MEET THE MAVEN

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• MEET THE MAVEN
• Part I

May 2010
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Story
Nations and peoples are largely the stories they
feed themselves. If they tell themselves stories
that are lies, they will suffer the future
consequences of those lies. If they tell
themselves stories that face their own truths,
they will free their histories for future
flowerings. Ben Okri
Ben Okri (born 1959) is a Nigerian author and
poet, awarded the Booker Prize in 1991 and is
often described as one of Africa's greatest
writers.
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Torah
Ritual Torah reading became an act of standing
again at Sinai and also of rehearsing the master
story of the Jewish people During this ritual,
each synagogue becomes for the moment a bit of
Sinai, but even more so, it becomes a temporary
Jerusalem the place where Torah continues to be
proclaimed and studied in each and every
generation. Ruth Langer
Ruth Langer is Associate Professor of Jewish
Studies at Boston College Image Secret Torah
Service in the Warsaw Ghetto, 1941
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• Indeed, the Torah became the bedrock of Judaism
  not so much by assertion as by ritual The
  synagogue developed into the national theater in
  which Scripture and liturgy converged to reenact
  weekly the awesome transmission of Torah at
  Sinai. Every aspect of the ritual was meant to
  convey the numinous quality of the original
  drama.
•   The diffusion of theology requires ritual.
  Modern Jews are at risk not because they have
  lost their faith, but because they have lost
  their appreciation for ritual.
• Rabbi Ismar Schorsch

Rabbi Ismar Schorsch is the former Chancellor of
the Jewish Theological Seminary
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Translation

• 'Translation it is that openeth the window, to
  let in the light that breaketh the shell, that
  we may eat the kernel that putteth aside the
  curtain, that we may look into the most holy
  place.'

(From the translators introduction to the King
James Bible, 1611)
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Meet the Maven

• Maven is a modern American adaptation of a
  Yiddish expression, originally a Hebrew word,
  meaning expert or teacher. The word
  originates in the Bible to describe the role of
  the oral translator/interpreter of Hebrew
  Scripture into local language. The maven served
  as the tribal storyteller, bridging the past and
  the present, the written legacy with contemporary
  realities.
• And the Levites enabled the people to understand
  the Torah
• ???????????? ????????? ???-????? ?????????
• (Nehemiah, 87)
• The Hebrew title Maven was later replaced by
  the Aramaic Meturgeman. This profession was a
  vital feature within the Jewish community for
  over 1,500 years and was gradually phased out
  during the early middle ages, replaced by the
  rabbinic sermon.

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Maven - History

•  
•   From the days of Ezra the custom was to have a
  translator (meturgeman) translating for the
  people as the reader read aloud from the Torah so
  that they will understand the content. The reader
  would read one verse and then fall silent, until
  the translator would translate, and then the
  reader would read the next verse, and so forth.
  The reader was not allowed to read more than one
  verse at a time.
• Maimonides, Laws of Prayer 121

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Maven - History

• THE METURGEMAN   / By Solomon Schechter/from The
  Jewish Encyclopedia
•  
• With the return of the exiles from captivity in
  Babylon the religious instruction of the people
  was put into the hands of the Levites. These
  functionaries were called ("teachers"). At a
  later time, when Aramaic had become the
  vernacular, and religious instruction had ceased
  to be the exclusive privilege of the priesthood,
  the Levitic ("teacher") gave way to the lay
  ("interpreter," "translator"), called also or .
  The official was paid probably by the community.
• The weekly lesson from the Pentateuch and the
  Prophets was read by a member of the
  congregation, and the meturgeman had to translate
  into the vernacular verse by verse from the
  Prophets he translated three verses at a time.
  While the reader of the Hebrew text was forbidden
  to recite by heart, the meturgeman was not
  permitted to read his translation from a book, or
  to look at the Hebrew text when translating, in
  order that the people should not think that the
  translation was contained in the text. He did not
  limit himself to a mere literal translation, but
  dilated upon the Biblical contents, bringing in
  haggadic elements, illustrations from history,
  and references to topics of the day. This
  naturally required much time, to gain which the
  weekly lesson had to be short, so that the
  Pentateuch was finished only in a cycle of three
  or three and one-half years. The free handling
  of the text, which frequently changed the
  translation into a sermon or homily, gave the
  meturgeman ample opportunity to introduce his
  subjective views into the lesson and with the
  multiplication of sects this became distasteful
  to the Rabbis. The increase in the opposition to
  the meturgeman led to the fixation of the
  Targumim and to the demand that the meturgeman
  keep strictly to mere translation. But a mere
  translation satisfied neither the public, who had
  known the text from early school-days, nor the
  meturgeman, who was deprived of an opportunity to
  parade his knowledge and to display his
  oratorical gifts. As a consequence the "darshan,"
  or preacher, was introduced and the literal
  translation fell gradually into disuse.
•  
•  

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Who is a Maven?

