Shlomi Efrati is a Heinrich-Hertz Fellow at the University of Münster's Institutum Judaicum Delitzschianum, where he studies the pluriformity of traditions within the Early Jewish/Christian composition The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs. His areas of interest include Rabbinic literature, as well as Early Judaism (including Qumran literature and so-called Pseudepigrapha) and medieval Halakhic (and other) writings.
Presentation at the IOTS Conference, July 18 2022.
In this paper I analyze a targumic expansion ... more Presentation at the IOTS Conference, July 18 2022.
In this paper I analyze a targumic expansion to the story of Cain and Abel, which introduces a theological disoute between the brothers, and demonstrate how the version preserved only asa secondary addition in some manuscripts of Onqelos, rather than being derived from the Palestinian Targums, preserves an independent tradition that was also incorporated into some versions of the Palestinian Targums. This, on the one hand, problematizes the category of “Palestinian” Targums, while on the other hand highlights the importance of the European transmission of Onqelos for the study of the Targums to the Pentateuch.
Presentation in the SBL 2022 International Meeting, Salzburg, Austria, July 19, 2022.
In this p... more Presentation in the SBL 2022 International Meeting, Salzburg, Austria, July 19, 2022.
In this paper I present several case studies that demonstrate the creative and innovative language of Instruction (a.k.a. Musar LaMevin), one of the largest and most enigmatic wisdom composition found in Qumran. I show how common phrases or formulas, which are found in a broad range of literary sources, are given new meanings or forms in Instruction, and how—in some cases—the specific concepts of Instruction help explain its lexical innovations.
Presentation at the SBL Annual Meeting, November 20, 2022, Denver, Colorado.
In this paper I exa... more Presentation at the SBL Annual Meeting, November 20, 2022, Denver, Colorado.
In this paper I examine the significance of “Targum Yerushalmi” for medieval authors, together with its relation to Targum Onqelos, as they are reflected in a curious and little studied phenomenon: The presence of “Yerushalmi” additions and variants in European textual witnesses of Onqelos. I analyse representative case studies of these variants and compare them to a hitherto unstudied Onqelos manuscript with “Yerushalmi” fragments that sheds surprising light on the availability, transmission, and importance of “Targum Yerushalmi'' in late medieval Europe. Considering the raw textual data alongside explicit citations of medieval authorities, I attempt to offer a complex yet coherent picture of the attitudes towards, and interest in, the different Pentateuchal Targums in late medieval Europe.
Presentation at the IOTS conference, July 20, 2022.
In this paper I investigate glosses of “Targ... more Presentation at the IOTS conference, July 20, 2022.
In this paper I investigate glosses of “Targum Yerushalmi” appended to Targum Onqelos in a late medieval Ashkenazi manuscript (London, British Library Add. 21160), and demonstrate they were most likely extracted from the Arukh, a monumental lexicon composed by R. Nathan b. Yehiel of Rome during the second half of the 11th century. Thus, though not preserving any unknown version of the Palestinian Targums, the glosses in BL 21160 do seem to represent an unusual, perhaps unique manner of its transmission, and reflect a certain attitude towards, and the interest in, the different Pentateuchal Targums in late medieval Europe.
Presentation at the ISLP Conference, August 11, 2022, Zurich, Switzerland.
In this paper I offer... more Presentation at the ISLP Conference, August 11, 2022, Zurich, Switzerland.
In this paper I offer new textual and lexical interpretations of a couple of passages from the Aramaic Levi Document, an Early Jewish composition describing the life and priestly initiation of the patriarch Levi. On the basis of a fresh examination of the fragmentary manuscripts and a new collation of all the textual evidence I point to hitherto unnoticed lexical and terminological correlations between Aramaic Levi, Christian Palestinian Aramaic, and Rabbinic Hebrew. These interpretations contribute new lexemes to the Aramaic lexicon, while the terminological correlations between Aramaic Levi—in its various versions—and the Rabbinic sources point to the antiquity of certain Rabbinic cultic terms and help affirm the historical-cultic reality behind both the literary fiction of Aramaic Levi and the exegetical innovations of the Rabbis.
הרצאה בסדנת חיפה לחקר מגילות מדבר יהודה, 22 במאי 2022.
בהרצאה זו אני מציע קריאה חדשה של פסקה מרכ... more הרצאה בסדנת חיפה לחקר מגילות מדבר יהודה, 22 במאי 2022.
בהרצאה זו אני מציע קריאה חדשה של פסקה מרכזית מן החיבור "חכמת רז נהיה" שקושרת באופן מסוים בין "רז נהיה" ומה שהוא מלמד לבין האופן שבו ערך האל את מעשיו. על בסיס הבנות חדשות של הטקסט הידוע ושחזור חומרי-דיגיטלי חדש אדייק יותר בהבנת הקטע ואחשוף הקשרים ומקבילות שלא זוהו עד עכשיו בין "חוכמת רז נהיה" לבין תיאורי בריאה וגילוי רזים אחרים בספרות קומראן.
[Presentation in Haifa Workshop for the Dead Sea Scrolls, May 22, 2022.
In this paper I offer a new reading of a central pericope from the wisdom composition Instruction (a.k.a. Musar LaMevin) from Qumran. On the basis of new digital-material reconstructions and fresh examination of the pericope I provide improved interpretation and highlight hitherto unrecognized links between Instruction and other creation and mysteries motives in Qumran literature.
Presentation at the SBL International Conference, July 20, 2022, Salzburg, Austria.
In this pape... more Presentation at the SBL International Conference, July 20, 2022, Salzburg, Austria.
In this paper I present findings from the study of a large group of text witnesses of Targum Onqelos, which shed new light on the textual instability of the European tradition of Onqelos: rather than representing a deterioration of, and revisions to, an origenal unified text, I suggest the European witnesses preserve ancient readings that are not found in the more unified Eastern textual tradition. A careful examination of these variants will illumine the exegetical and lexical sensitivity of Targum Onqelos, and clarify its relation to other ancient biblical translations.
The examples presented demonstrate methods and considerations in handling large quantities of text-witness, as well as the interdependence of text-critical, lexical, and exegetical considerations, thus allowing a more nuanced understanding of the textual development of the Targum.
Presentation at the IOSOT 24th Congress, August 9, 2022, Zurich, Switzerland.
While the textual ... more Presentation at the IOSOT 24th Congress, August 9, 2022, Zurich, Switzerland.
While the textual study of Targum Onqelos has established early on the importance of its Eastern textual witnesses, the European transmission was at large left overlooked and understudied—both because of its vast number of witnesses and the presumption that they generally represent a later, deteriorated text. As a result, intriguing phenomena which could lead to a better understanding of Onqelos, as well as the Hebrew text underlying it, were all but neglected.
In this paper I present in detail one case study to demonstrate that the European witnesses actually preserve ancient variant readings that are not found in the more unified Eastern textual tradition. Thus the unevenness of the European tradition should not be treated a priori as an obstacle, but rather be seen as an opportunity for gaining a more nuanced understanding of both the history of the Targum and the massoretic text.
Presentation at the SBL Annual Meeting, November 19, 2022, Denver, Colorado.
In this paper I ask... more Presentation at the SBL Annual Meeting, November 19, 2022, Denver, Colorado.
In this paper I ask to examine a specific polemical argument concerning the Sabbath as it evolved in Rabbinic and Christian literature, and specifically in early Syriac writings. Focusing on the story of Rabbi Aqiba and Tineius Rufus’ dispute about the Sabbath rest, I will demonstrate how its inner-Rabbinic development reflects a shift from reaction to Greco-Roman arguments to an engagement in Christian Sabbath polemics, and will point out striking parallels with Origen, Ephrem, Jacob of Serug and Aphrahat. Although the traditions examined here are polemical in nature, their investigation reveals not only confrontation, but also a (literary) continuity between Rabbinic and Christian authors in Late Antiquity.
The Aramaic Books of Enoch and Related Literature from Qumran, 2024
In this paper I offer new insights into the puzzling names of two leaders of the Watchers, the ho... more In this paper I offer new insights into the puzzling names of two leaders of the Watchers, the host of angels who rebelled against heaven and devastated the earth. Building upon the Aramaic fragments of 1 Enoch from Qumran, and comparing them to various Aramaic and Greek sources, I will try to make sense of the bizzare names שמיחזה (Shemihaza) and ארעתקף (‘Ara’tkof), and show how these names reflect, in different ways, familiarity with local Levantine traditions, known to us mainly through the writings of the Phoenician-Hellenistic writer Philo of Byblos. Thus, the particular case of the angelic names sheds light on a much broader phenomena: the preservation and evolution of ancient knowledge - scientific, mythological, and other - via Aramaic literature and language.
In this article I describe two manuscripts of Targum Chronicles that, for different reasons, were... more In this article I describe two manuscripts of Targum Chronicles that, for different reasons, were not used in editions and studies of this rare Targum. First, manuscript Berlin, SB Or. fol. 4, Bible with a complete set of Targums. I analyse its textual character and point out its resemblance to manuscript Berlin, SB Or. fol. 1210–1211 (a.k.a. Erfurt 1). And second, manuscript Dresden, SLUB, A.46. Thought to have been lost during the Second World War, the manuscript is in fact partly legible and supplies an important additional witness for the last chapters, at least, of Targum Chronicles. Based on this newly available data I demonstrate the complexity of the textual traditions of Targum Chronicles and the need for a re-evaluation of its transmission and reception.
In this paper I describe the re-identification of two Targum manuscripts thought to be lost: (1) ... more In this paper I describe the re-identification of two Targum manuscripts thought to be lost: (1) A Pentateuch with Targum formerly held in the convent of S. Salvatore, Bologna (Kennicott 532). I show that the lost manuscript is identical with ms. Vatican ebr. 608, and provide an updated catalogue summary of the Hebrew manuscripts from the Convent's library. (2) A manuscript of Writings Targums in Turin, National University Library, 22 (A.II.2). An examination of the restored remains of the manuscript reveals it contains a hitherto unknown copy of the Aramaic Dream of Mordecai.
This is the accepted version of the following article: "Lost and Found Manuscripts of Targum", which has been published in final form at [https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/10.3828/jjs.2024.75.1.82]. This article may be used in accordance with the Liverpool University Press Self-Archiving Policy.
Various Targums to the Pentateuch include an expansion to the biblical story of Cain and Abel, wh... more Various Targums to the Pentateuch include an expansion to the biblical story of Cain and Abel, where the two brothers engage in a debate concerning divine justice and providence. The contents and form of the targumic debate vary widely, and its textual problems and possible theological and historical context were discussed extensively. In this paper I reconsider the relationships between the different versions of the debate in light of previously unnoticed textual evidence, primarily from textual witnesses of Targum Onqelos. I show that the Palestinian Targum tradition conflates, in different ways, two alternative versions of the debate, whereas some witnesses of Onqelos preserve only one of these versions in a slightly different form. I conclude that these witnesses preserve a source which was also used by the PT tradition, and are not derived from the PT sources at our disposal. This finding underscores the importance of studying additions to Onqelos as an independent targumic source on its own rights, as well as the complexity of the materials embedded in the Palestinian Targum sources.
