About Onkelos

Targum Onkelos - A Translation Like...Another

Onkelos' Historical Motivation & Inspiration

What was Onkelos' motivation in writing a translation on the Torah?

Was it a random undertaking in a time vaccum, or was there a push of some kind?

And furthermore, was there a predecessor to this project?

All of these questions of these questions find their resolution by understanding a story found in Tanach, a story which predated Onkelos by hundreds of years.

Ezra HaSofer: Rescuing a Nation through Bilingual Brilliance

Who would have imagined that being bilingual would serve as the unexpected superpower to rescue an Klal Yisrael from the brink of extinction?

In the aftermath of the destruction of the Bayis Rishon which occurred in the year 3338, a large portion of Klal Yisrael was exiled to Bavel. This was a traumatic time for Klal Yisrael, fraught with physical suffering and newfound residential crisis.

But as Jews have done time and again, they built from the ashes and adjusted to life in Galus Bavel.

Maybe they adjusted too well.

Jewish families began to prioritize the lifestyles and ideals of their host country over preserving Jewish traditions and laws.

An aspect of their assimilation efforts was to achieve fluency in the host tongue, Aramaic, and have it be the language of choice even in the home.

A slow but seismic tragedy was slowly unfolding; a gradual erosion of Lashon HaKodesh, which also meant an existential threat to the very essence of Torah fading into obscurity.

Even after the Second Beis HaMikdash was allowed to be built, seventy years after the Churban, (built between the years of 3408-3412) the effect of galus had left an indelible mark on the Jewish people, the assimilation had made deep inroads into Jewish life.

The future looked bleak.

But, amidst the darkness of despair, a holy Jew named Ezra HaSofer rose to the occasion. Ezra possessed exactly what was needed to steer the ship back on course.

Ezra was both a tremendous Torah scholar and was fluent in Aramaic in its tip top form. Ezra had the resources and knowledge to both connect with and teach Klal Yisrael who were deeply entrenched in galus.

Ezra's approach in presenting Klal Yisrael with the authentic understanding of the Torah was nothing less than spectacular, as the pesukim in Nechemia Chapter 8 describe.

It was Rosh HaShana of the year 3413, and the entire community stood gathered in anticipation before the Water Gate, calling upon Ezrato unveil the sacred teachings entrusted by Hashem to Moshe.

The assembly eagerly waited for Ezra to come to teach them the Torah.

Finally, after bated breath, Ezra appeared. He was adorned in priestly garments and arrived carrying a Torah Scroll. The crowd watched in awe as he navigated his way to the elevated tower of wood, a stage of some sort, that was prepared for the occasion.

He ascended the tower of wood, and flanked by fellow servants of God, he proclaimed the words of the scroll, captivating the attention of all who could understand, from dawn until noon!

With reverence, Ezra unfurled the scroll before the eyes of all of the attendees, prompting the entire assembly to rise in respect of the open Sefer Torah.

Ezra sang praise to the Hashem and his praise was echoed by the grand chorus of "Amen" from the multitude, their hands lifted high in reverence followed by bowing low in worship to Hashem.

The event then developed into more of an interactive study session. A cadre of Leviim, educated in Ezra's teachings, began to form groups and elucidated the teachings of the Torah into Aramaic, and taught the Jews who had gathered, ensuring they comprehended the true understanding of the Torah. The subject matter of these groups was cheifly the "Targum" which had been forgotten in Galus Bavel.

The Gemara hails Ezra's accomplishment as a new "giving of the Torah," thereby acknowledging his role in revitalizing Torah involvement that had lain dormant since the since the times of the Beis HaMikdash.

The Gemara adds that had Moshe not preceded him in history, Ezra himself could have been a candidate to be the giver of the Torah to Klal Yisrael!

Since Ezra transmitted the Torah orally*, it became forgotten over time. Onkelos is credited for restoring it from Ezra's times, and Onkelos wrote it down to be saved for posterity.

Onkelos HaGer: Seeking G-d in a Den of Idolatry

A Roman society steeped in polythesistic idolatry, saturated with heretical and humanist philosophical views.