• Mavens are Information specialistsTo be a maven
  is to be a teacher. But it is also, even more
  empathically, to be a student. Maven are really
  information brokers, sharing and trading what
  they know.
• There is something about the personal expert
  opinion of a Maven that makes us all sit up and
  listen.
• Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point

Malcolm Gladwell (born 1963) is a New York City
author and journalist.
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• According to rabbinic sources and historical
  documents it seems that the professional Maven
  was a local Jewish scholar, paid for by the
  community, and expected to master the following
  skills
• Fluency in Biblical Hebrew
• Fluency in Aramaic the spoken vernacular of the
  time
• Judaic scholarship
• Performance/oratory skill

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Origins of the Maven
? ????????????? ???-????? ???????? ?????
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???-????? ??????? ?????? ??????-?????? ???????
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????-????????? ??????? ???????? ???????
?????-??????? ????? ?????? ????????? ???????
????? ???????? ????????????? ? ??????????-???
??????? ???????? ?????? ???????
???????-???????? ???-?????? ???-????????? ???????
????? ???????????? ???????????? ??????????????
????????? ???-????? ???-????? ????????? All the
people gathered themselves together as one into
the open place that was before the water gate
and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book
of the Torah of Moses, which God had commanded to
Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the Torah
before the congregation, both men and women, and
all that could hear with understanding, on the
first day of the seventh month. And he read from
it in front of the open place that was before the
water gate from early morning until midday, in
the presence of the men and the women, and of
those that could understand and the ears of all
the people were attentive unto the book of the
Torah.
Nehemiah 81-12
Nehemiah, a Jewish leader from the tribe of
Judah, helped to lead the Jewish return to
Jerusalem following the Babylonian exile in 459
BCE. He initiated the rebuilding of the Jerusalem
Temple and is believed to be the primary author
of the Biblical Book of Nehemiah.
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• ? ??????????? ??????? ???????? ???-????????-???
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  ??????? ???-??????? ?????????? ?????????
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  ???????? ??????????? ????????????????? ????????
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  ????????? ????? ????????? ???????????? ?????????
  ???-????? ????????? ??????? ???-????????
  ? ???????????? ???????? ????????? ???????????
  ???????? ??????? ?????? ??????????? ????????????
• And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood,
  which they had made for the purpose and beside
  him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and
  Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right
  hand and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael,
  and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah,
  Zechariah, and Meshullam. And Ezra opened the
  book in the sight of all the people--for he was
  above all the people--and when he opened it, all
  the people stood up. And Ezra blessed the LORD,
  the great God. And all the people answered
  'Amen, Amen', with the lifting up of their hands
  and they bowed their heads, and fell down before
  God with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua,
  and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub,
  Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah,
  Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites enabled
  the people to understand the Torah and the
  people stood in their place. And they read in the
  book, the Torah of God, distinctly and they gave
  the sense, and caused them to understand the
  reading.

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• ? ???????? ????????? ???? ????????????? ?????????
  ???????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????
  ???-????? ?????-????? ??????? ???????-????
  ???????? ??????????? ???-??????????????
  ?????-????????? ???? ??????? ????-?????
  ??????????? ???-???????? ????????? ? ?????????
  ????? ????? ??????? ???????????? ????????
  ???????????? ?????????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???
  ?????-??????? ??????? ?????????????
  ?????-?????????? ?????-??????? ??????? ????
  ???????????? ?? ????????????? ?????????
  ?????-????? ?????? ?????? ????-??????? ??????
  ?????-???????????? ?? ??????????? ???-?????
  ???????? ???????????? ??????????? ??????
  ??????????? ???????? ???????? ???? ????????
  ???????????? ?????? ????????? ?????
• ????? ?' ?'-?"?
• And Nehemiah, who was the Governor, and Ezra the
  priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught
  the people, said unto all the people 'This day
  is holy to the LORD your God mourn not, nor
  weep.' For all the people wept, when they heard
  the words of Torah. Then he said unto them 'Go
  your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and
  send portions unto him for whom nothing is
  prepared for this day is holy to our God
  neither be you grieved for the joy of the God is
  your strength.' And the Levites stilled all the
  people, saying 'Hold your peace, for the day is
  holy neither be you grieved.' And all the people
  went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send
  portions, and to make great mirth, because they
  had understood the words that were declared unto
  them.
• Nehemiah 81-12

