Questions tagged [translation]
Questions about translation in general, or about translation of specific words in Jewish texts.
295
questions
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25 views
What’s the difference between בכי and דמעה? Also, are there additional terms for tears in לשון הקודש [closed]
Is there a difference between בכי and דמעה and if yes, what is it?
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0answers
28 views
Ambiguity in the Rambam: Does בְּזָדוֹן Imply Mutual Consent?
This is a follow-up to my previous question:
In the following excerpt, does the term בְּזָדוֹן imply mutual consent, or simply a unilateral decision on the part of one of the two people involved, ...
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1answer
81 views
inscription on Chagall's “White Crucifixion”? [closed]
What does the inscription on Chagall's painting White Crucifixion say?
Isn't John 19:19 ("Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews") written ישוע הנצרי ומלך היהודים in Hebrew?
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2answers
126 views
Ambiguity in the Rambam: Who Is Pursuing Whom?
The following has already been translated, but upon closer examination, something seems amiss:
אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּא עַל הַכּוּתִית ... כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא עַל הַכּוּתִית בְּזָדוֹן הֲרֵי זוֹ נֶהֱרֶגֶת ...
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1answer
82 views
Where can I find an English translation of the Hebrew “Sefer ben ha-melekh we-ha-nazir” or “Book of the Prince and the Ascetic” story?
Here is an article about the story: https://journals.openedition.org/crm/13772#text
It was written by Abraham Ibn Hisday in the 13th century, roughly based on the Christian legend of Barlaam and ...
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0answers
26 views
What does Nichar mean as a way killing animals? [duplicate]
Yoreh Deah 16:9
אין איסור" אותו ואת בנו" אלא בשחיטה בלבד, שנאמר "לא תשחטו". אבל אם ניחר (פי' ענין הנחירה הוא שתוחב הסכין בנחיריו וחותך) את הראשון, או נתנבל בידו – מותר לשחוט השני. ...
5
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2answers
978 views
Other gods or gods of others?
I have recently noted that the phrase אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים is consistently translated by Artscroll as gods of others, suggesting a construct state or semikhut. However, as Joel K pointed out, the ...
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1answer
100 views
Masoretic v Septuagint
Having come across some claims, and some websites, there seems to be a disagreement between the Masoretic and Septuagint scrolls/texts and that one is more or less reliable than the other.
Are there ...
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1answer
88 views
Is there precedence in Jewish history for translating Psalm XXII 17 “they pierced my hands and my feet”? [closed]
According to Alexander Harkavy's Jewish translation of the Tanakh called "The Holy Scriptures" (first published 1916, reprinted 1936 & 1951) the ending of Psalm XXII 17 reads "they ...
2
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1answer
50 views
Translating Ramban on Dovid Hamelech's birth/ancestry
I am trying to learn this with a friend but I am having trouble translating - any help would be great! Does anyone know according to Ramban what is the miracle involved in the birth of Dovid Hamelech/...
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1answer
79 views
Barternura in English Online
We have a few English translations of Barternura at sefaria. Is there any site that offers a full English translation of Barternura's commentary of Mishnayot online?
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1answer
77 views
English translation of Tur Yoreh Deah
I am looking for a translation of the Tur's Yoreh Deah, specifically siman 335. I have not been able to find a translation online anywhere. Sefaria has some of it, but not that siman. Thank you for ...
1
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1answer
169 views
Transliteration and text help for the nisim b'chol yom
My son is becoming a bar mitzvah, and he specified that he wanted to use a translation of the nisim b'chol yom (for daily miracles) prayer not from the siddur, but from a hand out in Hebrew school. I ...
3
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1answer
131 views
What is the difference between Vayomer and Vayomar?
In Chumash, sometimes it says vayomer, but other times it says vayomar. What is the difference? Don't they both just mean "he said"?
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2answers
201 views
Are angels supernatural beings?
Today's popular view of angels is that they are supernatural beings with various powers.
But the Biblical word מַלְאָךְ, mal'ak, can simply mean "messenger" or "agent", and it is translated as such ...
3
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1answer
54 views
Correct translation of Micah 5:1
1 Samuel 23:23 speaks of 'thousands of Yehudah', Micah 5:1 also speaks of 'thousands of Yehudah', but then I noticed Zechariah 12:5-6 which speaks of 'princes/leaders of Yehudah'. I know there are two ...
2
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2answers
180 views
Full translation of Chofetz Chaim into English?
