Questions tagged [translation]
Questions about translation in general, or about translation of specific words in Jewish texts.
272
questions
7
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2answers
66 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
vote
1answer
65 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 ...
4
votes
2answers
100 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
votes
1answer
88 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... רַבָּן ...
7
votes
1answer
195 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 ...
6
votes
1answer
134 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, ...
1
vote
1answer
69 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 ...
2
votes
0answers
46 views
Tikkunei Zohar in English or Hebrew
Has the Tikunei Zohar ever been translated into English? Perhaps Hebrew? Online or dead tree works.
2
votes
0answers
38 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 ...
-1
votes
1answer
43 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
votes
1answer
133 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
votes
2answers
75 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 ...
1
vote
0answers
23 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 ...
7
votes
0answers
73 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
38 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
34 views
Translating from Hebrew into English [closed]
How do you translate the following Hebrew words into English?
"Ba’al Simchah"
2
votes
1answer
69 views
Translation of an inscription on a Kiddush cup [closed]
I've had it for months now and its from the 40s.
1
vote
1answer
66 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?
2
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0answers
47 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.
1
vote
1answer
23 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
153 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
145 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
77 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 ...
-2
votes
2answers
91 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
39 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
78 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/...
-1
votes
1answer
24 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
20 views
Meaning of Purim
What is the origin/meaning of the word Purim? I always assumed it meant the multiple lots of Haman, but I just heard a shiur saying the word Purim comes from "pirurin" - little things - of the ...
1
vote
2answers
54 views
Learning to translate the Shulchan Aruch
How can I get good at translating the Shulchan Aruch? Due to the fact that a lot of the words are more of a Rabbinic Hebrew rather then a Modern Hebrew, it's harder to translate without an English-...
2
votes
2answers
62 views
Dealing with translation differences when reading in English
As I learn more Hebrew, I still daven and read things like Tehillim in English for the most part.
Many sources casually say that English is as good as Hebrew when you daven/read alone.
However, what ...
4
votes
0answers
40 views
Do we apply עושה מעשה עמך consistently anywhere it says עמך?
The Gemara in several places (BM 48b and 62a, Yevamos 22b, Sanhedrin 85a, BB 4a, BK 94b, Makkos 8b) quotes the exposition
ונשיא בעמך לא תאור - בעושה מעשה עמך
“A prince in your people you shall ...
3
votes
2answers
87 views
What does the Rambam mean by “velo yishtomem”?
The Rambam uses an unusual word in Hilchos Yesodei Hatorah 5:11: ולא ישתומם, which is translated on Sefaria as "and does not act so ridiculously".
I am not criticizing this translation, rather I am ...
4
votes
2answers
454 views
Mac or PC computer file Bencher in Hebrew and English
I would like to get (for free or for pay) a bencher in Hebrew and English, similar to Artscroll, one side Hebrew and one side English in pdf format that I can open on a Mac or a PC and do some changes....
2
votes
3answers
78 views
Does Shalom/“peace” need Genizah?
It is known that Shalom is a name of Hashem, thus it is forbidden to say it as salutation in some places.
And also, to not write it in a letter, because the risk of the receiver throwing it to the bin....
3
votes
1answer
73 views
Yoash what does it mean
I’ve a short question about the biblical name Yoash (יאש or יואש or יהואש, see e.g. מלכים ב:י"ב:ב), online I came across the meaning of: ‘HaShem has given’ or ‘Given by HaShem’, many times. But how ...
1
vote
2answers
83 views
Where can find the Iggeret Hashemad of the Rambam online in English?
Where can find the Iggeret Hashemad of the Rambam online in English? There are lots of scholarly resources talking about it, but I am unable to find the words of Rambam complete in translation.
1
vote
6answers
300 views
Correct translation of “לא תרצח” - Thou shalt not kill or murder?
There are, basically, two English translations of the Sixth Commandment - "לא תרצח" (Ex 20:13 and Deut 5:17): some read "kill", some read "murder".