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Maven Restored

• ????? ?? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ?' ?????? ??'
  ?????
• ???? ??? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??? ?? ????? ??? ??
  ??? ?????? ???? ???? ?????? ????? ???? ???
  ?????? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ????
  ????? ?? ????? ???? ??? ??? ???????
• ?????? ????? ??? ????? ????? ????? ?? ??? ??????
  ????? ????? ??????
• ????? ????, ????? ?.
• The Translation of Torah was authored by
  Onkelos the Proselyte but didnt Rav Ika Bar
  Rabin in the name of Rav Chananel teach, based on
  Nehemiah 9 So they read in the book in the Torah
  of God this is Scripture Clearly this is
  translation And gave the interpretation this
  is the trope So that they understood the
  reading This is the Mesorah, and some say the
  breakup of verses.
• The translation tradition was forgotten,
• But they restored the tradition.
• Babylonian Talmud, Megilla 3

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Maven - Sample

• ???-????????? ??????, ???????? ??????
• Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's
  milk.
• EXODUS 2319
• Jewish Publication Society Bible
•  ?? ?????? ??? ????
• You will not eat meat with milk.
• Targum Onkelos

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Maven - rules
Maven Must 6 ?' ????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ???????
??? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ?"? ???? ??
????? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ????
Rabbi Samuel Bar Rav Isaac entered a synagogue
and saw a teacher presenting a translation from a
book. He said to him it is forbidden to do so
words that have been transmitted orally must be
transmitted orally, and words that have been
written must be presented in writing. Jerusalem
Talmud, Megillah 4. Maven Must 7 ??? ????
????? ??? ???? ???? ?????, ????? ??? ??? ??? ????
????? ???????. ?????? ??? ???? ????? ???????,
????? ??? ??? ???? ????? ????? ???????. ?????
??????? - ????????? ????? ????? ???????. ???
????? ???? ?????? - ???? ??????? ?????. Our
Rabbis taught As regards the Torah, one reads
and one translates, and in no case must one read
and two translate together. As regards the
Prophets, one reads and two may translate, but in
no case may two read and two translate. As
regards Hallel and the Scroll of Esther, even ten
may read and ten may translate. What is the
reason? Since the people like it, they pay
attention and hear. Babylonian Talmud, Megillah
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Maven - Evolution
And for your question about the habit of the
people of Sfarad Spain to abandon the Targum
completely whereas we see in some places in the
Talmud that it is a Mitzvah - should we rebuke
them or do they have a legitimacy to abandon the
Targum and therefore have no sin? It is clear
that not only in the Talmud have we found a
mitzvah of Targum and its instructions, but also
in our Mishna "The reader of the Torah should
not read less than three sentences and not read
to the translator more than one sentence.." Are
all these words of no significance? Not at all!
for it is the Prophets who established these
things to Israel. And we did not know that in
Spain they had abandoned the Targum until now,
and this habit is not good. And even if the sole
reason is that the whole of Israel should have
one custom and this community does something
differently it is enough. And we do not know
why and when they abandoned it, please inform us
so we can write to them the right thing to do.
-The Responsa of Rav Hai Gaon
Rav Hai Gaon (939 1038 CE) , Head of the
Yeshiva in Pumbedita, and is consider ed to be
the last of the Great Geonim.
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We the translators of Scripture have a modest
task to take care that a human ear which the
voice reaches from any passage of Scripture be
able to receive that voice more easily and more
clearly. Do we mean the Book? We mean the Voice.
Do we mean that people learn to read it? We mean
that people should learn to hear it.  Martin
Buber 
Maven - Mission
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• MEET THE MAVEN
• End of PART I
• History of the Maven