Yes, this pretty much sums up the backdrop of when the next iteration of Targum would be rediscovered. Onkelos was a young gentile boy born into Roman royalty which championed these beliefs. But despite his unconventional upbringing, or perhaps because of his unconventional upbringing, Onkelos would prove to be the perfect candidate to interpret the Torah to counter these prevailing false beliefs, beliefs that posed a threat to authentic Torah interpretation.

Onkelos is said to have been born in the beginning of the second century CE, during the Greco-Roman era.*

He grew up on the island of Patmos, an island in the Aegean Sea which is surrounded by Greece and Turkey.

Beginning in 8 BCE, Rome began to become a successful world conquerer. (Rome had made advancements in the art of war which overpowered their enemies. They developed a more agile strategy with less soldiers but more strategically placed instead of a bull rush, and this new tactic had proven very successful)

In the course of conquering a people, Rome would incorporate the gods of the conquered people into their idol "catalogue."

This era saw a rapid influx of new gods, with many being introduced, amalgamated, and worshipped at an unprecedented pace.

Some historians suggest that during this time, the Romans venerated an array of approximately 30,000 gods.

(Putting this into perspective, imagine the parking lot at MetLife Stadium which has 7,537 parking spots. Now multiply that by four. Now imagine there was there were was a new idol in every one of those parking spaces. That's approximately how many idols were in Roman society at that time!)

When Onkelos entered the scene in the outset of the first century, the religious landscape, despite its vastness, left much to be desired.*

The myths and tales of the gods had grown stale, a sense of dissatisfaction permeated society as people yearned for something fresh.

Additionally, some of the newly incorporated gods prevalent in Roman society, particularly the Greek gods, were simply disgusting. The "gods" would get drunk, commit incest, and disguise themselves as animals.

Ironically, the multitude of gods didn't create more respect for more gods among the Romans, but it had the opposite effect; by vitue of being polytheistic, it gave them the rationale to not have to respect any one god over the other. Not only did they not respect the gods, but the Romans would even insult the gods among themselves and speak degradingly of them.

Onkelos was no exception and he explored these different religions, especially Pagan Christianity. However, none of them brought his soul any rest until he finally discovered Judaism.

Perhaps Judaism stuck out to Onkelos because it stood in stark contrast to the way the Romans treated their gods; Judaism showed reverence to their religion, they beleived that G-d was present in their lives and one needed to act as such.

Among other things, this aspect may have been a "selling point" for Judaism for Onkelos to eventually accept it with all of his heart and soul.

The Path Less Traveled: Onkelos' Journey to Embrace Hashem

Onkelos' fascination with Judaism transcended fleeting curiosity; he was "sold" and had his sights set on genuine conversion. However, his path would be far from smooth. He would be confronted by staunch familial resistance from his Roman Paganist kin, both the living and the dead.

At that time in history, there were gentiles who accepted the various practices of the Jews without having gone through formal conversion. They were known as "The G-d Fearers."

The God-fearers were a group of Gentiles who sympathized with Judaism in the Greco-Roman world beginning in the first half of the first century CE.

Onkelos wasn't satisfied with this approach; he wanted "all in" and wanted to become a bonafide convert to Judaism.

The Gemara describes his initial foray into his journey of becoming a convert.

Another instance where his resolve to become a convert was tested is found in another Gemara.

Another place where Onkelos' conversion caused friction is found in Medrash Tanchuma.

Onkelos eventually completed his geirus, but all was not well with when his uncle got wind of his conversion.

The Resurgence of Bilingualism: Onkelos and the Greek Torah

Unwittingly drawing inspiration from Ezra's proficiency in Aramaic, Onkelos took up the mantle of Torah Translator by translating the Torah into Greek, his native language, and a prominent language of his era. Unbeknownst to him, this would only be the precursor to his eventual magnum opus, the translation of the Torah into Aramaic -"Targum".

After Onkelos completed his geirus and was finally left alone by the Romans, his first order of business was to write over the Torah with a Greek translation. His objective here was simplicity, a translation of the Torah into Greek.