Murder seems more accurate since there is ...
1
vote
1answer
61 views
Translation (or searchable version) of *Sefer Elim* of Rabbi Joseph Solomon Delmedigo
Does there exist any translation of the Sefer Elim of Rabbi Joseph Solomon Delmedigo into a European language? If not, does there at least exist a text-version of the original Hebrew version (all I ...
3
votes
1answer
275 views
Where can I find a transliterated; translated Tanakh?
I'm looking for a Tanakh that has the following specifications:
The original Hebrew text
Transliteration of that text into the Latin alphabet
English translation
Does anyone know where I could find ...
1
vote
1answer
36 views
Which translation is the most accurate for the phrase “העוֹנה לתפלת חסיד ידשׁן בּטוֹב חיינוּ ושׁנה טוֹבה ישׁלח לבית ישׂראל עמנוּ”?
My suggestions:
העוֹנה לתפלת חסיד
The response/answer to the prayer of a righteous person
The return to prayer of a righteous person
The season of prayer of a righteous person
ידשׁן בּטוֹב חיינוּ
is a ...
1
vote
1answer
183 views
Has the “Mäṣḥafä Kedus” (Holy Scriptures) of Beta Israel been translated into English?
From Wikipedia:
Mäṣḥafä Kedus (Holy Scriptures) is the name for the religious literature. The language of the writings is Ge'ez. The holiest book is the Orit (from Aramaic "Oraita" – "Torah") which ...
2
votes
0answers
95 views
Is there a surviving Jewish translation of the entire Masoretic Text in Greek?
Please don't say "the Septuagint" because I know that this has fallen out of favor among most modern Jews (the only exception being Beta Israel, which I believe still uses it - correct me if I am ...
4
votes
2answers
169 views
What are the different types of oaths mentioned in Kol Nidre?
I have a vague idea of what a Neder (an oath affecting an object's status) and a Shevuah (an oath affecting oneself) are based on cursory study of the Talmud, but what are the other 5 or so types of ...
1
vote
2answers
137 views
The meaning of ירך
I’m unclear as to the meaning of the word ירך that appears in Vayishlach, in 32:26. What’s the precise meaning of ירך often translated as hip, thigh, loin, gird etc. Which body part, bone or muscle is ...
1
vote
1answer
70 views
The introduction to the translation of Al Charizi
In Shem Hagdolim in the section on Pirush Hamishna, the author quotes the introductions of various translators of the Rambam's Pirush Hamishna.
שם הגדולים מערכת ספרים אות פ [לט] פירוש המשנה של הרמב"...
2
votes
0answers
72 views
Was the Sheiltot of Rav Achai Gaon ever translated?
Does anyone know if the Sheiltot was ever translated into English?
0
votes
2answers
53 views
Hebrew phrase/term and pronunciation for “the Lord is my high ridge” from Psalm 18.2
I would really appreciate to know the original Hebrew phrase/term and its pronunciation for "the Lord is my high ridge" from Psalm 18.2
0
votes
0answers
104 views
Why does the Steinstalz Talmud interpret this one sentence in contradiction to Rashi?
A sentence towards the bottom of Sanhedrin page 5b speaks of kneading dough in a state of impurity. In the English Koren edition, Rabbi Steinsaltz translates this as meaning the people were impure. ...
0
votes
1answer
135 views
Can you help me translate an inscription on an amulet for a friend?
Can anyone help translate the inscription in the image below?
This is from a necklace/amulet that a friend picked up in Jerusalem many years ago. She asked me to translate it since I took some ...
4
votes
0answers
43 views
Understanding the parameters of translating the pesukim
In Kiddushin 49a R' Yehuda makes the following statement
ר' יהודה אומר המתרגם פסוק כצורתו הרי זה בדאי והמוסיף עליו הרי זה מחרף ומגדף
One who translates a verse literally is a liar, one who ...