Can anyone recommend (or does this even exist?) a full translation of the Chofetz Chaim into English? I'm aware of some of the 'lesson-a-day' things but am not sure whether these are full translations ...
2
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2answers
291 views
Why do English translations use the name “Eve” rather than “Chava”?
When the Bible is translated into English, most Hebrew names are simply transliterated into Roman characters.
In a few cases though, a completely different name is used.
In the case of Hadassah/...
2
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1answer
48 views
Tur CM 123:16: “שאין לך מציל ממון חבירו”
I'm struggling with one particular phrase in the Tur (CM 123:16). Most of it is clear until we get to:
אבל אם התובע במדינה זו והנתבע במדינה אחרת הרי זה עושה מצוה שאין לך
מציל ממון חבירו גדול מזה ...
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1answer
51 views
Jeremiah 23:33 - “burden”?
I have difficulties to understand the German term "Last" or "Lastwort" in the common Christian German translations of Jeremiah chap 23, verse 33 (corresponding to "burden" in English versions). Thanks ...
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1answer
56 views
Is “covet” in the tenth Commandment more than a mental attitude? [duplicate]
In halacha - Stoning of homosexuals - Mi Yodeya, mbloch recently said:
In a nutshell, the Torah is not so concerned and doesn't judge how people feel or what their desires are. It prohibits actions ...
5
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1answer
83 views
What does מצלאים mean? What was said?
In O"C 288:10 the Shulchan Aruch states:
נרדף מפני רוח רעה שאמרו לאו דוקא דה"ה לכל חולי שיש בו סכנת היום זועקים ומתחננין וכן נהגו לומר מצלאים בשבת על חולים המסוכנים סכנות היום: הגה וכן מותר ...
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2answers
74 views
Old French in commentaries
Why are there references to "Old French" in some commentaries? I don't have any examples to show but if that is required I could research.
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2answers
75 views
Why translate a vav, “but”?
I know that this is quibbling over a translation, but I don't have access to the translators themselves, so I'm wonering if anyone knows of a justification.
In Bereishit 14:18, the text reads
...
1
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1answer
94 views
Is the English “YHWH” a valid equivalent to the Tetragrammaton?
What is the halachic stance on the Tetragrammaton transliterated into English as YHWH or Yawheh or Jehovah? Is it accurate to use the English letters YHWH as the Hebrew equivalent? We see this ...
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2answers
112 views
Dikduk question on psalm 93
This question bothers me every Friday night; I have looked at various Bible translations and traditional commentators but have not found an answer.
In Psalm 93 we have the phrase:
נָֽשְׂא֤וּ ...
2
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1answer
121 views
How does one write a Kosher Sefer Torah in Greek? [duplicate]
Following question of "why-is-a-greek-torah-scroll-kosher", the Mishna in Meggila 1.8 reads:
אֵין בֵּין סְפָרִים לִתְפִלִּין וּמְזוּזוֹת אֶלָּא שֶׁהַסְּפָרִים נִכְתָּבִין בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן... ...
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1answer
201 views
Is Melech ever a verb?
In the Artscroll machzor (ashkenaz), in the Chazarat Hashatz for shacharit of Rosh Hashana, the piyut with the refrain "Hashem Melech, Hashem malach, Hashem yimloch le'olam va'ed" has a strange ...
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1answer
166 views
What does מעלה עליו הכתוב mean?
There are two consecutive Mishnayos in Pirkei Avos that use the phrase "מעלה עליו הכתוב", which loosely translates to 'scripture treats him as...'
The first is:
רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, ...
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1answer
77 views
Question about Megillas Sefer [closed]
In the English translation of “Megilas Sefer,” on page 169 line 4, there is a fragment of a sentence in which the first part of the sentence is missing. This fragment has nothing to do with the ...
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0answers
101 views
Tikkunei Zohar in English or Hebrew
Has the Tikunei Zohar ever been translated into English? Perhaps Hebrew? Online or dead tree works.
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0answers
41 views
What does Rashi mean by the words “לחבר ולפטרון”?
In Parshas Vayigash (פרק מה פסוק ח), Yosef tells his brothers to tell Yaakov Avinu that
וישימני לאב לפרעה
"[G-d] made me a father to Pharaoh". Rashi comments and says that this means
לחבר ...
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1answer
50 views
Hebrew text of Ramban on Leviticus 19,19
The reason for forbidden mixtures is that God created species in the world - in all of those with spirits, in plants and in animate beings - and gave them the ability to reproduce, such that the ...
3
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1answer
143 views
What does מיללעליכט mean in this Responsa?
