Abstract
The connection between the written Targums, which are translations of Sacred Scripture into Aramaic, and the oral Targums used in synagogues is not well understood. Rabbinical tradition suggests that the Targums were written to make Scripture understandable to ordinary people during synagogue readings. However, the article argues that the Targums were also associated with various aspects of daily religious life, reflecting the ideas and realities of the 4th–5th c. CE when they were created. We discuss discrepancies between written rules and real-life practices, individual and communal study of Targums, their place in translation and commentary traditions, and traces of oral speech in their language. We also explore their use in protective spells inscribed on “magic cups.” Finally, we draw typological parallels between Targumic texts and Church Slavonic liturgical language in the early 20th c., both designed to preserve sacred languages in worship.
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