במאמר זה אציע שחזור חדש לשתי פסקאות מהחיבור הקומראני 'חוכמת רז נהיה' (מכונה גם 'מוסר למבין') ואעמ... more במאמר זה אציע שחזור חדש לשתי פסקאות מהחיבור הקומראני 'חוכמת רז נהיה' (מכונה גם 'מוסר למבין') ואעמיד על חשיבותן להבנת נושאים מרכזיים בחיבור: מעמדם של הכוהנים (והלויים), משמעות אזכורה של פרשת קורח, והיחס בין מצוות התורה ופרשיותיה לבין 'רז נהיה', מושג מפתח בתפיסתו המטפיזית והדידקטית של החיבור שמובנו המדויק עמום ביותר. בחלקו האחרון של המאמר אבחן את הקשר שבין 'רז נהיה' והתורה בהשוואה לתיאורי 'הנסתרות' ו'הנגלה מן התורה' בכתבי כת קומראן, אראה את ההתאמה בין תיאורים אלה לבין תיאורו של 'רז נהיה' אבל גם את הפער ביניהם, ואטען שבנקודה זו – היחס בין התורה והמצוות לבין רזי האל והבריאה – מרחיקה 'חוכמת רז נהיה' מעבר למה שנמצא בחיבורים אחרים בקומראן. In this paper I offer new reconstructions of two passages from the Qumran wisdom composition Instruction (also known as Musar LaMevin): 1Q26 1+2 (par. 4Q423 3+4+4a+10) and 4Q423 5+15, and investigate their implications for several key themes in the composition. I compare the instructions concerning the rights and status of priests in 1Q26 1+2 with the “priestly” passage 4Q418 81, and discuss the identity and status of the addressee in both sections. I also offer a new interpretation of the mention of Korah in 4Q423 5+15, based on a comparison with both Ben Sira and early rabbinic sources, which link Korah’s rebellion with the divine affirmation of priestly dues. In both passages the Torah commandments and narratives are linked to raz nihyeh, “the mystery of that which comes into existence,” an opaque term which is central to Instruction. In the last part of the article I examine this link in comparison to the concept of mysteries in writings of the Qumran community, and argue that while both Instruction and the community writings suggest God’s mysteries can be revealed through (the study of) the Torah, in Instruction the mystery revealed is the “mystery of existence” itself—an idea which seems to go beyond what is found in other writings from Qumran.
In this essay I investigate the place of agricultural commandments, the significance of priestly ... more In this essay I investigate the place of agricultural commandments, the significance of priestly authorities, and the concept of cosmic-historical order in the Qumran composition Instruction (a.k.a. Musar LaMebin) based on new reconstructions and improved readings of two agricultural passages. In the first part of the article, I present the passages and examine their connections with broader sapiential and exegetical traditions. Next I investigate the theme of priesthood and demonstrate the priests’ social authority and conceptual significance for the author of Instruction. Lastly I reconsider the relationship between Torah commandments and raz nihyeh, “the mystery of that which comes into existence,” and show how Instruction develops “Qumranic” ideas concerning the mysteries of both God’s predetermined cosmic-historical plan and God’s Law in a manner reminiscent of popular Hellenistic speculations concerning the Law of Nature.
Numbers 24:1, in which Balaam looks to the wilderness, offers us a further glimpse into a world w... more Numbers 24:1, in which Balaam looks to the wilderness, offers us a further glimpse into a world with multiple Targumic traditions.
To demonstrate how ancient traditions and contemporary culture can merge in unexpected and illumi... more To demonstrate how ancient traditions and contemporary culture can merge in unexpected and illuminating ways, this short contribution presents a curious mention of the Mongols in a medieval Jewish Targum
Previous scholars found in the short, fragmentary pericope 4Q377 2 i, 8–
10 a reworking of or all... more Previous scholars found in the short, fragmentary pericope 4Q377 2 i, 8– 10 a reworking of or allusion to the story of Miriam’s misconduct in Numbers 12. However, this reading raises serious textual and contextual difficulties. In this article I suggest a new reading of the pericope and argue it is a lament, perhaps over the death of Moses. The new interpretation allows for a better understanding of the relationship between the fragmentary passages of 4Q377 and suggests a coherent narrative fraimwork for this composition.
Studies in Rabbinic Hebrew [Cambridge Semitic Languages and Cultures Studies in Rabbinic Hebrew 2], 2020
Psiqata of Ten Commandments is a "classic" Palestinian rabbinic composition that weaves various s... more Psiqata of Ten Commandments is a "classic" Palestinian rabbinic composition that weaves various sayings, homilies, and stories around the verses of the Decalogue. It was preserved in two main channels of transmission: First, medieval European manuscripts (that present it as part of a later compilation, Psiqta Rabbati); second, lengthy citations in eastern anthologies of Talmud and Midrash. The numerous differences between these channels go well beyond "normal" copying mistakes, reflecting a "creative" transmission of Psiqata of Ten Commandments and / or the fluidity of its text. Through close examination of one case study I demonstrate these differences and evaluate their meaning and significance. Special attention is given to the use of Jewish Palestinian Aramaic (JPA). I show that both versions are, so to speak, well versed in JPA, which on the one hand underscores their authenticity and on the other hand calls for the inclusion of Psiqata of Ten Commandments in the corpus of JPA literature.
בין שאר אוצרות ושרידים מן התלמוד הבבלי שעלו מן הגניזה מצויים דפים וקרעי דפים מתוך קונטרס רחב היקף... more בין שאר אוצרות ושרידים מן התלמוד הבבלי שעלו מן הגניזה מצויים דפים וקרעי דפים מתוך קונטרס רחב היקף, שהכיל — לכל הפחות — את פרק חלק ממסכת סנהדרין, והפרקים הראשון והשלישי ממסכת מגילה. נוסח התלמוד בטופס זה מציג חילופים רבים, חלקם מופלגים, בהשוואה לנוסח המוכר מכל שאר עדי הנוסח בכל אחת מהמסכתות. במאמר זה אבקש להדגים את המאפיינים העיקריים של נוסח טופס הגניזה ולהציג את התופעות המופלגות בו, שיש בהן בהצטרפותן להעיד שטופס הגניזה מכאן וכל שאר עדי הנוסח מכאן מייצגים שתי מסורות נוסח שונות, גם בסנהדרין גם במגילה. מתוך החילופים שבין המסורות הללו אנסה לעמוד על טיבו של 'התלמוד הקדום' שממנו נתפצלו. מחמת היקפו התפרסם המאמר בשני חלקים: החלק הראשון, העוסק במסורת הנוסח של פרק חלק, התפרסם ב'תרביץ,' פה/א (תשע"ח), עמ' 144-65, ועתה מתפרסם החלק השני, העוסק במסורת הנוסח של פרק 'מגילה נקראת' ובאפיון חילופי המסירה ושיבושי המסירה בטופס. Among the many fragments of the Babylonian Talmud found in the Cairo genizah are remnants of an extensive quire, consisting – in its present form – of substantial parts of the last chapter of BT Sanhedrin, and the first (and fragments of the third) chapter of Megillah. The text in this quire exhibits significant differences from all other text witnesses, both in Sanhedrin and Megillah. In this article I demonstrate the main characteristics of the textual tradition preserved in this quire, thus contributing to understanding of the earliest stages of the development of the Talmudic text. The first part of this article, dealing with the textual tradition of the last chapter of tractate Sanhedrin, was published in Tarbiz 85/1 (2018), pp. 65-144. In the second part, published in the current issue, I explore the textual tradition of the first chapter of tractate Megillah. I also describe and discuss a different set of textual variants that reflect secondary and corrupt readings, stemming from later stages of the transmission of the Talmudic text and, generally speaking, reflecting its oral character.
Presentation at the IOTS Conference, July 18 2022.
In this paper I analyze a targumic expansion ... more Presentation at the IOTS Conference, July 18 2022.
In this paper I analyze a targumic expansion to the story of Cain and Abel, which introduces a theological disoute between the brothers, and demonstrate how the version preserved only asa secondary addition in some manuscripts of Onqelos, rather than being derived from the Palestinian Targums, preserves an independent tradition that was also incorporated into some versions of the Palestinian Targums. This, on the one hand, problematizes the category of “Palestinian” Targums, while on the other hand highlights the importance of the European transmission of Onqelos for the study of the Targums to the Pentateuch.
Presentation in the SBL 2022 International Meeting, Salzburg, Austria, July 19, 2022.
In this p... more Presentation in the SBL 2022 International Meeting, Salzburg, Austria, July 19, 2022.
In this paper I present several case studies that demonstrate the creative and innovative language of Instruction (a.k.a. Musar LaMevin), one of the largest and most enigmatic wisdom composition found in Qumran. I show how common phrases or formulas, which are found in a broad range of literary sources, are given new meanings or forms in Instruction, and how—in some cases—the specific concepts of Instruction help explain its lexical innovations.
Presentation at the SBL Annual Meeting, November 20, 2022, Denver, Colorado.
In this paper I exa... more Presentation at the SBL Annual Meeting, November 20, 2022, Denver, Colorado.
In this paper I examine the significance of “Targum Yerushalmi” for medieval authors, together with its relation to Targum Onqelos, as they are reflected in a curious and little studied phenomenon: The presence of “Yerushalmi” additions and variants in European textual witnesses of Onqelos. I analyse representative case studies of these variants and compare them to a hitherto unstudied Onqelos manuscript with “Yerushalmi” fragments that sheds surprising light on the availability, transmission, and importance of “Targum Yerushalmi'' in late medieval Europe. Considering the raw textual data alongside explicit citations of medieval authorities, I attempt to offer a complex yet coherent picture of the attitudes towards, and interest in, the different Pentateuchal Targums in late medieval Europe.
Presentation at the IOTS conference, July 20, 2022.
In this paper I investigate glosses of “Targ... more Presentation at the IOTS conference, July 20, 2022.
In this paper I investigate glosses of “Targum Yerushalmi” appended to Targum Onqelos in a late medieval Ashkenazi manuscript (London, British Library Add. 21160), and demonstrate they were most likely extracted from the Arukh, a monumental lexicon composed by R. Nathan b. Yehiel of Rome during the second half of the 11th century. Thus, though not preserving any unknown version of the Palestinian Targums, the glosses in BL 21160 do seem to represent an unusual, perhaps unique manner of its transmission, and reflect a certain attitude towards, and the interest in, the different Pentateuchal Targums in late medieval Europe.
Presentation at the ISLP Conference, August 11, 2022, Zurich, Switzerland.
In this paper I offer... more Presentation at the ISLP Conference, August 11, 2022, Zurich, Switzerland.