In Shu"t HaElef Lecha Shlomo 1:116 it mentions a type of light called מיללעליכט and I am having a hard time deciphering what type of light it is. Only thing that came up was a light bulb called the ...
2
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2answers
83 views
translate inscription on pendant [closed]
Can somebody help me translate the inscription on this pendant?
I had it for many years but I never found out. I tried to translate myself but, well... you can imagine... I guess it must be a quote ...
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0answers
34 views
Is there an English translation of Siddurei Geonei Rav Amram and / or Rav Sa'adiah?
I enjoy exploring the history of the Siddur. Rav Amram and Rav Sa'adia's siddurim are two of the oldest.
One of them, from what I recall has loads of "instructions" some of which explain halachot and ...
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0answers
97 views
English explanation of Sheva Brachot at a Wedding
I was a guest at a wedding recently. During the sheva brachot under the chuppah in addition to calling up someone to recite the bracha a second person was called up to read a relevant English passage ...
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1answer
46 views
Whose spirit and whose lips are referred to in Psalms 106:33?
32וַיַּקְצִיפוּ עַל־מֵי מְרִיבָה וַיֵּרַע לְמֹשֶׁה בַּעֲבוּרָם ׃
33: כִּי־הִמְרוּ אֶת־רוּחוֹ וַיְבַטֵּא בִּשְׂפָתָיו׃
32: They provoked wrath at the waters of Meribah and Moses suffered on ...
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1answer
37 views
Translating from Hebrew into English [closed]
How do you translate the following Hebrew words into English?
"Ba’al Simchah"
2
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1answer
79 views
Translation of an inscription on a Kiddush cup [closed]
I've had it for months now and its from the 40s.
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1answer
129 views
Translation of Pichifkes
Rav Henoch Teller has a book titled Pichifkes (most of which can be read here) on stories of Divine Providence. What does "Pichifkes" mean?
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62 views
Is there an English translation of Die wichtigsten Instanzen gegen die Graf-Wellhausensche Hypothese?
Is there an English translation of Die wichtigsten Instanzen gegen die Graf-Wellhausensche Hypothese? This is the book in German by R' Dovid Tzvi Hoffman זצ''ל, disproving the documentary hypothesis.
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1answer
25 views
Source for translating סופר as scribe in Kiddushin
The Sefaria's translation of the Mishnah in Kiddushin 4, 13 says:
לֹא יִלְמַד אָדָם רַוָּק סוֹפְרִים, וְלֹא תִלְמַד אִשָּׁה סוֹפְרִים.
An unmarried man must not learn to be a scribe, nor may a woman ...
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1answer
159 views
Is there any Jewish translation of the Hebrew Bible that is available in several different languages worldwide?
From what I understand, the Jewish tradition is very insistent that translations of the Hebrew Bible accurately reflect the original text.
Because of this, several Jewish English Bible translations ...
2
votes
2answers
184 views
What is Chulda and Bardelas
The gemara in Pesachim 9b states:
שהטילה נפל לבור
…..
חכמים וטיהרוהו מפני שחולדה וברדלס מצויין שם
(translation from Sefaria) who threw a stillborn baby into a pit, ... and a priest ...
1
vote
2answers
90 views
Meaning of the last sentence of the kaddish?
The last sentence of the kaddish - "עושה שלום במרומיו" -refers to Gd making peace on high.
What does that mean? Is peace considered the opposite of chaos? Could someone restate the last sentence ...
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2answers
118 views
“Black and comely” or “Black but comely”
Song of Songs 1:5 says:
שְׁחוֹרָ֤ה אֲנִי֙ וְֽנָאוָ֔ה
It is frequently translated as "I am black BUT comely". Doesn't the Hebrew translate to "I am black AND comely"? There is a difference, of ...
1
vote
2answers
40 views
What do these phrases mean, “come as one” and “teach a precedent”?
What do these phrases mean, "come as one" and "teach a precedent"?
I think "come as one" means, they "are both the same" (?), but I am not sure this is the meaning of this in the phrase quoted below.
...
2
votes
2answers
86 views
What is the translation of the word Talmud and Gemara and why those words?
The word Talmud and Gemara is used to refer to the written down Oral Law (written down somewhere between 500CE-1000CE?). What is the English translation of those two words and why were they chosen/...
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1answer
35 views
English translation of R’ Bachya on Sefaria
Regarding the English translation of Rabbenu Bachya’s commentary on Chumash, how much of the English translation was uploaded to the Sefaria site? I see that the introduction to Bereshis was left ...