His immaculate fluency in Greek incorporating an understanding of the Torah was evident from his work, and word got around about his work and it was warmly accepted and praised by the Rabbanim and Jews in that era.

This work is, obviously, not as famous as Onkelos' main work which he wrote in Aramaic, but indirect reference is made to it in the Yerushalmi.

Beyond Translation: Onkelos Levels Up in Tannaic Literature and Aramaic

Onkelos had proven that he had a talent of accurate and clear translation, and this wide-eyed bushy-tailed newly converted scholar was just getting started. Despite his critically acclaimed success of his Greek translation, Onkelos knew he needed to further his knowledge and training in order to embark on his next mission.

After gaining widespread approval of his initial work of translating the Torah into his native tongue, Greek, Onkelos had the wind against his back. He was undoubtedly satisfied with his contribution to Jewish literature.

But as he delved deeper into the intricacies of the Torah and its oral traditions, he realized that his work had left much to be desired. Despite its accuracy and readability, his translation lacked the rich layers of interpretation found in Torah She'Baal Peh, the teachings of the Oral Torah passed down through generations.

Moreover, Onkelos recognized the pressing need to safeguard the Torah from misinterpretation and distortion, especially as various sects of Judaism emerged, and pagan influences threatened to taint its integrity.

In this time period, Judeo-Christianity began to gain popularity, and its insidious influence was slowly making inroads into traditional Jewish homes.

(According to one Jewish historian, the beracha of V'Lamalshinim was instituted in response to weed out Jews who had embraced Judeo-Christianity. This beracha was a prayer to uproot and break this ugly sect of Jews.*

Thus, if a Judeo-Christian were to be leading the services, he would most probably stutter before verbalizing this beracha out loud, and it would give away his true insidious identity, and expose his nefarious identity.

The Sadducees (Tzedokim), and the Boethusians (Baysosim) had always been a thorn in the side of the Jews and their anti-Torah She'Baal Peh interpretations of the Torah also needed to be addressed.

(The beracha of V'Lamalshinim, according to Iyun Tefilla, was also instituted against these sects of defected Jews. These Jews not only brought spiritual damage upon Klal Yisrael but they also caused financial harm to the Jews, since the Tzedokim were also known to be tax-farmers.)

Onkelos understood that a large majority of Jews was familiar with Aramaic. He saw the importance of providing them with a translation that would help shield them from the perils of religious misunderstanding.

He sat and pondered his next move.

At that time, a two way road linked Eretz Yisrael to the rest of the Diaspora. The scholars of Eretz Yisrael, led by Rabban Gamliel and his premier students, contributed to the spiritual well being of the Jews, by offering halachic counsel, determining calendar dates, and other Klal matters.*

Onkelos realized that that was the source of where he can get the most of Torah She'Baal Peh.

He thus decided to double major in Torah She'Baal Peh and Aramaic to prepare himself for his next venture: The Targum.

Little did he know, this undertaking would evolve into much more than just another translation; it would become a pivotal moment in not only safeguarding the true interpretation of the Torah for the generation he was in, but also a restoration of a lost aspect of Torah wisdom, dormant since the days of Ezra.

Pursuing the Torah Dream: Onkelos in Israel

Onkelos immersed himself into Jewish learning, mastering the Aramaic tongue and the inticacies of Torah She'Baal Peh. He was well on his way towards beginning his monumental translation endeavor.

Upon arriving in Eretz Yisrael, Onkelos enrolled (and was, thankfully, accepted) into the Yeshiva where he immersed himself in the teachings of the Tannaim, particularly Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, and Rabbi Akiva.

True to his plan, he also studied the Aramaic, laying the groundwork for his transformative project.

After years of study of becoming fluent in the the Tannaim's teachings, and with a strong command of Aramaic, Onkelos began his project. He dutifully incorporated their insights and interpretations into the Aramaic Targum all throughout the Torah.

To label the culmination of Onkelos's efforts as merely a "translation" would be a disservice to its true essence. What emerged was nothing short of a brilliant masterpiece, seamlessly intertwining the oral traditions of Torah She'Baal Peh with the written Torah She'Biksav.