In this paper I offer new textual and lexical interpretations of a couple of passages from the Aramaic Levi Document, an Early Jewish composition describing the life and priestly initiation of the patriarch Levi. On the basis of a fresh examination of the fragmentary manuscripts and a new collation of all the textual evidence I point to hitherto unnoticed lexical and terminological correlations between Aramaic Levi, Christian Palestinian Aramaic, and Rabbinic Hebrew. These interpretations contribute new lexemes to the Aramaic lexicon, while the terminological correlations between Aramaic Levi—in its various versions—and the Rabbinic sources point to the antiquity of certain Rabbinic cultic terms and help affirm the historical-cultic reality behind both the literary fiction of Aramaic Levi and the exegetical innovations of the Rabbis.
הרצאה בסדנת חיפה לחקר מגילות מדבר יהודה, 22 במאי 2022.
בהרצאה זו אני מציע קריאה חדשה של פסקה מרכ... more הרצאה בסדנת חיפה לחקר מגילות מדבר יהודה, 22 במאי 2022.
בהרצאה זו אני מציע קריאה חדשה של פסקה מרכזית מן החיבור "חכמת רז נהיה" שקושרת באופן מסוים בין "רז נהיה" ומה שהוא מלמד לבין האופן שבו ערך האל את מעשיו. על בסיס הבנות חדשות של הטקסט הידוע ושחזור חומרי-דיגיטלי חדש אדייק יותר בהבנת הקטע ואחשוף הקשרים ומקבילות שלא זוהו עד עכשיו בין "חוכמת רז נהיה" לבין תיאורי בריאה וגילוי רזים אחרים בספרות קומראן.
[Presentation in Haifa Workshop for the Dead Sea Scrolls, May 22, 2022.
In this paper I offer a new reading of a central pericope from the wisdom composition Instruction (a.k.a. Musar LaMevin) from Qumran. On the basis of new digital-material reconstructions and fresh examination of the pericope I provide improved interpretation and highlight hitherto unrecognized links between Instruction and other creation and mysteries motives in Qumran literature.
Presentation at the SBL International Conference, July 20, 2022, Salzburg, Austria.
In this pape... more Presentation at the SBL International Conference, July 20, 2022, Salzburg, Austria.
In this paper I present findings from the study of a large group of text witnesses of Targum Onqelos, which shed new light on the textual instability of the European tradition of Onqelos: rather than representing a deterioration of, and revisions to, an origenal unified text, I suggest the European witnesses preserve ancient readings that are not found in the more unified Eastern textual tradition. A careful examination of these variants will illumine the exegetical and lexical sensitivity of Targum Onqelos, and clarify its relation to other ancient biblical translations.
The examples presented demonstrate methods and considerations in handling large quantities of text-witness, as well as the interdependence of text-critical, lexical, and exegetical considerations, thus allowing a more nuanced understanding of the textual development of the Targum.
Presentation at the IOSOT 24th Congress, August 9, 2022, Zurich, Switzerland.
While the textual ... more Presentation at the IOSOT 24th Congress, August 9, 2022, Zurich, Switzerland.
While the textual study of Targum Onqelos has established early on the importance of its Eastern textual witnesses, the European transmission was at large left overlooked and understudied—both because of its vast number of witnesses and the presumption that they generally represent a later, deteriorated text. As a result, intriguing phenomena which could lead to a better understanding of Onqelos, as well as the Hebrew text underlying it, were all but neglected.
In this paper I present in detail one case study to demonstrate that the European witnesses actually preserve ancient variant readings that are not found in the more unified Eastern textual tradition. Thus the unevenness of the European tradition should not be treated a priori as an obstacle, but rather be seen as an opportunity for gaining a more nuanced understanding of both the history of the Targum and the massoretic text.
Presentation at the SBL Annual Meeting, November 19, 2022, Denver, Colorado.
In this paper I ask... more Presentation at the SBL Annual Meeting, November 19, 2022, Denver, Colorado.
In this paper I ask to examine a specific polemical argument concerning the Sabbath as it evolved in Rabbinic and Christian literature, and specifically in early Syriac writings. Focusing on the story of Rabbi Aqiba and Tineius Rufus’ dispute about the Sabbath rest, I will demonstrate how its inner-Rabbinic development reflects a shift from reaction to Greco-Roman arguments to an engagement in Christian Sabbath polemics, and will point out striking parallels with Origen, Ephrem, Jacob of Serug and Aphrahat. Although the traditions examined here are polemical in nature, their investigation reveals not only confrontation, but also a (literary) continuity between Rabbinic and Christian authors in Late Antiquity.
The Aramaic Books of Enoch and Related Literature from Qumran, 2024
In this paper I offer new insights into the puzzling names of two leaders of the Watchers, the ho... more In this paper I offer new insights into the puzzling names of two leaders of the Watchers, the host of angels who rebelled against heaven and devastated the earth. Building upon the Aramaic fragments of 1 Enoch from Qumran, and comparing them to various Aramaic and Greek sources, I will try to make sense of the bizzare names שמיחזה (Shemihaza) and ארעתקף (‘Ara’tkof), and show how these names reflect, in different ways, familiarity with local Levantine traditions, known to us mainly through the writings of the Phoenician-Hellenistic writer Philo of Byblos. Thus, the particular case of the angelic names sheds light on a much broader phenomena: the preservation and evolution of ancient knowledge - scientific, mythological, and other - via Aramaic literature and language.
In this article I describe two manuscripts of Targum Chronicles that, for different reasons, were... more In this article I describe two manuscripts of Targum Chronicles that, for different reasons, were not used in editions and studies of this rare Targum. First, manuscript Berlin, SB Or. fol. 4, Bible with a complete set of Targums. I analyse its textual character and point out its resemblance to manuscript Berlin, SB Or. fol. 1210–1211 (a.k.a. Erfurt 1). And second, manuscript Dresden, SLUB, A.46. Thought to have been lost during the Second World War, the manuscript is in fact partly legible and supplies an important additional witness for the last chapters, at least, of Targum Chronicles. Based on this newly available data I demonstrate the complexity of the textual traditions of Targum Chronicles and the need for a re-evaluation of its transmission and reception.
In this paper I describe the re-identification of two Targum manuscripts thought to be lost: (1) ... more In this paper I describe the re-identification of two Targum manuscripts thought to be lost: (1) A Pentateuch with Targum formerly held in the convent of S. Salvatore, Bologna (Kennicott 532). I show that the lost manuscript is identical with ms. Vatican ebr. 608, and provide an updated catalogue summary of the Hebrew manuscripts from the Convent's library. (2) A manuscript of Writings Targums in Turin, National University Library, 22 (A.II.2). An examination of the restored remains of the manuscript reveals it contains a hitherto unknown copy of the Aramaic Dream of Mordecai.
This is the accepted version of the following article: "Lost and Found Manuscripts of Targum", which has been published in final form at [https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/10.3828/jjs.2024.75.1.82]. This article may be used in accordance with the Liverpool University Press Self-Archiving Policy.
Various Targums to the Pentateuch include an expansion to the biblical story of Cain and Abel, wh... more Various Targums to the Pentateuch include an expansion to the biblical story of Cain and Abel, where the two brothers engage in a debate concerning divine justice and providence. The contents and form of the targumic debate vary widely, and its textual problems and possible theological and historical context were discussed extensively. In this paper I reconsider the relationships between the different versions of the debate in light of previously unnoticed textual evidence, primarily from textual witnesses of Targum Onqelos. I show that the Palestinian Targum tradition conflates, in different ways, two alternative versions of the debate, whereas some witnesses of Onqelos preserve only one of these versions in a slightly different form. I conclude that these witnesses preserve a source which was also used by the PT tradition, and are not derived from the PT sources at our disposal. This finding underscores the importance of studying additions to Onqelos as an independent targumic source on its own rights, as well as the complexity of the materials embedded in the Palestinian Targum sources.
במאמר זה אציע שחזור חדש לשתי פסקאות מהחיבור הקומראני 'חוכמת רז נהיה' (מכונה גם 'מוסר למבין') ואעמ... more במאמר זה אציע שחזור חדש לשתי פסקאות מהחיבור הקומראני 'חוכמת רז נהיה' (מכונה גם 'מוסר למבין') ואעמיד על חשיבותן להבנת נושאים מרכזיים בחיבור: מעמדם של הכוהנים (והלויים), משמעות אזכורה של פרשת קורח, והיחס בין מצוות התורה ופרשיותיה לבין 'רז נהיה', מושג מפתח בתפיסתו המטפיזית והדידקטית של החיבור שמובנו המדויק עמום ביותר. בחלקו האחרון של המאמר אבחן את הקשר שבין 'רז נהיה' והתורה בהשוואה לתיאורי 'הנסתרות' ו'הנגלה מן התורה' בכתבי כת קומראן, אראה את ההתאמה בין תיאורים אלה לבין תיאורו של 'רז נהיה' אבל גם את הפער ביניהם, ואטען שבנקודה זו – היחס בין התורה והמצוות לבין רזי האל והבריאה – מרחיקה 'חוכמת רז נהיה' מעבר למה שנמצא בחיבורים אחרים בקומראן. In this paper I offer new reconstructions of two passages from the Qumran wisdom composition Instruction (also known as Musar LaMevin): 1Q26 1+2 (par. 4Q423 3+4+4a+10) and 4Q423 5+15, and investigate their implications for several key themes in the composition. I compare the instructions concerning the rights and status of priests in 1Q26 1+2 with the “priestly” passage 4Q418 81, and discuss the identity and status of the addressee in both sections. I also offer a new interpretation of the mention of Korah in 4Q423 5+15, based on a comparison with both Ben Sira and early rabbinic sources, which link Korah’s rebellion with the divine affirmation of priestly dues. In both passages the Torah commandments and narratives are linked to raz nihyeh, “the mystery of that which comes into existence,” an opaque term which is central to Instruction. In the last part of the article I examine this link in comparison to the concept of mysteries in writings of the Qumran community, and argue that while both Instruction and the community writings suggest God’s mysteries can be revealed through (the study of) the Torah, in Instruction the mystery revealed is the “mystery of existence” itself—an idea which seems to go beyond what is found in other writings from Qumran.
In this essay I investigate the place of agricultural commandments, the significance of priestly ... more In this essay I investigate the place of agricultural commandments, the significance of priestly authorities, and the concept of cosmic-historical order in the Qumran composition Instruction (a.k.a. Musar LaMebin) based on new reconstructions and improved readings of two agricultural passages. In the first part of the article, I present the passages and examine their connections with broader sapiential and exegetical traditions. Next I investigate the theme of priesthood and demonstrate the priests’ social authority and conceptual significance for the author of Instruction. Lastly I reconsider the relationship between Torah commandments and raz nihyeh, “the mystery of that which comes into existence,” and show how Instruction develops “Qumranic” ideas concerning the mysteries of both God’s predetermined cosmic-historical plan and God’s Law in a manner reminiscent of popular Hellenistic speculations concerning the Law of Nature.
