This article is concerned with the translation of nineteen piyyutim (poems) which were dedicated ... more This article is concerned with the translation of nineteen piyyutim (poems) which were dedicated to the Pesach festival and added to the text of Palestinian Targums from the Cairo Genizah. These poems are written in Aramaic and belong to the pre-classical type of Jewish poetry (IV-VI cent.). In this article the Russian translation of the poems with commentaries and exegetical notes is given. From the point of view of history these poems are interesting because of some ideas and concepts of so called “folk” Judaism, which are present in their text. These beliefs have some differences from ideas of the classical Jewish texts (e.g. Mishnah and Talmud). From the philological point of view, piyyutim from the Cairo Genizah are interesting as patterns of a new type of versification, which is different from the biblical parallelism. The presentation of these poems in their historical and philological context is given in this article.
This article is concerned with analysis of the syntactic foundations for versification in the Jew... more This article is concerned with analysis of the syntactic foundations for versification in the Jewish liturgical poetry written in Aramaic in the pre-classical and classical periods. This research embraces thirty poems which were added to the text of Aramaic translation of the Pentateuch in the Cairo Genizah Targum and Fragmentary Targum. The main hypothesis is: the verse structure in both poetical traditions is not strictly connected with certain syntactic models, but rather orientated to the rhythmic structure and phonetic means (acrostic and rhyme). Just for this reason the main syntactic unit of the verse structure in both pre-classical and classical poetry is a syntagma-colon. Analysis of the correlation between poetical lines does not display any specific type of syntactic relationships: the lines may be independent clauses, parts of coordinate or subordinate composite sentences, or parts of clauses (nominal phrases, predicative expressions or adverbial phrases). This characteristic of syntax is inherent in both the pre-classical linear and the classical strophic verse structures, what confirms our hypothesis that the main principles of versification in the Jewish liturgical poetry were not strongly orientated to the syntactic standards. The main difference in the verse structure at the level of a poetical line in these two types of poetry is a more regular rhythm and rhyme in the classical poems.
Translation of biblical poetry in the Targums is still an insufficiently explored area of targumi... more Translation of biblical poetry in the Targums is still an insufficiently explored area of targumic studies. Some research into the unique nature of targumic poetry show that ancient translators followed certain rules in their rendering of biblical poems into Aramaic. On the one hand, the translational technique in the Targums exhibits a tendency to imitate ancient Hebrew poetry (e.g., the parallel verse structure and use of chiasmus in architectonics); on the other hand, original poetical forms underwent changes in the Aramaic versions. The main patterns of the targumic verse structure are considered in this article on the material of the Song at the See (Ex. 15:1-18, 21) in the Targum Onqelos.
Targum Onqelos adopts a sequential approach to rendering of biblical poetry: even the passages th... more Targum Onqelos adopts a sequential approach to rendering of biblical poetry: even the passages that have been completely paraphrased imitate the parallelismus membrorum structure, and supplementary words and clauses are well-fitted into the parallel verse scheme. Only a small number of passages may be defined as quasi-poetical forms which combine poetry with prosaic elements. On the other hand, the targumic parallel verse structure differs from its biblical counterpart in some syntactic details. This type of modified verse structure is inherent in the targums only, and may be considered as a specific kind of poetry in Aramaic.
In previous studies of the Targums, scholars focused on problems of a textual, linguistic, and hi... more In previous studies of the Targums, scholars focused on problems of a textual, linguistic, and historical-critical nature, whereas their literary forms, with some exceptions, remained largely uninvestigated. Alongside literary modifications of the biblical text, the Aramaic translations reflect a special tradition of synagogical rhetoric. Tis article explores one of the most expressive elements of a sermon which comments on a biblical text-the appeals to the audience. Were these appeals interpolated spontaneously by the meturgemanim, or were they used systematically in translating and expositing certain passages? What do such insertions tell us about the text and the art of the meturgemanim?
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From the point of view of history these poems are interesting because of some ideas and concepts of so called “folk” Judaism, which are present in their text. These beliefs have some differences from ideas of the classical Jewish texts (e.g. Mishnah and Talmud). From the philological point of view, piyyutim from the Cairo Genizah are interesting as patterns of a new type of versification, which is different from the biblical parallelism. The presentation of these poems in their historical and philological context is given in this article.
Analysis of the correlation between poetical lines does not display any specific type of syntactic relationships: the lines may be independent clauses, parts of coordinate or subordinate composite sentences, or parts of clauses (nominal phrases, predicative expressions or adverbial phrases). This characteristic of syntax is inherent in both the pre-classical linear and the classical strophic verse structures, what confirms our hypothesis that the main principles of versification in the Jewish liturgical poetry were not strongly orientated to the syntactic standards. The main difference in the verse structure at the level of a poetical line in these two types of poetry is a more regular rhythm and rhyme in the classical poems.
Books by Dmytro Tsolin