Word reached Bavel, where his work was warmly accepted. With approhibations from the likes of Rabbi Akiva himself, the Babylonian community accepted upon themselves to read his translation as part of the weekly regimen of the parsha study.*

This custom to read the Targum would eventually become a Halachic requirement upon every Jew, as the Gemara in Berachos relates.

Defeating Ignorance: Targum as the Choice for Public Readings

True to form, the Targum was considered an essential aid in elucidating the Torah for diverse audiences. In addition to the Torah reading in shul in the original Hebrew, a person was appointed to"announce" the Aramaic translation afterwards in order to teach Torah and the mitzvos to women, children, and those less versed in Torah in its Hebrew form.

In the forthcoming part of the essay we'll talk about some guiding principles of Onkelos' work which dovetail with this overarching theme.

How many times have we heard the phrase "the Torah never wastes words" and "the Torah doesn't just use flowery language?"

It's a well-known fact that every word of the Written Torah is exact and precise down to the tip of every yud.

However, for those not well-versed in its intricacies, the meticulous arrangement of words can present a challenge to understanding or worse yet, lead to misinterpretation.

To this end, Onkelos will sometimes take the liberty to adjust past tenses to present tenses, simplify a metaphor a passuk applies directly into its implied meaning, and sometimes even add words—yes, add words, if it that is what he deemed necessary to clarify the meaning of a obscure passuk or to prevent a potential pitfall.

This is crucial for the unlearned, especially women (who weren't necessarily Beis-Yaakov educated) and make sure the mitzvos could be practically applied correctly.

Nefesh HaGer explains:

In other words, Onkelos' goal is to make sure the the overarching thrust (the inyan)* of passuk is being presented according to the authentic intention.**

The Ramban writes similarly:

See also Shemos 15:10:

Although the trop does not support Onkelos' rendering, there is a Mechilta that does support his view that the term "mighty" can be describing the waters. (despite it not following the trop)

See also Bamidbar 21:14

Lost in Translation: Onkelos's Legacy In Decline

Ironically, while Onkelos is hailed as the restorer of a lost treasure, a work that had lain dormant since the era of Ezra, the effect of his profound contribution began to lose its luster. In this section we'll learn about the misconceptions that were born due to neglectful study of Onkelos and the heroic rabbis who saved Onkelos' legacy.

"Anyone who says Onkelos is just a translation, is mistaken."

(excerpt from an approbation of Nefesh HaGer)

This pithy quote, a play on a Talmudic passage in Kesuvos, gives you everything you need to know as to the depths of how Onkelos was perceived by many, and the need for this misconception to be expelled.

Although, as we mentioned, the weekly study of Onkelos was cemented into halacha, as Jews began to spread throughout the world, people slowly began to lose appreciation for his monumental work.

However, over time, what began as a profound engagement with a portion of Torah study gradually shifted into a perfunctory task to be "checked off the list."

The irony is simply too hard to ignore. Onkelos, the one who had gone down in history for "reestablishing the forgotten work of Ezra" was now facing his own form of extinction.

This prompted several Rabbis from around the world to, yes, mirror Onkelos' own quest albeit slightly differnt, and "reestablish the misunderstood work of Onkelos" and reintroduce the authentic depth and significance of Onkelos's wisdom to the world.

Ultimately, it will be your decision when you turn your attention to the inner margin of the Chumash.

Is Onkelos is simply an Aramaic translation or is something more profound beneath the surface?

Reviving the Treasure Trove: Rabbis Illuminate the Neglected Depths of Onkelos's Work

While many perceive Targum Onkelos as a straightforward Aramaic rendition of the Torah, I dare you to delve deeper. Revered scholars of Klal Yisrael recognized its profound significance and how there is possibly more than meets the eye...for those brave enough to take a closer look.

In Rav Zev Wolf Torbovitz' approbation to the Nefesh HaGer, he compares the author's pursuit into explaining the depth and meaning of the Onkelos to a person going out on a daring quest.

Picture, if you will, a barren expanse of a parched and rugged valley.

In strides a heroic gardener , shovel in hand, and proceeds to dig holes and plant seeds throughout the expanse.