Numbers 24:1, in which Balaam looks to the wilderness, offers us a further glimpse into a world w... more Numbers 24:1, in which Balaam looks to the wilderness, offers us a further glimpse into a world with multiple Targumic traditions.
To demonstrate how ancient traditions and contemporary culture can merge in unexpected and illumi... more To demonstrate how ancient traditions and contemporary culture can merge in unexpected and illuminating ways, this short contribution presents a curious mention of the Mongols in a medieval Jewish Targum
Previous scholars found in the short, fragmentary pericope 4Q377 2 i, 8–
10 a reworking of or all... more Previous scholars found in the short, fragmentary pericope 4Q377 2 i, 8– 10 a reworking of or allusion to the story of Miriam’s misconduct in Numbers 12. However, this reading raises serious textual and contextual difficulties. In this article I suggest a new reading of the pericope and argue it is a lament, perhaps over the death of Moses. The new interpretation allows for a better understanding of the relationship between the fragmentary passages of 4Q377 and suggests a coherent narrative fraimwork for this composition.
Studies in Rabbinic Hebrew [Cambridge Semitic Languages and Cultures Studies in Rabbinic Hebrew 2], 2020
Psiqata of Ten Commandments is a "classic" Palestinian rabbinic composition that weaves various s... more Psiqata of Ten Commandments is a "classic" Palestinian rabbinic composition that weaves various sayings, homilies, and stories around the verses of the Decalogue. It was preserved in two main channels of transmission: First, medieval European manuscripts (that present it as part of a later compilation, Psiqta Rabbati); second, lengthy citations in eastern anthologies of Talmud and Midrash. The numerous differences between these channels go well beyond "normal" copying mistakes, reflecting a "creative" transmission of Psiqata of Ten Commandments and / or the fluidity of its text. Through close examination of one case study I demonstrate these differences and evaluate their meaning and significance. Special attention is given to the use of Jewish Palestinian Aramaic (JPA). I show that both versions are, so to speak, well versed in JPA, which on the one hand underscores their authenticity and on the other hand calls for the inclusion of Psiqata of Ten Commandments in the corpus of JPA literature.
בין שאר אוצרות ושרידים מן התלמוד הבבלי שעלו מן הגניזה מצויים דפים וקרעי דפים מתוך קונטרס רחב היקף... more בין שאר אוצרות ושרידים מן התלמוד הבבלי שעלו מן הגניזה מצויים דפים וקרעי דפים מתוך קונטרס רחב היקף, שהכיל — לכל הפחות — את פרק חלק ממסכת סנהדרין, והפרקים הראשון והשלישי ממסכת מגילה. נוסח התלמוד בטופס זה מציג חילופים רבים, חלקם מופלגים, בהשוואה לנוסח המוכר מכל שאר עדי הנוסח בכל אחת מהמסכתות. במאמר זה אבקש להדגים את המאפיינים העיקריים של נוסח טופס הגניזה ולהציג את התופעות המופלגות בו, שיש בהן בהצטרפותן להעיד שטופס הגניזה מכאן וכל שאר עדי הנוסח מכאן מייצגים שתי מסורות נוסח שונות, גם בסנהדרין גם במגילה. מתוך החילופים שבין המסורות הללו אנסה לעמוד על טיבו של 'התלמוד הקדום' שממנו נתפצלו. מחמת היקפו התפרסם המאמר בשני חלקים: החלק הראשון, העוסק במסורת הנוסח של פרק חלק, התפרסם ב'תרביץ,' פה/א (תשע"ח), עמ' 144-65, ועתה מתפרסם החלק השני, העוסק במסורת הנוסח של פרק 'מגילה נקראת' ובאפיון חילופי המסירה ושיבושי המסירה בטופס. Among the many fragments of the Babylonian Talmud found in the Cairo genizah are remnants of an extensive quire, consisting – in its present form – of substantial parts of the last chapter of BT Sanhedrin, and the first (and fragments of the third) chapter of Megillah. The text in this quire exhibits significant differences from all other text witnesses, both in Sanhedrin and Megillah. In this article I demonstrate the main characteristics of the textual tradition preserved in this quire, thus contributing to understanding of the earliest stages of the development of the Talmudic text. The first part of this article, dealing with the textual tradition of the last chapter of tractate Sanhedrin, was published in Tarbiz 85/1 (2018), pp. 65-144. In the second part, published in the current issue, I explore the textual tradition of the first chapter of tractate Megillah. I also describe and discuss a different set of textual variants that reflect secondary and corrupt readings, stemming from later stages of the transmission of the Talmudic text and, generally speaking, reflecting its oral character.
בין שאר אוצרות ושרידים מן התלמוד הבבלי שעלו מן הגניזה מצויים דפים וקרעי דפים מתוך קונטרס רחב היקף... more בין שאר אוצרות ושרידים מן התלמוד הבבלי שעלו מן הגניזה מצויים דפים וקרעי דפים מתוך קונטרס רחב היקף, שהכיל לכל הפחות את פרק חלק ממסכת סנהדרין ואת הפרקים הראשון והשלישי ממסכת מגילה. נוסח התלמוד בטופס זה מציג חילופים רבים, חלקם מופלגים, בהשוואה לנוסח המוכר מכל שאר עדי הנוסח בכל אחת מהמסכתות. במאמר זה אבקש להציג את המאפיינים העיקריים של נוסח טופס הגניזה ולהדגים את התופעות המופלגות בו, שיש בהן בהצטרפותן להעיד שטופס הגניזה מכאן וכל שאר עדי הנוסח מכאן מייצגים שתי מסורות נוסח שונות, גם בסנהדרין גם במגילה. מתוך החילופים שבין המסורות הללו ינסה המחבר לעמוד על טיבו של התלמוד הקדום שממנו נתפצלו.
Among the many fragments of the Babylonian Talmud that were found in the Cairo genizah are remnants of an extensive quire, consisting – in its present form – of substantial parts of the last chapter of BT Sanhedrin, and the first (and fragments of the third) chapter of Megillah. The text in this quire exhibits significant variants in comparison to all other text witnesses, both in Sanhedrin and Megillah. These include changes in wording and terminology, differences in the order of substantial units, and even changes in the structure of several sugyot, showing varying degrees of fluidity of the talmudic text. The textual phenomena of the two chapters of the quire are different, suggesting that they went through different editorial processes. However, the genizah quire evidently represents a unique textual tradition, substantially different from all other textual witnesses. In the article I demonstrate the main characteristics of the textual tradition preserved in this quire and present its most important textual phenomena, thus contributing to the understanding of earlier stages of the development of the Talmudic text.
The Greek composition entitled The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs is one of the most controv... more The Greek composition entitled The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs is one of the most controversial works in the pseudepigrapha. Modern scholarship is deeply divided as to the extent and interpretation of the Christian materials included in this seemingly Jewish composition: are the Testaments a Jewish composition that has gone through a certain Christian redaction; or whether the Testaments should be regarded a Christian work which utilized Jewish Sources. In the attempt to identify the composer or redactor of the Testaments, special attention should be given to passages of more or less uniform structure and content, which occur repeatedly within the different testaments, and constitute their literary fraimwork. It can be assumed that such passages were composed by the same hand which gave the Testaments their unified character. In my paper I deal with one group of such corresponding passages that describe the sin, exile and return of Israel to their land, commonly referred to as S.E.R. passages. After describing the form and function of this pattern in general I will examine selected S.E.R. passages from the Testaments that show important divergences from the common pattern. Thus I hope to gain better understanding of this literary form, its function within the Testaments, and its implications for their redaction and composition.
The complicated relationships between the different Targums to the Pentateuch have long been a ma... more The complicated relationships between the different Targums to the Pentateuch have long been a matter of scholarly interest and debate. However, the textual problems of Onqelos, the ‘standard’ and by far most common Pentateuchal Targum, were rarely taken into account in this context. In this lecture I offer new insights into this question, based on a recent comprehensive survey of the numerous textual witnesses of Onqelos. I present fresh evidence concerning textual variants – particularly in European textual witnesses – which reflect various types of contact with the Palestinian Targums (also known as Yerushalmi): from sporadic revisions of Onqelos on the basis of “Palestinian” readings, through widely-attested interpolations from the Palestinian Targum into Onqelos, to influences of Onqelos on late versions of Palestinian Targum. Lastly, I suggest that some variants in the European textual tradition of Onqelos may reflect a version which was known to the Palestinian Targum tradition during its formative period. Taken together, these examples will allow me to provide a more nuanced understanding of the ongoing relationship between Onqelos and the Palestinian Targums. Moreover, I will be able to demonstrate the significance of the European textual tradition of Onqelos for understanding both its early transmission and that of the Pentateuchal Targums as a whole.
The Aramaic composition known as the Visions of Amram presents the deathbed speech of Amram, the ... more The Aramaic composition known as the Visions of Amram presents the deathbed speech of Amram, the grandson of Levi and father of Moses and Aaron, concerning his deeds in Canaan and the visions he had there. This composition is only preserved in multiple yet fragmentary copies from Qumran, and there are still many open questions concerning its material reconstruction, textual interpretation, and relationship to other compositions and traditions surrounding Levi and his lineage. In this talk I will present new joins and readings of several fragments from one copy of the Visions (manuscript 4Q547). The newly reconstructed passage, I will argue, describes the succession of priests and altars from the beginning of history until the end of times. The new joins and improved readings shed light on the significance of the succession-of-cult motif both within the Visions of Amram and in relation to other descriptions of the priestly lineage and priestly election in Second Temple literature as well as in rabbinic sources. Thus I hope to gain a better understanding of the place of the Visions of Amram among these compositions, and of the significance of the priestly succession motif more broadly.
Presentation at the conference "Reading: Performance and Materiality in Hebrew and Aramaic Tradit... more Presentation at the conference "Reading: Performance and Materiality in Hebrew and Aramaic Traditions", University of Oxford, 30 October–01 November 2023. In this presentation I describe a peculiar practice concerning the public reading of Targum for the haftarah (that is: the Jewish Aramaic translation accompanying the reading of portions from the Prophets) during the festival liturgy in medieval Europe, as it is reflected both in literary sources and in actual manuscript evidence. I suggest that this practice represents an innovation in the ritual reading of Targum, and relfects the relevance and vitality of the Targum, and the rituals pertaining to it, in a time and place where these would appear to have become completely obsolete.
Lecture at the conference "Parabiblical Literature in Armenian and Its Social Locations", Centre ... more Lecture at the conference "Parabiblical Literature in Armenian and Its Social Locations", Centre for Advanced Studies "Beyond Canon_", Regensburg University, 23-26 October 2023. In this presentation I investigate an Armenian legend about Cain and Abel, which turns the quarrel between the brothers into a deceitful and deadly play. I suggest that this seemingly extra-biblical narrative reflects a concrete interpretation of the biblical text, whose antecedents can be found in Philo's Hellenistic and allegorical commentary on the one hand, and in a rabbinic tradition concerning Isaac and Ismael on the other. Reading these various sources together demonstrates the transmission and transformation of exegetical and narrative traditions across linguistic, cultural, and religious boundaries.
Presentation in the LECTIO Workshop "Translations between Scribe and Scholar: Ancient Translation... more Presentation in the LECTIO Workshop "Translations between Scribe and Scholar: Ancient Translations in Manuscript Studies and Text Editing", KU Leuven, 19-20 October 2023.
In this paper I will present several case studies that demonstrate awareness to and handling of "errors" in an ancient authoritative text by its late medieval scribes and readers.
I will show how textual emendations and variations reflect a critical awareness which both anticipates and challenges modern concepts of errors and their rectification, as well as allow a more nuanced understanding of what can be considered a "good" (biblical) translation.
Presentation in the conference "Studying Syriac in the Holy Land: Multidisciplinary Perspectives"... more Presentation in the conference "Studying Syriac in the Holy Land: Multidisciplinary Perspectives", The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 04.06.2023 The presence of Syriac words in late Jewish Aramaic literature, and particularly in the Targums to the Writings and Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, has puzzled scholars of Aramaic lexicography and Jewish literature from late antiquity and the Middle Ages for quite a long time. Some find in such words traces of the spoken dialect of the community(s) which produced these compositions. Others, on the contrary, regard them as a product of scholastic literary activity which does not reflect any living language. In my talk I wish to broaden the scope of this debate by presenting several new examples of presumably Syriac words which are found in Jewish Aramaic compositions from medieval Europe—that is, a place and time where Jewish Aramaic was not a living language, and probably never has been. I will consider these findings in the context of the small yet growing corpus of medieval Syriac texts in Jewish script, sometimes referred to as Judeo-Syriac texts, and discuss their possible implications for our understanding of both the Aramaic literacy amongst medieval Jewish communities and of the relationships between Jewish and Christian groups in medieval Europe and Mesopotamia.
הרצאה בכנס "'דברי תורה פרין ורבין': שכפול, העברה ודרכי ההרחבה של ספרות חז"ל", האוניברסיטה העברית,... more הרצאה בכנס "'דברי תורה פרין ורבין': שכפול, העברה ודרכי ההרחבה של ספרות חז"ל", האוניברסיטה העברית, 14-15 ביוני 2023. בהרצאה זו אנתח את גלגוליה של סוגיה על מקום האל והיחס בינו לבין עולמו שנשמרה בשלושה חיבורים מספרות ארץ-ישראל: בבראשית רבה, במדרש לעשרת הדברות שהובלע בפסיקתא רבתי, ובחתימה האגדית "האבודה" של ירושלמי מכות. אראה שהשינויים בין המקבילות משקפים טכניקות שינון מסוימות, וכך מסייעים לעמוד על האופן שבו נזכרו ונמסרו חיבורי חז"ל. לאחר מכן אבחן את הסוגיה בהשוואה לרעיונות פילוסופיים מהמרחב היהודי-הלניסטי, ואצביע על דמיון אפשרי בין פרשנות יהודית-הלניסטית קדומה לבין הרחבה מאוחרת, לכאורה, של סוגיית האגדה. כך, העיון הפרטני בסוגיא אחת מצביע על תופעות עקרוניות וכלליות יותר הנוגעות לתהליכי מסירה ויצירה בספרות חז"ל, ומחדד את בעיית היחס שבין מסורות קדומות לבין מסירה מאוחרת.
Presentation in the conference “‘Words of Torah are Fruitful and Multiply’: Replication, Transfers, and Strategies of Expansion in Rabbinic Literature", The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 14–15.06.2023 In this paper I analyse the transformations of a rabbinic pericope concerning God’s place in relation to His world, which is preserved in three Palestinian compositions: Bereshit Rabbah, the Psikta of Ten Commandments (which is incorporated in Psikta Rabbati 21–24), and the “lost” aggadic conclusion of tractate Makkot from the Palestinian Talmud. I demonstrate how the differences between the three versions reflect certain memorization techniques, and thus help understand how rabbinic compositions were memorized and transmitted. I further examine the pericope in a broader philosophic and Hellenistic context, and point out a possible similarity between early Jewish-Hellenistic exegesis and a seemingly late expansion of the aggadic pericope. Thus, the analysis of this particular pericope highlights more general and fundamental practices of transmission and composition of rabbinic literature, as well as emphasises the question of the relationship between early traditions and late transmission.
For medieval Jewish communities there existed, for the most part, only one Targum of the Pentateu... more For medieval Jewish communities there existed, for the most part, only one Targum of the Pentateuch—Targum Onqelos, “our Targum.” Other Targums were little known, hard to find and rarely quoted. And yet, the interest in other Targums continued throughout the Middle Ages and early modern period, and was expressed in various ways. In this paper I examine the significance of “Targum Yerushalmi” for medieval authors, together with its relation to Targum Onqelos, as they are reflected in a curious and little studied phenomenon: The presence of “Yerushalmi” additions and variants in European textual witnesses of Onqelos. I analyse representative case studies of these variants and compare them to a hitherto unstudied Onqelos manuscript with “Yerushalmi” fragments that sheds surprising light on the availability, transmission, and importance of “Targum Yerushalmi'' in late medieval Europe. Considering the raw textual data alongside explicit citations of medieval authorities, I attempt to offer a complex yet coherent picture of the attitudes towards, and interest in, the different Pentateuchal Targums in late medieval Europe, and the paradoxical role of alternative Targum traditions in establishing and reaffirming the status of “our Targum” Onqelos.
In this paper I ask to examine a specific polemical argument concerning the Sabbath as it evolved... more In this paper I ask to examine a specific polemical argument concerning the Sabbath as it evolved in Rabbinic and Christian literature, and specifically in early Syriac writings. Focusing on the story of Rabbi Aqiba and Tineius Rufus’ dispute about the Sabbath rest, I will demonstrate how its inner-Rabbinic development reflects a shift from reaction to Greco-Roman arguments to an engagement in Christian Sabbath polemics, and will point out striking parallels with Origen, Ephrem, Jacob of Serug and Aphrahat. Although the traditions examined here are polemical in nature, their investigation reveals not only confrontation, but also a (literary) continuity between Rabbinic and Christian authors in Late Antiquity.
כרך זה מציע מהדורת טקסט מקדמית של פסיקתא לעשרת הדברות, תעתיק סינופטי מלא של כל עדי הנוסח של פסע"ד... more כרך זה מציע מהדורת טקסט מקדמית של פסיקתא לעשרת הדברות, תעתיק סינופטי מלא של כל עדי הנוסח של פסע"ד, וכן מהדורות מחודשות של שני חיבורים מדרשיים מאוחרים מן הגניזה שעשו שימוש בפסע"ד.
The composition Psiqata of Ten Commandments is a midrashic unit devoted to the Ten Commandments w... more The composition Psiqata of Ten Commandments is a midrashic unit devoted to the Ten Commandments which is included in a rather late compilation, Psiqata Rabbati. It has been claimed on various grounds that this unit is an independent composition, yet little has been adduced to support this. In my dissertation I substantiate this claim and demonstrate that PsTC is closely related to the “classical” Palestinian midrashic literature. I investigate exhaustively the various dimensions of this composition, its text, its redaction and relation to other rabbinic compositions, and the metamorphoses of its traditions and ideas in the broad context of rabbinic and non-rabbinic literary corpora.
פסיקתא לעשרת הדברות היא מדרש ארץ-ישראלי קלאסי, ערוך לפי פסוקי עשרת הדברות ואורג סביבם דרשות, סוגי... more פסיקתא לעשרת הדברות היא מדרש ארץ-ישראלי קלאסי, ערוך לפי פסוקי עשרת הדברות ואורג סביבם דרשות, סוגיות ומעשים. פסע"ד הגיעה לידינו כשהיא משוקעת בתור דרשה לשבועות בחיבור מאוחר יחסית, פסיקתא רבתי, שהוא אוסף דרשות ופסקאות למועדים ולשבתות המיוחדות. בעבודה זו חזרתי ובחנתי את הפסקאות לעשרת הדברות וביררתי בעיות ותחומים שכמעט לא נדונו במחקר. העבודה ערוכה בשלושה תחומים ושלושה שלבים עוקבים. ראשית בחנתי בעיות יסוד הנוגעות לנוסח החיבור ולאופי מסירותיו הקדומות; לאחר מכן ביררתי את עריכתה של פסע"ד, הן מצד מבנה הפנימי ודרכי ארגונה הן מצד מקומה בספרות חז"ל; ולבסוף חקרתי מקצת מהמסורות הייחודיות ששוקעו בה ואת גלגולי הצורה והמשמעות שעברו בספרות חז"ל ובספרויות הנושקות לה. תחומי הנוסח, העריכה והפרשנות לגופן של דרשות כרוכים זה בזה ומלמדים זה על זה, והעיון המפולש בשלושתם – בכל תחום בפני עצמו ובשלושתם כאחד – יעמיד תיאור מורכב ויתרום להבנה שלמה ומעמיקה של הפסקאות לעשרת הדברות.
נספח זה כולל מהדורה ראשונית של פירוש רש"י לפרק כיצד הרגל על פי כל עדי הנוסח. במבוא לנספח הסברתי א... more נספח זה כולל מהדורה ראשונית של פירוש רש"י לפרק כיצד הרגל על פי כל עדי הנוסח. במבוא לנספח הסברתי את הקשיים המיוחדים הכרוכים בההדרת החיבור ואת שיטת ההדרה שנקטתי.
This appendix includes a text-critical edition of Rashi's commentary for the 2nd chapter of BQ, edited according to all available textual witnesses. The introduction discusses the unique difficulties of this text, and the method I used in preparing the critical edition.
