:Biblical studies Category:Jewish texts Category:Hebrew Bible topics

he:פרשני המקרא