He is the only soul in sight, but he works undaunted by the emptiness that surrounds him. What fuels his resolve?

It's his clear knowledge that beneath the oppressive weight of loose rocks and arid soil, lies a latent treasure trove of delicious fruits and vegetables, and magnificent flowers waiting to bloom.

Harvest season arrives and behold - the once-barren earth is bursting with life and color; and the gardener, with a satisfied grin, returns, this time with his basket ready to reap his produce and spread the joy of his fruitful labor.

Such is the journey that the meforshei Onkelos, such as the Nefesh HaGer, take.

Concealed beneath layers of linguistic and contextual complexity, and sheer neglect of it being fertile ground for "chiddush", these heroic meforshim toiled over Onkelos and offer their illuminating insights into the enigmatic world of Onkelos.

Nefesh HaGer himself compared his exploration into Onkelos' commentary akin to someone drawing water from a well which people had always assumed contained a pool of stagnant and tepid water, which he then revealed to in fact be be a source of fresh, flowing water!

A Potpurri of Torah - Onkelos' Many Facets

What are some of the depths that Onkelos beholds? While we can only scratch the surface here, Onkelos contains all sorts of profundity. Onkelos introduces marvels into the linguistic patterns of the Aramaic language, hidden rabbinic insights, and even mysticism. In short, the Targum offers layers of meaning that can keep scholars engaged for a lifetime.

• Talmudic Influence: As we mentioned earlier, Onkelos was a student of the Tannaim who spent their days understanding the meaning of pesukim according to Torah She'Baal Peh. Onkelos incorporates these legal and ethical findings into his work, providing a comprehensive understanding rooted in the Oral Jewish law.

If there is a dispute in the understanding of a passuk where one of his teachers is involved, he will incorporate their teaching over the other disputant.

The Nesina LaGer, in his introduction, proves that although it is clear that Onkelos does weave in Talmudic conclusions into his interpertation, he only does so if it meets a certain criteria that would make it necassary to do so:

• Midrashic Narrative: Oneklos will openly augment a Medrash to explain a passuk giving only minor consideration into how it fits into the words, if he determines it as the most viable understanding of the passuk to the reader.

In some instances the Midrash he incorporates a "composite" of two Midrashim together to form a novel understanding of the said Midrashim.

The way Onkelos comes to this conclusion to render the passuk this way was by combining different uses if the word "shor" into one.

The word "shor" can mean a wall, and it can also mean "an enemy." Therefore, Onkelos combines this to mean an enemy's wall.

It's fascinating to see how sometimes Onkelos explain a passuk according to its most simple understanding while at other times he takes on a Midrashic angle, and at other times a Talmudic angle, and within the Talmudic angle sometimes he sides with R' Eliezer and sometimes with Rav Yehoshua, among other debates. Ultimately, I think the determination is made based on which interpretation will fit best with his M.O. as we've discussed before. See Lifshuto U'Midrasho p. 177.

• Foundations in Emunah: Onkelos's translations reinforce fundamental beliefs and principles of faith, serving as a cornerstone of Jewish theology.

For example, Nesina LaGer says that Onkelos adds the term "memra" in several places where Hashem is creating something in order not to engage in the false belief of "Logos."

(This is the belief that Hashem used an intermediary to create the world, which the Christians believed was Yeshu, see John 1:1-4. Onkelos therefore adds "the word of Hashem" to emphasize that this is the "intermediary" Hashem used to create the world, not anything or anyone else).

Although Onkelos was fighting to shield the Torah from Christian and pagan influence, he doesn't jump at every oppurtunuity to render a passuk to put them down. See for example Shemos 12:43 and Nesina LaGer, Introduction.

He also dispels inauthentic renderings of pesukim which ignore Torah She'Baal Peh precepts which were promulgated by the Tzedukim and Bysusim, see Nesina LaGer at length.

In a lengthy discourse, Nesina LaGer goes on to show how Onkelos incorporates the 13 principles of faith into his pirush.

