LET’S STUDY ONKELOS

A Guide for Rabbis, Teachers and Torah Students to Study and Teach the Parashat
Hashavua through the Eyes of its Most Important Translator

By Stanley M. Wagner and Israel Drazin

Based on the five volume, Onkelos on the Torah (Genesis-Deuteronomy), Understanding the
Bible Text, by Israel Drazin and Stanley M. Wagner, published by Gefen Publishing House,
Jerusalem/New York, 2006–2010.

STUDY GUIDE

VAYEITZEI (CHAPTER 28:10–32:3)

SUMMARY OF THE TORAH PORTION

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

MULTIPLE CHANGES IN A SINGLE VERSE

Sometimes our targumist makes many changes in a single passage, as in 28:17

(pages 188–191)1 where five different kinds of alterations occur.

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

Our commentary of this single verse describes five characteristic changes made by
the targumist throughout the Pentateuch. We note that he adds a phrase not found in
the Torah that explains Jacob’s exclamation, “How awesome is this place,” which could
have many meanings. Our translator adds that it is “not an ordinary place.” This is a
frequently appearing change to enhance clarity.
He eschews calling the place “the house of God” because this description is too
anthropomorphic and, as usual, he attempts to eliminate or soften biblical
anthropomorphisms wherever he possibly can.
He changes Elohim into the Tetragrammaton, the four lettered name of God (which
we read as Adonai, Lord) to refrain from calling God by a name that has a plural ending
in Hebrew.
Fourth, since the site of his dream, Bethel, would not be “the” house of God because
the Temple would be built in Jerusalem, he changes “house of God” to a site “in which
there was pleasure from before the Lord.” Thus he modifies the biblical phrase because
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of subsequent history. This is similar in some respects to the targumist updating the
names of places and coins discussed in a prior guide.
Fifth, the targumist very often explains biblical metaphors, such as “gate of heaven”
because many people are unable to understand what some metaphors are suggesting.
This phrase is found frequently in rabbinic writings and in Jewish liturgy. The writings
view God metaphorically and anthropomorphically residing in heaven, although we
know that “the entire earth is filled with His glory” (Isaiah 6:3). They also depict heaven
as having a “gate” that can be opened through prayer. By changing “gate of heaven” to
“gate facing heaven,” the Targum explains the metaphor and removes the
anthropomorphism.

ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS

ON ONKELOS

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

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GENERAL DISCUSSION

Read the thirteen verses of 28:10-22 (pages 186–191) again. Imagine Jacob’s frame
of mind as he is fleeing from his home, fearing that Esau might pursue him and kill him
as he vowed to do (27:41). He is agitated and alone and can only find stones to prop up
his head before going to sleep. He wonders about his mother’s family in Paddan-aram,
with whom he was told to stay. How would they treat him? He needs reassurance that
all will turn out well.
How do you understand the meaning of Jacob’s unusual dream? What is the
significance of the angels ascending and descending the ladder? Why angels? Could the
dream convince Jacob that his journey will be successful? Or, is the dream nothing more
than an expression of Jacob’s anxiety?
Was Jacob’s “affirmation” in verses 28:20-22 (pages 190 and 191) only a conditional
commitment (if the Lord does such and such, Jacob will worship him and set aside a
tenth of his wealth before Him) and not a “thank you” for God’s reassurance. Our
commentary on verse 21 (page 191) provides many opinions:
THEN. Rashi and Bechor Schor consider it a condition, but Radak and Nachmanides
regard “then” as part of the vow; then I will be able to return to my father’s house
and worship God. If it is a condition, where does the condition end? According to
Rashi, it ends at the end of verse 21—Jacob promised to worship at the pillar.
According to Bechor Schor, it ends in the middle of verse 21, that since people will see
that the Lord helped Jacob, they will know that He is Jacob’s God.

What is your opinion?

FOR FURTHER STUDY

1. See 29:12 and commentary, “THE SON OF HER FATHER’S SISTER” (pages 192,
continuing on page 195). The targumist clarifies a biblical phrase describing Jacob’s
relationship with Rachel.

2. See 30:2 (pages 198 and 199) and commentary. Clarifying Jacob’s angry response to
Rachel’s importuning.

3. See 30:22 (pages 200–203) and commentary. The targumist’s understanding of God’s
response to Rachel.