LET’S STUDY ONKELOS

A Guide for Rabbis, Teachers and Torah Students to Study and Teach the Parashat
Hashavua through the Eyes of its Most Important Translator

By Stanley M. Wagner and Israel Drazin

Based on the five volume, Onkelos on the Torah (Genesis-Deuteronomy), Understanding the
Bible Text, by Israel Drazin and Stanley M. Wagner, published by Gefen Publishing House,
Jerusalem/New York, 2006-2010.

STUDY GUIDE

PEKUDEI (CHAPTER 38:21–40:38)

SUMMARY OF THE TORAH PORTION

Moses gives an accounting of all the materials used in the construction of the
Tabernacle; Moses inspects the work and approves what has been done; God designates
the day for erecting the Tabernacle and informs Moses where the articles should be
placed within it; the priests are anointed for service and the Tabernacle is erected.

THE PILLAR OF CLOUD AND THE PILLAR OF FIRE

Of the many miracles associated with the biblical exodus story and the forty year
Israelite trek in the desert, relatively little attention has been given to the roles played
by the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire. Many people have the mistaken belief that the
Israelites were lost in the wilderness and wandered aimlessly from one encampment to
the next. Yet, Exodus 13:21-22 has a clear refutation of this notion:
The Lord led before them during the day with a pillar of cloud, to lead them along the
way, and during the night with a pillar of fire, to give light to them to travel during
the day and during the night. The pillar of cloud during the day and also the pillar of
cloud by night did not depart from the people.

We derive some description of God’s relationship to these pillars when we read

(Exodus 14:24) that “the Lord looked upon the camp of the Egyptians from the pillar of
fire and the cloud,” when he confused the Egyptians who pursued the Israelites into the

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Sea of Reeds. And we are informed in Exodus 16:10 that “the glory of the Lord appeared
(Onkelos: was revealed) in the cloud.” Further, it is clear from Numbers 9:18 and
elsewhere, that Scripture’s “by the mouth (Onkelos: the memra [word or wisdom]) of
the Lord the Israelites journeyed and by the mouth (memra) of the Lord they settled” is
referring to the activity of the pillars.
In Deuteronomy 1:31-33, Moses describes the faithlessness of the Israelites who
witnessed the miracles of the pillars yet neglected to trust in God:
And in the wilderness, where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man
carries his son, all the way you traveled until you came to this place. Yet in this thing
you have no trust in the memra (word or wisdom) of the Lord your God, who goes
before you on the way, to prepare for you a place, a lodging to rest, with a pillar of
fire by night to see the way you are to follow and a pillar of cloud by day.

In Exodus 40:34-38, Scripture records:

Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the
Tabernacle. Moses was unable to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had
settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. When the cloud lifted
from the Tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on their various journeys. But if the
cloud did not lift, they would not set out until it did lift. For the cloud of the Lord
(Onkelos: the cloud of glory of the Lord) was upon the Tabernacle by day, “v’aish
tihyeh lailah bo,” (literally) and there was fire therein by night (Onkelos: and the
appearance of fire would be upon it by night), before the eyes of the entire house of
Israel, throughout all their journeys.

Our commentary, “AN APPEARANCE OF FIRE,” on 40:38 (page 279)1 explains:

Our targumist inserts “an appearance of,” which is borrowed from Numbers 9:16. He
wishes to avoid the notion that there was a real fire that might have ignited the
Tabernacle. This understanding of the verse, and the wording, is also drawn from
24:17, “Then the glory of the Lord appeared in the sight of the Israelites as a
consuming fire on the top of the Mountain.”

ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS

ON ONKELOS

Let us summarize what we have learned from the Targum about the pillars of cloud
and fire and probe some questions:

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All page numbers refer to the Onkelos on the Torah volume.

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1. The targumist finds nothing unusual about the biblical description of God leading the
Israelites in the wilderness, but he softens the anthropomorphic depiction that they
traveled “by the mouth of God” and introduces the memra (word or wisdom) that
directs the pillars day and night. Also, he describes the manifestation of God in the cloud
as having “the glory of God revealed” in it, rather than the biblical portrayal of God
appearing in the cloud. Does the targumist’s use of God’s “wisdom” and only the
appearance of “the glory of God” eliminate the miraculous nature of God’s involvement?

2. Targum Onkelos makes it clear, contrary to the literal meaning of the text, that at night,
when the Israelites were not journeying, there was only the “appearance” of fire, but
not the pillar of fire itself, on the Tabernacle. If the pillar of fire was a miraculous
creation of God, why should the targumist have been concerned that its flame might
consume the tent’s flammable curtains? Also, why did he not retain the divine miracle?

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Have we passed the days of miracles, since we find no hard evidence that God has
wrought any miracles lately, at least none as dramatic as those found in the Bible? Or,
are miracles “in the eyes of the beholder?” Or, does a miracle have to be defined as a
“supernatural event”? Can miracles be defined as “any remarkable occurrence”? Why do
some people have a difficult time attributing miracles to God? If God created the laws of
nature, why can’t He suspend them if He so desires? The prayer book refers to “(God’s)
miracles that are with us daily . . . evening, morning, and afternoon.” Discuss some of
them.
The biblical pillars of cloud and fire that God used to lead the Israelites through the
wilderness may also be regarded as a metaphor of God’s guidance in life. The Psalmist
captured this imagery when he wrote: “He leads me beside the still waters. He restores
my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness. . . . Though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me. (Psalm 23:2-4). Note
above that in Deuteronomy 1:31-33 the description of Israel’s faithlessness focuses
upon the inability of the people to recognize the role that God played in their lives? How
do we develop the spiritual capacity to allow God to “lead” us in life, or at least to
recognize God’s pillars of cloud and fire that are metaphorically there to lead us in our
daily activities? How does God lead us? Can and should we sensitize ourselves to feel as
King David did about God and His guidance?

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 FOR FURTHER STUDY

1. See 39:28 and commentary, “ORNAMENTED TURBANS” (page 271, continuing on page
270). Were the priestly turbans ornamented?

2. See 40:3 and commentary, “HANG” (page 275, continuing on page 274). Sometimes
translations confuse meanings. Here Targum Onkelos renders Scripture’s “cover” as
“hang,” because that is what it really means, and al, as “on,” when it really means “near.”

3. See 40:12 and commentary (page 274). The targumist distinguishes between washing
for cleanliness and washing for sanctification.