• Prayer Parallels: In two places (that I've found so far) Onkelos bases his rendering of a passuk to mirror the liturgical text of davening. This isn't so far fetched, being that tefillos were established by Rabban Gamliel, and who was a senior contemporary of Onkelos. (What is interesting to me is that we see the depth of tefilla from here, that it has roots in the Torah itself!)

So far, I have found three places where Onkelos "borrows" phrases from the Tefilla text into his translation of the Torah:

1. Me'At Tzori points out that Targum uses the verbiage found in the Maariv prayer to describe how Klal Yisrael sang the Shiras HaYam. (the Song of the Sea)

2. Onkelos borrows the verbiage found in Yaaleh V'Yavo to render a passuk in Parshas BeHaalosecha: (This is also pointed out by Me'At Tzori there(in Tosefes U'Miluim)

3. There is another instance where Onkelos borrows the verbiage found in the Ata Chonantanu prayer (which we say on Motzi Shabbos) but I can't remember where it is.

From Pasuk to Psak: How Later Achronim Used Onkelos to Shape Practical Jewish Law

In the order to resolve a Halachic quandary, a posek typically follows a well-trodden path. First, they delve into the Gemara at hand, analyzing the flow of the sugya and the sides of the argument presented in the Talmud.

Next, they engage with the Rishonim on the Gemara, carefully considering what insights or novel interpretations they may be adding to the Gemara, which could very well change the trajectory of the psak.

Depending on when the teshuva was written, they either come to their psak from just the above information, or they turn to the codification seforim like Rambam and Shulchan Aruch to further distill the practical Halacha.

However an unexpected hero has been making cameo appearances to provide crucial support for Halachic rulings - Onkelos!

Below I'll bring a few teshuvos who use Onkelos as a proof to their halachic decisions.

Another Halachic ruling with Onkelos being used as a proof:

Onkelos changes a clause to future tense:

Another instance is a fascinating Chavas Yair (Siman 211)

Another one:

Another one is found tucked away in Parshas Miketz. The passuk says:

Why does the Targum make this change? (which he normally doesn't) The Rogachover Goan (Shu"t Tzafnas Pa'anech, end part of the sefer) says that there is a halachic reason why:

Tzafnas Paaneach mentions this idea too in Siman 101:

In short, since Yosef was a Nazir Olam (a perpetutal Nazir) he couldn't shave his head, but only shorten it once every 12 months, as the Gemara says:

Therefore the Targum needed to pivot from his regular way of rendering this word in order to accomodate for this halachic consideration.

By this point, perhaps you have changed your outlook on Targum Onkelos. In fact you may have come to the shocking conclusion that the name "Targum Onkelos" is almost a misnomer - it's so much more than just a "Targum"!

And you're 100% right.

Because Targum is so much more than just that.

You see, while the ignoramus fellow sits in the twenty second row of the shul following along merrily with the Targum getting a gist of the weekly parsha, a across the aisle an entirely different scene is unfolding.

There sits Talmid Chacham with the very same text in front of him, but his posture is bent over and his eyebrows are furrowed. His head pivots like a spectator watching a tennis match; eyeing the passuk in the Chumash and then the Targum parallel to it, comparing the two, noticing differences, and looking up in deep thought from time to time.

Because for him, each word of Targum is meaningful, each phrase a key to a deeper understanding.

It is here, that the beauty of Onkelos truly shines forth, uniting all of Klal Yisrael even in this somewhat obscure part of Torah.

Targum of the Torah: An Original Composition or A Rediscovered Treasure?

Considering the vast depth found within Onkelos' work—linguistically, rabbinically, and kabbalistically—one can't help but wonder: Was this truly the creation of a human mind? Let's pull back the curtain and see if there's another "Character" behind this incredible masterpiece.

We've learned that Ezra developed an Aramaic translation of the Torah as a pivotal tool in stopping the assimilation in Galus Bavel.

Hundreds of years later Onkelos rediscovered this work, commited it to longstanding writing, and used it similarly to educate the masses and also to combat theological threats to the Torah.

But we need to ask, are these Aramaic translations man-made compositions used merely as a stopgate for mass assimilation, or do Targum's origins have an earlier source?