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MEET THE MAVEN PART II Translation or
Interpretation?
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Maven Must 1 ??????, ?' ????? ???? ??????
???? ?????? - ??? ?? ????, ??????? ???? - ??? ??
???? ?????. ??? ??? ?????- ????? ????. ?????
????, ??' ???????, ?? ?"? ?"? It was taught
Rabbi Judah said If one translates a verse
literally, one is a liar if one adds anything,
one is a blasphemer and accused of libel. And
what is the proper translation Our
Translation. Our Translation refers to the
Targum Onkelos Babylonian Talmud, Tractate
Kiddushin 49.
Rabbi Judah Ben Ilay, a Fourth Generation Tana
(2nd century CE), lived in Usha, Gallillee, a
student of Rabbi Akiva, and one of the five
rabbis ordained secretly by Rabbi Judah Ben Bava
during the Great Revolt.
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MEET THE MAVEN End of PART II Translation or
Interpretation?
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MEET THE MAVEN PART III The Maven Rules
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Maven Must 2 ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ?????? -
?? ????? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ??????
????? ??? - ?? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ????
???? ???? ?"? ?"? The translator is not
permitted to begin the translation until the
reader had completed the verse and the reader is
not permitted to begin another verse until the
translator had completed the translation of the
preceding verse. Babylonian Talmud, Tractate
Sotah 39 Maven Must 3 ?? ??? ??????? ??????
???? ?? ?????? ??"? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ?????
???? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ? The translator
may not look at the Torah scroll while
translating so that it will not be said the
translation is written in the Torah. Midrash
Tanchuma Vayera 5
Midrash Tanhuma is the name given to three
different collections of Biblical interpretive
midrashim, estimated to be written or edited
during the 9th century CE two are extant, while
the third is known only through citations.
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Maven Must 4 ?' ????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ???????
??? ?? ?? ?? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ?"? ???? ??
??? ?????? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ????? ??
????? ?????? Rabbi Samuel the son of Rabbi Isaac
entered a synagogue and saw the translator
leaning on a podium. He said you must not do
this, for just as the Torah was given with great
awe and reverence so we must act with awe and
reverence. Maven Must 5 ?' ????? ?? ?? ????
??? ??????? ??? ???? ???? ????? ??? ???? ?? ??
?????? ?"? ???? ?? ??? ?????? ?"? ????? ?? ???
?????? ????? ?? ?"? ????? Rabbi Samuel the son
of Rabbi Isaac entered a synagogue and saw the
Torah Reader chanting and translating by himself.
He said You must not do this, for just as the
Torah was given to the people through a mediator
so must we act, and only transmit Torah through a
mediator. Jerusalem Talmud, Megillah 4.
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Maven Must 6 ?' ????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ???????
??? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ?"? ???? ??
????? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ????
Rabbi Samuel Bar Rav Isaac entered a synagogue
and saw a teacher presenting a translation from a
book. He said to him it is forbidden to do so
words that have been transmitted orally must be
transmitted orally, and words that have been
written must be presented in writing. Jerusalem
Talmud, Megillah 4. Maven Must 7 ??? ????
????? ??? ???? ???? ?????, ????? ??? ??? ??? ????
????? ???????. ?????? ??? ???? ????? ???????,
????? ??? ??? ???? ????? ????? ???????. ?????
??????? - ????????? ????? ????? ???????. ???
????? ???? ?????? - ???? ??????? ?????. Our
Rabbis taught As regards the Torah, one reads
and one translates, and in no case must one read
and two translate together. As regards the
Prophets, one reads and two may translate, but in
no case may two read and two translate. As
regards Hallel and the Scroll of Esther, even ten
may read and ten may translate. What is the
reason? Since the people like it, they pay
attention and hear. Babylonian Talmud, Megillah
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• The true goal of the soul is translation. Only
  when a thing has been translated does it become
  truly vocal, no longer ignored. Only in the
  Septuagint has Revelation come to be in the
  world, and as long as Homer did not speak Latin
  he was not a fact. The same holds good for the
  translation from one person to another.
• Franz Rosenzweig

Franz Rosenzweig (1886-1929) an influential
Jewish-German theologian and philosopher.
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MEET THE MAVEN End of PART III The Maven Rules