Megillah, Daf Kaf Heh, Part 5
Introduction
Today’s section continues to discuss which parts of the Torah are read and translated and which are not.
+יחזקאל ט"ז+ הודע את ירושלים את תועבותיה, נקרא ומתרגם, פשיטא. לאפוקי מדרבי אליעזר. דתניא: מעשה באדם אחד שהיה קורא למעלה מרבי אליעזר הודע את ירושלים את תועבותיה, אמר לו: עד שאתה בודק בתועבות ירושלים צא ובדוק בתועבות אמך. בדקו אחריו ומצאו בו שמץ פסול.
The passage beginning "Make known to Jerusalem her abominations" (Ezekiel 16) is both read and translated.
This is obvious! This is stated to exclude the view of R. Elazar, as it has been taught: I happened that a man read in the presence of R. Elazar, "Make known to Jerusalem her abominations." He said to him, While you are investigating the abominations of Jerusalem, go and investigate the abominations of your own mother. They investigated him, and he was found to be illegitimate.
Ezekiel 16 is a harsh and almost pornographic, metaphorical description of Israel’s playing the whore with the gods of other nations. It is understandable why we might have thought that it is not read. The Talmud relates a story of a person who read the passage in front of R. Elazar. R. Elazar seems to have strongly objected to the reading, telling the man to go look up his own lineage before he disparages Jerusalem by reading this chapter. In the end, they do go look up the lineage of this man and find that one of his ancestors was indeed illegitimate.
The mishnah basically disagrees with R. Elazar and holds that despite its harsh descriptions, this passage is read.
ואלו נקרין ולא מתרגמין. (רעבד"ן סימן): מעשה ראובן נקרא ולא מתרגם. ומעשה ברבי חנינא בן גמליאל שהלך לכבול, והיה קורא חזן הכנסת +בראשית ל"ה+ ויהי בשכן ישראל, ואמר לו למתורגמן: (הפסק) אל תתרגם אלא אחרון, ושיבחוהו חכמים.
The following are read but not translated (Mnemonic: R’E’B’D’N ).
The incident of Reuben is read but not translated.
On one occasion R. Hanina b. Gamaliel went to Kabul, and the reader of the congregation read, "And it came to pass when Israel dwelled" (Genesis 35:22), and he said to the translator: Translate only the latter part of the verse, and the sages praised him.
In Genesis 35 Reuben sleeps with Jacob’s concubines. Again, not a pretty story (and one they didn’t really cover in Hebrew school). This story is read, but not translated, for it truly is dishonorable. In the story that follows the translator translates only the second half of the verse, "And Jacob had twelve sons." This is the kosher part of the verse, and can be translated.
מעשה עגל השני נקרא ולא מתרגם. איזה מעשה עגל השני? מן +שמות ל"ב+ ויאמר משה עד וירא משה.
תניא, רבי שמעון בן אלעזר אומר: לעולם יהא אדם זהיר בתשובותיו. שמתוך תשובה שהשיבו אהרן למשה פקרו המערערים, שנאמר +שמות ל"ב+ ואשלכהו באש ויצא העגל הזה.
The second account of the calf is read but not translated.
What is the second account of the calf? From "And Moses said" up to "And Moses saw."
It has been taught: A man should always be careful in wording his answers, because from the answer which Aaron made to Moses the heretics denied God were able to deny [God], as it says, "And I cast it into the fire and this calf came forth" (Exodus 32:24).
The "second account of the calf" is Exodus 32:21-24. The problematic verse is verse 24, where Aaron says he just cast the gold into the fire and the calf came forth on its own. This gave evidence to the heretics who believed that there were many gods. The golden calf was indeed a true god and it created itself. This they could have learned from Aaron himself.
ברכת כהנים נקרין ולא מתרגמין, מאי טעמא? משום דכתיב +במדבר ו’+ ישא.
The priestly blessing is read but not translated.
What is the reason? Because it contains the words, "May God show favor to you."
The first line of the priestly blessing is "May God show favor to you" (this word can be translated in other ways, such as "May God lift you up.") This is somewhat controversial a judge is not supposed to favor one of his constituents. Therefore, the word is not translated.
מעשה דוד ואמנון (לא) נקרין ולא מתרגמין,
והא אמרת מעשה אמנון ותמר נקרא ומתרגם.
לא קשיא: הא דכתיב אמנון בן דוד, הא דכתיב אמנון סתמא.
The accounts of David and Amnon is read but not translated.
But you just said that the story of Amnon and Tamar is both read and translated? There is no contradiction; the former statement refers to where it says "Amnon son of David," the latter to where it says "Amnon" simply.
Above the Talmud said that the story of David and Amnon (David’s son who raped Tamar, David’s daughter and then was killed by Avshalom, another of David’s sons) is read and translated. Yet here the Talmud seems to say that this story is read but not translated. The Talmud resolves this by saying that when Amnon is mentioned without his father’s name, it is read and translated. Such cases do not impinge upon David’s honor. But if David’s name is mentioned, the verse is not translated so as to spare poor David the ignominy.