CCAR RESPONSA
American Reform Responsa
37. Reading the Torah Portion in the Vernacular
(Vol. XXIII, 1913, pp. 167-170) To begin with a question of liturgy submitted to this Conference by the congregation Temple Emanuel of San Francisco through its rabbi, Dr. Martin Meyer: the query is whether it is advisable and proper to read the portion from the Torah in the vernacular. Let us state that from the point of view of the ancient tradition there can be no doubt that the proper way is to read the Scriptural portion of the Torah first in the original from the Scroll, and then translate it to the assembly of worshippers in the language which they understand or speak (whether verse by verse or the whole portion together). This is evidenced by the first mention of the public reading from the Law in Nehemiah 8:8, instituted by Ezra the Scribe. When, in the course of time, the reading of the portions of the Torah assigned to each successive Sabbath and the Holy Days was made an integral part of the divine service, it became the regular custom of the ancient synagogue to have the same read from the Scroll and then translated into the vernacular. This was at first done in Aramaic by one especially appointed for this function, called the Meturgeman. The translation was known as the Targum, and this name was thereafter given to the Aramaic translation of the Scripture. As the Jewish people moved into the various lands, there arose translations of the Bible in various languages, all owing to the custom of having the Torah reading (Mikra) translated for the congregation into the vernacular. The oldest translation which has come down to us preserved in its totality, but at variance with our traditional (Masoretic) text, is the one made for the Jews of Alexandria in their Greek vernacular, the so-called Septuagint, named thus after the seventy (-two) elders to whom legend or tradition ascribed the work. It appears, however, that when this Greek translation was introduced in the synagogues of Alexandria, the reading of the text from the Scroll fell into abeyance, and the Hebrew was soon forgotten altogether, as is amply shown by the writing of the philosopher Philo and other Jewish authors of Alexandria. In consequence of this neglect of the Hebrew original, the Alexandrian Jews, while working during several centuries for a great Jewish propaganda in the spirit of prophetic universalism, were sooner or later led away from many views and practices of Palestinian Judaism and were ultimately absorbed by Greek-speaking Christendom. This deplorable fact ought to serve today as a warning against omitting the reading from the Scroll–Mikra— while the Scriptural lesson of the day is–as it should be–brought home to the congregation in the vernacular, the language which the great majority of the worshippers understand. On the other hand, a no less deplorable change took place in the main synagogue. In the same measure as the surrounding world of humanity, to which the synagogue was to bring its prophetic message, had been lost sight of by the framers of our liturgy, the ancient practice of reading from the Torah and the Prophets was allowed to become petrified, “a work of men done by rote.” No cognizance was taken any longer of the multitude of people who failed to understand the Hebrew, and the translation into the vernacular was dropped altogether. The whole institution intended to make the whole people of Israel conversant with the law, with the ideas, and with the ideals of Judaism, became for an ever-growing number of Jewish worshippers a soulless custom, void of meaning and impressiveness. Only as the modern era of reason and enlightenment aroused the spirit of reform in Judaism, ushering in all those innovations in the liturgy which tend to revive the ancient spirit of genuine devotion, changes were introduced also in regard to the Scriptural readings. The beginning was made with the so-called Haftara, the prophetic lesson of the day, which in most Reform synagogues is read exclusively in the vernacular. In regard to the Torah lesson, however, no common practice has been established as yet. As a rule, the rabbi selects a small portion of the Sabbath or Holy Day Parasha for translation before reading the Haftara or prophetic lesson, leaving the rest untranslated. The reason for this practice is obvious. First of all, the Parasha assigned by the synagogue for the day is too lengthy to hold the interest of the congregation all the while, and, secondly, there are too many statutes and sentences that would, when translated, offend the taste and the sensibility of the hearers, passages concerning which the Mishna has already set down the rule: “Nikra-in veein mitargemin,” “They are to be read [in the original], but not translated to the people.” Now, the logical conclusion of this very Mishnaic rule and all that has been stated here seems to be that our aim and endeavor in our divine service should be to transform the Torah Reading from the mechanical and meaningless function into which it has lapsed during the past ages, into a real and genuine source of instruction and inspiration, as it was intended to be at the outset. Accordingly, it should be recommended that the Torah lesson of the day–however small a portion of the same may be selected–be read from the Scroll in the original and then translated into the vernacular, the same to be followed by a Scriptural lesson from the Prophets or the Psalms or any other of the sacred writings read solely in the vernacular. By reading the Torah lesson in the Hebrew original previous to the translation of the same into the vernacular, the impressiveness of the ancient custom is greatly enhanced and at the same time the continuity of the synagogue tradition is maintained. Another question well to be considered is, whether such chapters as Tazria-Metsora and similar portions offensive to our taste and void of all religious meaning for us, ought not be omitted altogether and replaced by those beautiful and inspiring portions of Deuteronomy which, according to our calendar, are assigned to the hot season of the year when the synagogues are empty, and which ought by all means to be read before larger assemblies, being of such highly educational, ethical, and prophetic character. Of course, at present this must be left to individual discretion.K. Kohler and D. Neumark
If needed, please consult Abbreviations used in CCAR Responsa.