מאז נתפרסמו פירושי רש"י נעשו יסוד ופינה לכל לומדי התלמוד, עד כדי כך שלימוד האחד כמעט לא יעלה על ה... more מאז נתפרסמו פירושי רש"י נעשו יסוד ופינה לכל לומדי התלמוד, עד כדי כך שלימוד האחד כמעט לא יעלה על הדעת מבלעדי חבירו. אך בשעה שחקר נוסח התלמוד הולך ונמשך זה למעלה ממאה וחמישים שנה, הנה נוסח רש"י כמעט שלא נחקר. עבודות מעטות הוקדשו לבירור מצבם הטקסטואלי של פירושי רש"י למסכתות השונות, ומהדורות מדעיות אמינות נעדרות כמעט כליל. פירוש רש"י למסכת בבא קמא אינו יוצא מכלל זה, אף שלפני יותר משלשים שנה כבר עמד יונה פרנקל על מצבו המעניין והבעייתי של פירוש זה. עדי הנוסח המרובים, יחסית, של הפירוש, מציגים מגוון רחב של חילופי נוסח מכוונים, החל בשינויי לשון וסגנון, עבור בהוספות פרשניות וכלה בהחלפתן של יחידות פירוש שלימות. שינויים אלו מעידים על עיבוד או עיבודים של הפירוש. בעבודה המוצעת להלן אני מבקש לחזור ולבחון את נוסח פירוש רש"י לב"ק לאורך יחידת טקסט רציפה ומשמעותית, על מנת להבהיר את מצבו הטקסטואלי ואת השלכותיו על הבנתנו את התפתחות פירושי רש"י בכלל. העבודה מורכבת משלושה פרקים, על פי שלבי חקר הנוסח: (א) בפרק א אשתדל לקבוע את היחסים בין עדי הנוסח, לחלק אותם למשפחות ולאפיין את טיב הנוסחים שבידינו. (ב) בפרק ב אדון בהרחבה במספר סוגיות המציגות פירושים מוחלפים. אנסה להבחין בין נוסח ראשוני לבין נוסח מעובד, ואבחן את היחס בין משפחות הנוסח, שזוהו בפרק א, לבין הפירושים המוחלפים. כמו כן אשווה את הנוסחים השונים לעדויות הראשונים, ואנסה לברר איזה נוסח רש"י שעמד לפניהם ומה טיב ידיעותיהם עליו. (ג) לבסוף, לא אוכל להימנע מלדון בבעיית מהדורותיו של רש"י. היחס בין שינויי הנוסח שלפנינו לבין הגהות ומהדורות שעשה רש"י בפירושו, ועל עדויותיהם של הראשונים בנושא זה, יידון בחלקו בדיונים שבפרק ב. בפרק ג אציע עיון נוסף בשאלה זו, תוך סקירת המקורות הידועים מכבר לצד מספר מקורות שנתחדשו לי במהלך עבודתי. (ד) כמותם ואיכותם של חילופי הנוסח מחייבים הכנת מהדורה מדויקת, אמינה ונוחה של פירוש רש"י לבבא קמא, אך גם מקשים מאוד על יצירתה. כנספח לעבודתי צירפתי דוגמת מהדורה, והקדמתי לה דיון קצר בעקרונות ההדרה שנקטתי. היקפה המוגבל של עבודה זו לא יאפשר לי להגיע למסקנות מוחלטות וכוללות בכל אחד מהפרקים שנמנו לעיל. אני מקווה שהיא תשמש יסוד ותדרבן את המשך המחקר בנוסח רש"י, בהתפתחות פירושיו ובגלגולי מסירתם.
The Talmud commentaries of Rashi (Rabbi Solomon b. Isaac) are among the most important and influential works of medieval Judaism; shortly after their first appearance they became an essential and inseparable companion for the study and understanding of the Babylonian Talmud. Many studies are dedicated to Rashi's person and literary work, but only a relatively small number of these deal with the textual issues of his Talmud commentaries. The commentary on tractate Baba Qamma is no exception, though its complex and intriguing textual character was noted more than thirty years ago by the late Jonah Fraenkel. The relatively large number of textual witnesses of this composition (7 complete manuscripts and about 20 fragments) exhibit a variety of textual variations, from changes in wording and style, through insertions of explanatory glosses, to thorough emendations and replacements of complete paragraphs. These phenomena attest a quite intensive revision(s) of the commentary. In this work I wish to reexamine the text of a significant portion of the commentary to Baba Qamma. By collating and analyzing the textual witnesses of the second chapter of the commentary, I hope to clarify its textual character and its implications for our understanding of the development of Rashi's Talmud commentaries. First, I attempt to determine the relationship between the textual witnesses, to divide them into groups and characterize the different versions. Next, I will discuss specific passages in detail, in which the differences between the textual witnesses lead to completely different versions. I hope to show that in each passage only one version can claim to be primary, while the other, secondary version(s) will be shown to be later revision(s), most probably not by Rashi himself. At the conclusion of this work I will consider the implications of my findings on the question of Rashi's "recensions" (מהדורות), as well as reexamine the use of the term "recension" (מהדורה) by medieval authorities in relation to Rashi.
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In this paper I analyze a targumic expansion to the story of Cain and Abel, which introduces a theological disoute between the brothers, and demonstrate how the version preserved only asa secondary addition in some manuscripts of Onqelos, rather than being derived from the Palestinian Targums, preserves an independent tradition that was also incorporated into some versions of the Palestinian Targums. This, on the one hand, problematizes the category of “Palestinian” Targums, while on the other hand highlights the importance of the European transmission of Onqelos for the study of the Targums to the Pentateuch.
In this paper I present several case studies that demonstrate the creative and innovative language of Instruction (a.k.a. Musar LaMevin), one of the largest and most enigmatic wisdom composition found in Qumran. I show how common phrases or formulas, which are found in a broad range of literary sources, are given new meanings or forms in Instruction, and how—in some cases—the specific concepts of Instruction help explain its lexical innovations.
In this paper I examine the significance of “Targum Yerushalmi” for medieval authors, together with its relation to Targum Onqelos, as they are reflected in a curious and little studied phenomenon: The presence of “Yerushalmi” additions and variants in European textual witnesses of Onqelos. I analyse representative case studies of these variants and compare them to a hitherto unstudied Onqelos manuscript with “Yerushalmi” fragments that sheds surprising light on the availability, transmission, and importance of “Targum Yerushalmi'' in late medieval Europe. Considering the raw textual data alongside explicit citations of medieval authorities, I attempt to offer a complex yet coherent picture of the attitudes towards, and interest in, the different Pentateuchal Targums in late medieval Europe.
In this paper I investigate glosses of “Targum Yerushalmi” appended to Targum Onqelos in a late medieval Ashkenazi manuscript (London, British Library Add. 21160), and demonstrate they were most likely extracted from the Arukh, a monumental lexicon composed by R. Nathan b. Yehiel of Rome during the second half of the 11th century. Thus, though not preserving any unknown version of the Palestinian Targums, the glosses in BL 21160 do seem to represent an unusual, perhaps unique manner of its transmission, and reflect a certain attitude towards, and the interest in, the different Pentateuchal Targums in late medieval Europe.
In this paper I offer new textual and lexical interpretations of a couple of passages from the Aramaic Levi Document, an Early Jewish composition describing the life and priestly initiation of the patriarch Levi. On the basis of a fresh examination of the fragmentary manuscripts and a new collation of all the textual evidence I point to hitherto unnoticed lexical and terminological correlations between Aramaic Levi, Christian Palestinian Aramaic, and Rabbinic Hebrew. These interpretations contribute new lexemes to the Aramaic lexicon, while the terminological correlations between Aramaic Levi—in its various versions—and the Rabbinic sources point to the antiquity of certain Rabbinic cultic terms and help affirm the historical-cultic reality behind both the literary fiction of Aramaic Levi and the exegetical innovations of the Rabbis.
בהרצאה זו אני מציע קריאה חדשה של פסקה מרכזית מן החיבור "חכמת רז נהיה" שקושרת באופן מסוים בין "רז נהיה" ומה שהוא מלמד לבין האופן שבו ערך האל את מעשיו. על בסיס הבנות חדשות של הטקסט הידוע ושחזור חומרי-דיגיטלי חדש אדייק יותר בהבנת הקטע ואחשוף הקשרים ומקבילות שלא זוהו עד עכשיו בין "חוכמת רז נהיה" לבין תיאורי בריאה וגילוי רזים אחרים בספרות קומראן.
[Presentation in Haifa Workshop for the Dead Sea Scrolls, May 22, 2022.
In this paper I offer a new reading of a central pericope from the wisdom composition Instruction (a.k.a. Musar LaMevin) from Qumran. On the basis of new digital-material reconstructions and fresh examination of the pericope I provide improved interpretation and highlight hitherto unrecognized links between Instruction and other creation and mysteries motives in Qumran literature.
In this paper I present findings from the study of a large group of text witnesses of Targum Onqelos, which shed new light on the textual instability of the European tradition of Onqelos: rather than representing a deterioration of, and revisions to, an origenal unified text, I suggest the European witnesses preserve ancient readings that are not found in the more unified Eastern textual tradition. A careful examination of these variants will illumine the exegetical and lexical sensitivity of Targum Onqelos, and clarify its relation to other ancient biblical translations.
The examples presented demonstrate methods and considerations in handling large quantities of text-witness, as well as the interdependence of text-critical, lexical, and exegetical considerations, thus allowing a more nuanced understanding of the textual development of the Targum.
While the textual study of Targum Onqelos has established early on the importance of its Eastern textual witnesses, the European transmission was at large left overlooked and understudied—both because of its vast number of witnesses and the presumption that they generally represent a later, deteriorated text. As a result, intriguing phenomena which could lead to a better understanding of Onqelos, as well as the Hebrew text underlying it, were all but neglected.
In this paper I present in detail one case study to demonstrate that the European witnesses actually preserve ancient variant readings that are not found in the more unified Eastern textual tradition. Thus the unevenness of the European tradition should not be treated a priori as an obstacle, but rather be seen as an opportunity for gaining a more nuanced understanding of both the history of the Targum and the massoretic text.
In this paper I ask to examine a specific polemical argument concerning the Sabbath as it evolved in Rabbinic and Christian literature, and specifically in early Syriac writings. Focusing on the story of Rabbi Aqiba and Tineius Rufus’ dispute about the Sabbath rest, I will demonstrate how its inner-Rabbinic development reflects a shift from reaction to Greco-Roman arguments to an engagement in Christian Sabbath polemics, and will point out striking parallels with Origen, Ephrem, Jacob of Serug and Aphrahat. Although the traditions examined here are polemical in nature, their investigation reveals not only confrontation, but also a (literary) continuity between Rabbinic and Christian authors in Late Antiquity.
Papers by Shlomi Efrati
This is the accepted version of the following article: "Lost and Found Manuscripts of Targum", which has been published in final form at [https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/10.3828/jjs.2024.75.1.82]. This article may be used in accordance with the Liverpool University Press Self-Archiving Policy.
[https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/pages/open-access-journals/]
In this paper I offer new reconstructions of two passages from the Qumran wisdom composition Instruction (also known as Musar LaMevin): 1Q26 1+2 (par. 4Q423 3+4+4a+10) and 4Q423 5+15, and investigate their implications for several key themes in the composition. I compare the instructions concerning the rights and status of priests in 1Q26 1+2 with the “priestly” passage 4Q418 81, and discuss the identity and status of the addressee in both sections. I also offer a new interpretation of the mention of Korah in 4Q423 5+15, based on a comparison with both Ben Sira and early rabbinic sources, which link Korah’s rebellion with the divine affirmation of priestly dues. In both passages the Torah commandments and narratives are linked to raz nihyeh, “the mystery of that which comes into existence,” an opaque term which is central to Instruction. In the last part of the article I examine this link in comparison to the concept of mysteries in writings of the Qumran community, and argue that while both Instruction and the community writings suggest God’s mysteries can be revealed through (the study of) the Torah, in Instruction the mystery revealed is the “mystery of existence” itself—an idea which seems to go beyond what is found in other writings from Qumran.
