Onkelos

b. Avodah Zarah 11a

220–600

Onkelos bar Kalonymus converted [to Judaism. The Roman] emperor sent a troop of Roman [soldiers] after him. [Onkelos] drew them [toward him] with verses [that he cited and learned with them, and] they converted. [The emperor] then sent another troop of Roman [soldiers] after him, [and] said to them, “Do not say anything to him, [so that he cannot convince you with his arguments.” The troops followed this instruction, and took Onkelos with them].

When they were walking, [Onkelos] said to [the troop of soldiers,] “I will say a mere statement to you: A minor official holds a torch before a high official, the high official [holds a torch] for a duke, a duke for the governor, [and] the governor for the ruler. Does the ruler hold a torch before [the common] people?” [The soldiers] said to [Onkelos,] “No.” [Onkelos] said to them, “[Yet] the Holy One, blessed be He, holds a torch before the Jewish people, as it is written: And the Lord went before them by day [in a pillar of cloud, to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light] (Exodus 13:21).” They all converted.

[The emperor] then sent another troop [of soldiers] after him [and] said to them, “Do not converse with him at all.” [The troops followed this instruction, and took Onkelos with them.] While they grabbed him and were walking, [Onkelos] saw a mezuzah that was placed on the doorway. He placed his hand upon it and said to [the soldiers:] What is this? They said to him, “You tell us.”

[Onkelos] said to them, “The [standard] practice [throughout the] world [is that] a king [of] flesh and blood sits inside [his palace], and his servants [stand] guard, [protecting] him outside; but [with regard to] the Holy One, blessed be He, His servants, [the Jewish people, sit] inside [their homes] and He guards over them outside. As it is stated: The Lord shall guard your going out and your coming in, from now and forever (Psalm 121:8).” [Upon hearing this, those soldiers also] converted [to Judaism. After that, the emperor] sent no more [soldiers] after him.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.

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Onkelos, a convert to Judaism, was a prominent figure of the first and second centuries CE. The famed Aramaic translation of the Torah is attributed to him (see “Aramaic: The Targumim”). According to rabbinic tradition, Onkelos was a prominent Roman nobleman and the nephew of a Roman emperor. One tradition holds that he was the nephew of Emperor Titus (r. 79–81 CE), who destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem. Other traditions recount that he was the nephew of Emperor Hadrian (r. 117–138 CE), who was responsible for the brutal persecution of the rabbis. In the following account, Onkelos’ imperial uncle attempts to draw him back, and Onkelos not only resists but also converts all the soldiers sent after him to Judaism.

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