Targum Onkelos (or Unkelus), is the official eastern (Babylonian) targum to the Torah. Its early origins, however, are western (Land of Israel). It is traditionally attributed to Onkelos (see the history section below for more details).

In Talmudic times (and to this day in Yemenite Jewish communities) Targum Onkelos was recited by heart as a verse-by-verse translation alternatively with the Hebrew verses of the Torah in the synagogue.

The Talmud states that "a person should complete his portions of scripture along with the community, reading the scripture twice and the targum once." This passage is taken to refer to Targum Onkelos.

History

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The Onkelos/Akilas problem and other historical issues.

See also:

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• Targum
• Targum Jonathan
• Torah

External links:

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Mechon Mamre has the entire Aramaic text of Targum Onkelos with vowels according to Yemenite manuscripts. The Targum appears as digital text in two different user-friendly versions: (1) The Aramaic targum text with vowels can be viewed in its entirety on its own, either book-by-book or chapter by chapter. (2) The Aramaic targum can be viewed verse-by-verse parallel to the Hebrew text, within files that contain one weekly portion (parashat ha-shavua) at a time. The index to both versions is here; there is also an older version without vowels.

Jewish texts