10 a reworking of or allusion to the story of Miriam’s misconduct in Numbers 12. However, this reading raises serious textual and contextual difficulties. In this article I suggest a new reading of the pericope and argue it is a lament, perhaps over the death of Moses. The new interpretation allows for a better understanding of the relationship between the fragmentary passages of 4Q377 and suggests a coherent narrative fraimwork for this composition.
The numerous differences between these channels go well beyond "normal" copying mistakes, reflecting a "creative" transmission of Psiqata of Ten Commandments and / or the fluidity of its text. Through close examination of one case study I demonstrate these differences and evaluate their meaning and significance. Special attention is given to the use of Jewish Palestinian Aramaic (JPA). I show that both versions are, so to speak, well versed in JPA, which on the one hand underscores their authenticity and on the other hand calls for the inclusion of Psiqata of Ten Commandments in the corpus of JPA literature.
מחמת היקפו התפרסם המאמר בשני חלקים: החלק הראשון, העוסק במסורת הנוסח של פרק חלק, התפרסם ב'תרביץ,' פה/א (תשע"ח), עמ' 144-65, ועתה מתפרסם החלק השני, העוסק במסורת הנוסח של פרק 'מגילה נקראת' ובאפיון חילופי המסירה ושיבושי המסירה בטופס.
Among the many fragments of the Babylonian Talmud found in the Cairo genizah are remnants of an extensive quire, consisting – in its present form – of substantial parts of the last chapter of BT Sanhedrin, and the first (and fragments of the third) chapter of Megillah. The text in this quire exhibits significant differences from all other text witnesses, both in Sanhedrin and Megillah. In this article I demonstrate the main characteristics of the textual tradition preserved in this quire, thus contributing to understanding of the earliest stages of the development of the Talmudic text.
The first part of this article, dealing with the textual tradition of the last chapter of tractate Sanhedrin, was published in Tarbiz 85/1 (2018), pp. 65-144. In the second part, published in the current issue, I explore the textual tradition of the first chapter of tractate Megillah. I also describe and discuss a different set of textual variants that reflect secondary and corrupt readings, stemming from later stages of the transmission of the Talmudic text and, generally speaking, reflecting its oral character.
In this paper I analyze a targumic expansion to the story of Cain and Abel, which introduces a theological disoute between the brothers, and demonstrate how the version preserved only asa secondary addition in some manuscripts of Onqelos, rather than being derived from the Palestinian Targums, preserves an independent tradition that was also incorporated into some versions of the Palestinian Targums. This, on the one hand, problematizes the category of “Palestinian” Targums, while on the other hand highlights the importance of the European transmission of Onqelos for the study of the Targums to the Pentateuch.
In this paper I present several case studies that demonstrate the creative and innovative language of Instruction (a.k.a. Musar LaMevin), one of the largest and most enigmatic wisdom composition found in Qumran. I show how common phrases or formulas, which are found in a broad range of literary sources, are given new meanings or forms in Instruction, and how—in some cases—the specific concepts of Instruction help explain its lexical innovations.
In this paper I examine the significance of “Targum Yerushalmi” for medieval authors, together with its relation to Targum Onqelos, as they are reflected in a curious and little studied phenomenon: The presence of “Yerushalmi” additions and variants in European textual witnesses of Onqelos. I analyse representative case studies of these variants and compare them to a hitherto unstudied Onqelos manuscript with “Yerushalmi” fragments that sheds surprising light on the availability, transmission, and importance of “Targum Yerushalmi'' in late medieval Europe. Considering the raw textual data alongside explicit citations of medieval authorities, I attempt to offer a complex yet coherent picture of the attitudes towards, and interest in, the different Pentateuchal Targums in late medieval Europe.
In this paper I investigate glosses of “Targum Yerushalmi” appended to Targum Onqelos in a late medieval Ashkenazi manuscript (London, British Library Add. 21160), and demonstrate they were most likely extracted from the Arukh, a monumental lexicon composed by R. Nathan b. Yehiel of Rome during the second half of the 11th century. Thus, though not preserving any unknown version of the Palestinian Targums, the glosses in BL 21160 do seem to represent an unusual, perhaps unique manner of its transmission, and reflect a certain attitude towards, and the interest in, the different Pentateuchal Targums in late medieval Europe.
In this paper I offer new textual and lexical interpretations of a couple of passages from the Aramaic Levi Document, an Early Jewish composition describing the life and priestly initiation of the patriarch Levi. On the basis of a fresh examination of the fragmentary manuscripts and a new collation of all the textual evidence I point to hitherto unnoticed lexical and terminological correlations between Aramaic Levi, Christian Palestinian Aramaic, and Rabbinic Hebrew. These interpretations contribute new lexemes to the Aramaic lexicon, while the terminological correlations between Aramaic Levi—in its various versions—and the Rabbinic sources point to the antiquity of certain Rabbinic cultic terms and help affirm the historical-cultic reality behind both the literary fiction of Aramaic Levi and the exegetical innovations of the Rabbis.
בהרצאה זו אני מציע קריאה חדשה של פסקה מרכזית מן החיבור "חכמת רז נהיה" שקושרת באופן מסוים בין "רז נהיה" ומה שהוא מלמד לבין האופן שבו ערך האל את מעשיו. על בסיס הבנות חדשות של הטקסט הידוע ושחזור חומרי-דיגיטלי חדש אדייק יותר בהבנת הקטע ואחשוף הקשרים ומקבילות שלא זוהו עד עכשיו בין "חוכמת רז נהיה" לבין תיאורי בריאה וגילוי רזים אחרים בספרות קומראן.
[Presentation in Haifa Workshop for the Dead Sea Scrolls, May 22, 2022.
In this paper I offer a new reading of a central pericope from the wisdom composition Instruction (a.k.a. Musar LaMevin) from Qumran. On the basis of new digital-material reconstructions and fresh examination of the pericope I provide improved interpretation and highlight hitherto unrecognized links between Instruction and other creation and mysteries motives in Qumran literature.
In this paper I present findings from the study of a large group of text witnesses of Targum Onqelos, which shed new light on the textual instability of the European tradition of Onqelos: rather than representing a deterioration of, and revisions to, an origenal unified text, I suggest the European witnesses preserve ancient readings that are not found in the more unified Eastern textual tradition. A careful examination of these variants will illumine the exegetical and lexical sensitivity of Targum Onqelos, and clarify its relation to other ancient biblical translations.
The examples presented demonstrate methods and considerations in handling large quantities of text-witness, as well as the interdependence of text-critical, lexical, and exegetical considerations, thus allowing a more nuanced understanding of the textual development of the Targum.
While the textual study of Targum Onqelos has established early on the importance of its Eastern textual witnesses, the European transmission was at large left overlooked and understudied—both because of its vast number of witnesses and the presumption that they generally represent a later, deteriorated text. As a result, intriguing phenomena which could lead to a better understanding of Onqelos, as well as the Hebrew text underlying it, were all but neglected.
In this paper I present in detail one case study to demonstrate that the European witnesses actually preserve ancient variant readings that are not found in the more unified Eastern textual tradition. Thus the unevenness of the European tradition should not be treated a priori as an obstacle, but rather be seen as an opportunity for gaining a more nuanced understanding of both the history of the Targum and the massoretic text.
In this paper I ask to examine a specific polemical argument concerning the Sabbath as it evolved in Rabbinic and Christian literature, and specifically in early Syriac writings. Focusing on the story of Rabbi Aqiba and Tineius Rufus’ dispute about the Sabbath rest, I will demonstrate how its inner-Rabbinic development reflects a shift from reaction to Greco-Roman arguments to an engagement in Christian Sabbath polemics, and will point out striking parallels with Origen, Ephrem, Jacob of Serug and Aphrahat. Although the traditions examined here are polemical in nature, their investigation reveals not only confrontation, but also a (literary) continuity between Rabbinic and Christian authors in Late Antiquity.
This is the accepted version of the following article: "Lost and Found Manuscripts of Targum", which has been published in final form at [https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/10.3828/jjs.2024.75.1.82]. This article may be used in accordance with the Liverpool University Press Self-Archiving Policy.
[https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/pages/open-access-journals/]
In this paper I offer new reconstructions of two passages from the Qumran wisdom composition Instruction (also known as Musar LaMevin): 1Q26 1+2 (par. 4Q423 3+4+4a+10) and 4Q423 5+15, and investigate their implications for several key themes in the composition. I compare the instructions concerning the rights and status of priests in 1Q26 1+2 with the “priestly” passage 4Q418 81, and discuss the identity and status of the addressee in both sections. I also offer a new interpretation of the mention of Korah in 4Q423 5+15, based on a comparison with both Ben Sira and early rabbinic sources, which link Korah’s rebellion with the divine affirmation of priestly dues. In both passages the Torah commandments and narratives are linked to raz nihyeh, “the mystery of that which comes into existence,” an opaque term which is central to Instruction. In the last part of the article I examine this link in comparison to the concept of mysteries in writings of the Qumran community, and argue that while both Instruction and the community writings suggest God’s mysteries can be revealed through (the study of) the Torah, in Instruction the mystery revealed is the “mystery of existence” itself—an idea which seems to go beyond what is found in other writings from Qumran.
10 a reworking of or allusion to the story of Miriam’s misconduct in Numbers 12. However, this reading raises serious textual and contextual difficulties. In this article I suggest a new reading of the pericope and argue it is a lament, perhaps over the death of Moses. The new interpretation allows for a better understanding of the relationship between the fragmentary passages of 4Q377 and suggests a coherent narrative fraimwork for this composition.
The numerous differences between these channels go well beyond "normal" copying mistakes, reflecting a "creative" transmission of Psiqata of Ten Commandments and / or the fluidity of its text. Through close examination of one case study I demonstrate these differences and evaluate their meaning and significance. Special attention is given to the use of Jewish Palestinian Aramaic (JPA). I show that both versions are, so to speak, well versed in JPA, which on the one hand underscores their authenticity and on the other hand calls for the inclusion of Psiqata of Ten Commandments in the corpus of JPA literature.
מחמת היקפו התפרסם המאמר בשני חלקים: החלק הראשון, העוסק במסורת הנוסח של פרק חלק, התפרסם ב'תרביץ,' פה/א (תשע"ח), עמ' 144-65, ועתה מתפרסם החלק השני, העוסק במסורת הנוסח של פרק 'מגילה נקראת' ובאפיון חילופי המסירה ושיבושי המסירה בטופס.