The answer is, that Targum is actually a part of the "canonized" Torah which was given at Mount Sinai by Hashem Himself!

The Medrash Tanchuma also is clear that Targum was given at Sinai. The Medrash analyzes two pesukim:

We see from here a halacha learned out from the pesukim describing the giving of the Torah as a direct source for reading Targum Onkelos.

The fact that Targum was actually a G-d given part of the Sinatic corpus given to Moshe at Sinai adds an intriguing layer of complexity to its purpose.

It appears that along with Hashem providing Moshe with the Torah in its purest form in Lashon HaKodesh with of its depth and rules, He also transmitted the Targum as a safeguard, to close the dam of assimilation and to educate the ignorant.

The lesson perhaps, is to show the immense love that Hashem has towards us to the extent that even when Klal Yisrael would fall to a low level, that wouldn't cause Him to take the Torah away from us, but to the contrary find a way to make it more accessible to us in our lowly state!

A Historical Summary of The Targum:

• Year 2448: The Initial giving of Targum at Mount Sinai.

• It is subsequently forgotten some time later.

892 years later...

• Year 3340 (Approx): Ezra reestablishes Targum orally to the beleaguered Jews in galus.

• It is again, subsequently forgotten some time later.

580 years later...

• Year 3860 (Approx): Onkelos HaGer, under the supervision of R' Akiva, R' Yehoshua, R' Eliezer, and R' Yose, reestablishes - in writing - the Aramaic-Targum which was lost from the times of Ezra.

• Year 4000: According to others, a group of Babylonians wrote the Targum in the name of Onkelos based on a wide variety of Midrashim, including the Targum Yerushalmi, that were before them, and they created the Targum by incorporating some of the Midrashim and Targumim and leaving others out. (Based on footnote in Nesina LaGer):

The Specialness of Aramaic

Is it by coincidence that Aramaic was the chosen language for Targum to be written in? After all, if it's just a "translation", why was Aramaic picked to be the official "translation" language? On a very practical level, it was chosen because that was the presiding language when in Galus Bavel when Ezra reinstated it.

However, is there more behind the choice for Targum to be translated into Aramaic, specifically?

There's actually a history behind the evolution of Aramaic and the decision to make it the official language of translation of the Torah at Sinai.

Lashon HaKodesh was the predominant language in Ever HaNahar, where Avraham Avinu lived.

Although the Tower of Bavel was the start of the proliferation of many languages in the world, Lashon HaKodesh, it seems that Lashon HaKodesh was still the language spoken among Avraham Avinu and his townspeople.

(Incidentally, Avraham became so associated with Ever HaNahar, that it became a part of how he was called.)

After Avraham left Ever HaNahar for Eretz Yisrael (year 2023/1738 BCE) in Parshas Lech Lecha, Ever HaNahar and its neighboring cities experienced a corruption

Lashon HaKodesh until it eventually turned into a new language - Aramaic.

The changes began subtly, with past and present tense becoming blurred, as well as and some words were changed entirely.

In the Jastrow Dictoinary, under הבקר (page 331) he writes that it is Palestine dialect for הפקר.

But as for Avraham Avinu himself, when he moved to Canaan, there the presiding language was Lashon HaKodesh. Avraham and his descendents, the future Jewish people, retained their knowledge of Lashon HaKodesh all the way into the times of the slavery into Egypt, as Chazal say.

By the time Leah and Rachel came onto the scene, Lashon HaKodesh's corruption had come so far that Aramaic became an language unto itself. This is clear from the Maharsha in Megilla 3a.

From Yaakov's interaction with Lavan at the end of Parshas Vayeitzei, we see how far "Aramaic" had been corrupted from the original Lashon HaKodesh.

(Granted this incident happened about 100 years since Avraham had left*, the decline was most probably steady until it became an officially new language for Lavan to have made it clear that he was using Aramaic in contradistinction to Yaakov who was using Lashon HaKodesh)

While thus far we see that Aramaic is a corruption of Lashon HaKodesh, there is a source from a Gemara in Sanhedrin that suggests that Aramaic is a dialect unto itself. The Gemara says: