[Mesorah] Question on the word Mevarchecha

[Aharon Gal]

It is interesting to know why Onkelos did not choose words that would make his translation more clear.
In P’ Balak:
מְבָרְכֶיךָ בָרוּךְ וְאֹרְרֶיךָ אָרוּר
Onkelos translated to:
בְּרִיכָךְ יְהוֹן בְּרִיכִין וְלִיטָךְ יְהוֹן לִיטִין:
which is not the exact translation of the words, but it is the translation of the meaning, and it makes the translation clear.

Sefer "Yeyn Hatov” did not translate the words
וֶאֱבָרֵךְ מְבָרְכָךְ וּמְלַטְטָךְ אֵילוּט
only
וְיִתְבָּרֲכוּן בְּדִילָךְ כֹּל זַרְעֲיַת אַרְעָא
I am curious to know why he did not translate..

My understanding is that the Yerushalmi translated as singular:
וַאֲבָרֵךְ מַאן דִי בְרִיךְ יָתָךְ וּמַן דְלַיִיט יָתָךְ יֶהֱוֵי לִיט


Kol Tuv,

Aharon Gal


> On Oct 28, 2020, at 11:22 AM, Mandel, Seth <mandels at ou.org> wrote:
> 
> It is well known that in Aramaic there is no difference between the second person singular masculine possessive ending and the plural. They both are -okh (with a qomatz),  althugh in the Torah sheBikhthav they may be written with a silent yod to distinguish singular and plural, e.g. Daniel 2:29 רַעְיוֹנָךְ֙
>  appears in some mss. with a yod.  See also Daniel 4:22
> כב וְלָ֣ךְ טָֽרְדִ֣ין מִן־אֲנָשָׁ֡א וְעִם־חֵיוַ֣ת בָּרָא֩ לֶֽהֱוֵ֨ה מְדֹרָ֜ךְ וְעִשְׂבָּ֥א כְתוֹרִ֣ין ׀ לָ֣ךְ יְטַֽעֲמ֗וּן וּמִטַּ֤ל שְׁמַיָּא֙ לָ֣ךְ מְצַבְּעִ֔ין וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה עִדָּנִ֖ין יַחְלְפ֣וּן עליך (עֲלָ֑ךְ) עַ֣ד דִּֽי־תִנְדַּ֗ע דִּֽי־שַׁלִּ֤יט עליא (עִלָּאָה֙) בְּמַלְכ֣וּת אֲנָשָׁ֔א וּלְמַן־דִּ֥י יִצְבֵּ֖א יִתְּנִנַּֽהּ׃ 
> The ones with the plural are written with a yod as a q'ri uk'thjv, but all are pronounced the same.
> In Unqulos there is not  k'thiv, so both are written the same.  There is no way to tell whether it is singular or plural.
> 
> 
> Rabbi Dr. Seth Mandel
> Rabbinic Coordinator
> The Orthodox Union
> 
> Voice and Fax (212) 613-8330        e-mail mandels at ou.org <mailto:mandels at ou.org>
> 
> From: Aharon Gal <galsaba at aol.com <mailto:galsaba at aol.com>>
> Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2020 10:22 PM
> To: Mandel, Seth <mandels at ou.org <mailto:mandels at ou.org>>
> Cc: Zev Sero <zev at sero.name <mailto:zev at sero.name>>; mesorah at lists.aishdas.org <mailto:mesorah at lists.aishdas.org> <mesorah at lists.aishdas.org <mailto:mesorah at lists.aishdas.org>>
> Subject: Question on the word Mevarcheicha?
>  
> Chapter 12 verse 3: וַאֲבָרְכָה מְבָרֲכֶיךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ אָאֹר
> Onkelos translates: וֶאֱבָרֵךְ מְבָרְכָךְ וּמְלַטְטָךְ אֵילוּט
> Seems to me strange that the verse will say “...those who bless…and the one who curse..”
> Septuagint translates both as plural - “those”.
> As for Onkelos, I don't know. Is the word מְבָרְכָךְ singular, plural, or can be both?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Aharon
>  
>  
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