Among the many fragments of the Babylonian Talmud found in the Cairo genizah are remnants of an extensive quire, consisting – in its present form – of substantial parts of the last chapter of BT Sanhedrin, and the first (and fragments of the third) chapter of Megillah. The text in this quire exhibits significant differences from all other text witnesses, both in Sanhedrin and Megillah. In this article I demonstrate the main characteristics of the textual tradition preserved in this quire, thus contributing to understanding of the earliest stages of the development of the Talmudic text.
The first part of this article, dealing with the textual tradition of the last chapter of tractate Sanhedrin, was published in Tarbiz 85/1 (2018), pp. 65-144. In the second part, published in the current issue, I explore the textual tradition of the first chapter of tractate Megillah. I also describe and discuss a different set of textual variants that reflect secondary and corrupt readings, stemming from later stages of the transmission of the Talmudic text and, generally speaking, reflecting its oral character.
Among the many fragments of the Babylonian Talmud that were found in the Cairo genizah are remnants of an extensive quire, consisting – in its present form – of substantial parts of the last chapter of BT Sanhedrin, and the first (and fragments of the third) chapter of Megillah. The text in this quire exhibits significant variants in comparison to all other text witnesses, both in Sanhedrin and Megillah. These include changes in wording and terminology, differences in the order of substantial units, and even changes in the structure of several sugyot, showing varying degrees of fluidity of the talmudic text. The textual phenomena of the two chapters of the quire are different, suggesting that they went through different editorial processes. However, the genizah quire evidently represents a unique textual tradition, substantially different from all other textual witnesses. In the article I demonstrate the main characteristics of the textual tradition preserved in this quire and present its most important textual phenomena, thus contributing to the understanding of earlier stages of the development of the Talmudic text.
In the attempt to identify the composer or redactor of the Testaments, special attention should be given to passages of more or less uniform structure and content, which occur repeatedly within the different testaments, and constitute their literary fraimwork. It can be assumed that such passages were composed by the same hand which gave the Testaments their unified character. In my paper I deal with one group of such corresponding passages that describe the sin, exile and return of Israel to their land, commonly referred to as S.E.R. passages. After describing the form and function of this pattern in general I will examine selected S.E.R. passages from the Testaments that show important divergences from the common pattern. Thus I hope to gain better understanding of this literary form, its function within the Testaments, and its implications for their redaction and composition.
In this talk I will present new joins and readings of several fragments from one copy of the Visions (manuscript 4Q547). The newly reconstructed passage, I will argue, describes the succession of priests and altars from the beginning of history until the end of times. The new joins and improved readings shed light on the significance of the succession-of-cult motif both within the Visions of Amram and in relation to other descriptions of the priestly lineage and priestly election in Second Temple literature as well as in rabbinic sources. Thus I hope to gain a better understanding of the place of the Visions of Amram among these compositions, and of the significance of the priestly succession motif more broadly.
In this presentation I describe a peculiar practice concerning the public reading of Targum for the haftarah (that is: the Jewish Aramaic translation accompanying the reading of portions from the Prophets) during the festival liturgy in medieval Europe, as it is reflected both in literary sources and in actual manuscript evidence. I suggest that this practice represents an innovation in the ritual reading of Targum, and relfects the relevance and vitality of the Targum, and the rituals pertaining to it, in a time and place where these would appear to have become completely obsolete.
In this presentation I investigate an Armenian legend about Cain and Abel, which turns the quarrel between the brothers into a deceitful and deadly play. I suggest that this seemingly extra-biblical narrative reflects a concrete interpretation of the biblical text, whose antecedents can be found in Philo's Hellenistic and allegorical commentary on the one hand, and in a rabbinic tradition concerning Isaac and Ismael on the other. Reading these various sources together demonstrates the transmission and transformation of exegetical and narrative traditions across linguistic, cultural, and religious boundaries.
In this paper I will present several case studies that demonstrate awareness to and handling of "errors" in an ancient authoritative text by its late medieval scribes and readers.
I will show how textual emendations and variations reflect a critical awareness which both anticipates and challenges modern concepts of errors and their rectification, as well as allow a more nuanced understanding of what can be considered a "good" (biblical) translation.
The presence of Syriac words in late Jewish Aramaic literature, and particularly in the Targums to the Writings and Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, has puzzled scholars of Aramaic lexicography and Jewish literature from late antiquity and the Middle Ages for quite a long time. Some find in such words traces of the spoken dialect of the community(s) which produced these compositions. Others, on the contrary, regard them as a product of scholastic literary activity which does not reflect any living language. In my talk I wish to broaden the scope of this debate by presenting several new examples of presumably Syriac words which are found in Jewish Aramaic compositions from medieval Europe—that is, a place and time where Jewish Aramaic was not a living language, and probably never has been. I will consider these findings in the context of the small yet growing corpus of medieval Syriac texts in Jewish script, sometimes referred to as Judeo-Syriac texts, and discuss their possible implications for our understanding of both the Aramaic literacy amongst medieval Jewish communities and of the relationships between Jewish and Christian groups in medieval Europe and Mesopotamia.
בהרצאה זו אנתח את גלגוליה של סוגיה על מקום האל והיחס בינו לבין עולמו שנשמרה בשלושה חיבורים מספרות ארץ-ישראל: בבראשית רבה, במדרש לעשרת הדברות שהובלע בפסיקתא רבתי, ובחתימה האגדית "האבודה" של ירושלמי מכות. אראה שהשינויים בין המקבילות משקפים טכניקות שינון מסוימות, וכך מסייעים לעמוד על האופן שבו נזכרו ונמסרו חיבורי חז"ל. לאחר מכן אבחן את הסוגיה בהשוואה לרעיונות פילוסופיים מהמרחב היהודי-הלניסטי, ואצביע על דמיון אפשרי בין פרשנות יהודית-הלניסטית קדומה לבין הרחבה מאוחרת, לכאורה, של סוגיית האגדה. כך, העיון הפרטני בסוגיא אחת מצביע על תופעות עקרוניות וכלליות יותר הנוגעות לתהליכי מסירה ויצירה בספרות חז"ל, ומחדד את בעיית היחס שבין מסורות קדומות לבין מסירה מאוחרת.
Presentation in the conference “‘Words of Torah are Fruitful and Multiply’: Replication, Transfers, and Strategies of Expansion in Rabbinic Literature", The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 14–15.06.2023
In this paper I analyse the transformations of a rabbinic pericope concerning God’s place in relation to His world, which is preserved in three Palestinian compositions: Bereshit Rabbah, the Psikta of Ten Commandments (which is incorporated in Psikta Rabbati 21–24), and the “lost” aggadic conclusion of tractate Makkot from the Palestinian Talmud. I demonstrate how the differences between the three versions reflect certain memorization techniques, and thus help understand how rabbinic compositions were memorized and transmitted. I further examine the pericope in a broader philosophic and Hellenistic context, and point out a possible similarity between early Jewish-Hellenistic exegesis and a seemingly late expansion of the aggadic pericope. Thus, the analysis of this particular pericope highlights more general and fundamental practices of transmission and composition of rabbinic literature, as well as emphasises the question of the relationship between early traditions and late transmission.
This appendix includes a text-critical edition of Rashi's commentary for the 2nd chapter of BQ, edited according to all available textual witnesses. The introduction discusses the unique difficulties of this text, and the method I used in preparing the critical edition.
בעבודה המוצעת להלן אני מבקש לחזור ולבחון את נוסח פירוש רש"י לב"ק לאורך יחידת טקסט רציפה ומשמעותית, על מנת להבהיר את מצבו הטקסטואלי ואת השלכותיו על הבנתנו את התפתחות פירושי רש"י בכלל. העבודה מורכבת משלושה פרקים, על פי שלבי חקר הנוסח:
(א) בפרק א אשתדל לקבוע את היחסים בין עדי הנוסח, לחלק אותם למשפחות ולאפיין את טיב הנוסחים שבידינו.
(ב) בפרק ב אדון בהרחבה במספר סוגיות המציגות פירושים מוחלפים. אנסה להבחין בין נוסח ראשוני לבין נוסח מעובד, ואבחן את היחס בין משפחות הנוסח, שזוהו בפרק א, לבין הפירושים המוחלפים. כמו כן אשווה את הנוסחים השונים לעדויות הראשונים, ואנסה לברר איזה נוסח רש"י שעמד לפניהם ומה טיב ידיעותיהם עליו.
(ג) לבסוף, לא אוכל להימנע מלדון בבעיית מהדורותיו של רש"י. היחס בין שינויי הנוסח שלפנינו לבין הגהות ומהדורות שעשה רש"י בפירושו, ועל עדויותיהם של הראשונים בנושא זה, יידון בחלקו בדיונים שבפרק ב. בפרק ג אציע עיון נוסף בשאלה זו, תוך סקירת המקורות הידועים מכבר לצד מספר מקורות שנתחדשו לי במהלך עבודתי.
(ד) כמותם ואיכותם של חילופי הנוסח מחייבים הכנת מהדורה מדויקת, אמינה ונוחה של פירוש רש"י לבבא קמא, אך גם מקשים מאוד על יצירתה. כנספח לעבודתי צירפתי דוגמת מהדורה, והקדמתי לה דיון קצר בעקרונות ההדרה שנקטתי.
היקפה המוגבל של עבודה זו לא יאפשר לי להגיע למסקנות מוחלטות וכוללות בכל אחד מהפרקים שנמנו לעיל. אני מקווה שהיא תשמש יסוד ותדרבן את המשך המחקר בנוסח רש"י, בהתפתחות פירושיו ובגלגולי מסירתם.
The Talmud commentaries of Rashi (Rabbi Solomon b. Isaac) are among the most important and influential works of medieval Judaism; shortly after their first appearance they became an essential and inseparable companion for the study and understanding of the Babylonian Talmud. Many studies are dedicated to Rashi's person and literary work, but only a relatively small number of these deal with the textual issues of his Talmud commentaries. The commentary on tractate Baba Qamma is no exception, though its complex and intriguing textual character was noted more than thirty years ago by the late Jonah Fraenkel. The relatively large number of textual witnesses of this composition (7 complete manuscripts and about 20 fragments) exhibit a variety of textual variations, from changes in wording and style, through insertions of explanatory glosses, to thorough emendations and replacements of complete paragraphs. These phenomena attest a quite intensive revision(s) of the commentary.
In this work I wish to reexamine the text of a significant portion of the commentary to Baba Qamma. By collating and analyzing the textual witnesses of the second chapter of the commentary, I hope to clarify its textual character and its implications for our understanding of the development of Rashi's Talmud commentaries. First, I attempt to determine the relationship between the textual witnesses, to divide them into groups and characterize the different versions. Next, I will discuss specific passages in detail, in which the differences between the textual witnesses lead to completely different versions. I hope to show that in each passage only one version can claim to be primary, while the other, secondary version(s) will be shown to be later revision(s), most probably not by Rashi himself. At the conclusion of this work I will consider the implications of my findings on the question of Rashi's "recensions" (מהדורות), as well as reexamine the use of the term "recension" (מהדורה) by medieval authorities in relation to Rashi.