The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context

GROSSFELD Onqelos, Halakha and the Halakhic Midrashim 235
formulated his own theory in an attempt to explain the modus
operandi of Onqelos in translating a Hebrew verse—when does he use
the Halakha and when does he omit it?
According to Adler, Onqelos translated according to the Halakha in
the following three circumstances:
1. When sectarian groups like the Sadduccees, Boethaesians, and
Epicurians would render that particular passage according to
their own ideology against the Halakha.
2. When the Halakha was not cautiously observed by the masses
of the people due to ignorance.
3. If a dispute existed among the early Tannaim as to the correct
interpretation of a passage. Here Onqelos would in most
cases render it in agreement with the view of one or the
other of the disputants; or render it literally but with the
appropriate Halakhic additions.
Accordingly, Onqelos renders the following passages by reflecting
the Halakha for one of the three reasons just enumerated:
1. Exod. 23.19; 34.26; Deut. 12.21
reason I 21
2. Lev. 23.15—reran rnnoQ—reason I 22
3. Lev. 23.40—Tin p ns—reason I 23
4. Deut. 6.8; 11.18—-|rr> p msoitD 1 ? vm—reason I 24
21. Cf. b. Hul. 115b:
and Mek. KSODI STOOD XX, p. 336:
22. Cf. b. Men. 65a:
and fe. M««. 65b, 66a: B"v ninnn ,nncn ninnn and Sifra—(no« X.12, p. lOOb),
while Onq. = too «nr nnno.
23. -nn y» ns = ann« (y. SM£. III.5, p. 53b; Lev. R. 30.8, p. 606f.; Pe5. K.
XXVIII, DD^ nnnp^i, p. 183b, Sifre Tm XII. 16, p. 102b).
n'lon msD = 3^1^ (b. Suk. 32a).
nu^ p rpm = D'onn (Lev. /?. XXX.8, p. 607; Pes. K. XXVIII, D^ nnnpX
pp. 183b-84a; y. Suk. 111.5, p. 53a; Sifre ~nn« XII.16, p. 102b). 'pm '3iw =mma
(understood). Onq. = "Tin i'3i^ ]'oim I'D^i^ print*.
24. Cf. 5//re ]3nn« XXXV, p. 63f.: ^o in« -p:>—-j'T ^ m«^ nnicpi
;...to«i3 ]'"7'sn ]m T3 i^'sn ]n niin nio«T ^'«in ]H3 rrrro .nstsita i>3i«
M«Jfe. Nno'Si «nDDQ XVII, p. 66f., XVIII, p. 74 and Mefc. SbY. «3 XIII. 9, 10,
pp. 40ff.; 16, p. 44 and b. Men. 34b, 37a. Onq. has -pa ]'3 i^'sn^ iin'i.