The Sacred Balance: Exploring the Impact of Intent in Torah Translations and Jewish History

Show Notes
Transcript

Ever wondered why one translation of the Torah is celebrated and another shrouded in infamy? Discover the intriguing stories behind the ArtScroll Shas and the Septuagint, two monumental translations that have influenced Jewish scholarship in vastly different ways. Explore the impact of pivotal figures like Rav Eliashov, Rav Mordechai Gifter, and the generous Jerome Schottenstein, whose contributions shaped the ArtScroll's mission to make sacred texts more accessible. Contrast this with the Septuagint's controversial origins under King Ptolemy and its lasting negative implications on Jewish history.

Join our thought-provoking discussion on the power of intent—or "kavana"—in shaping the outcomes of our actions. Through the wisdom of a revered rabbi, we delve into how pure intentions can turn ordinary acts into significant contributions, while ill intentions can lead to desecration. This episode challenges you to reflect on your own motivations and align them with a higher purpose, transforming your actions into a profound Kiddush Hashem. Embark on a journey that promises to inspire a deeper understanding of translation, intention, and the profound impact of our choices.

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Transcript

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What's the difference between Art Scrolls, shas and the Septuagint, I asked honestly, without any ill will or malicious intent.

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Both translated the Torah and one goes down in infamy and one goes down with the opposite, with fame, with celebration.

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One has a haskama from Rav Eliashov himself and Rav Mordechai Gifter, while the other brought three days of darkness to the world when King Philadelphia's King Ptolemy sorry for my plosives brought in 72 different sages into different rooms of Masech HaMagegila daftest, and said translate for me the Tyrus Rabchem.

00:00:53.906 --> 00:01:21.588
It was a cause, one of the causative factors of the Asfast of Aserah, beteves, asarabeteves, while the other the Arts Girl Shas, a project that began back in 1990 with its first Mesechta, mesechta Makos, donated by Marcus Katz, before Dr Lamb introduced the Mesora Arts Girl publications to the great philanthropic and incredibly generous fellow, mr Jerome Schottenstein, who would take over the project.

00:01:21.588 --> 00:01:26.891
Who would take over the project, donating funds until in the great year of 2004,.

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The entire 72-volume set of Arts Girl Shots was finished and now Torah-thirsty gentlemen across the world could now take pleasure in part in the holy Yam Hatalmud, because it was now in English.

00:01:41.962 --> 00:01:52.436
I found that in the year 2005, there was a dedication to the Library of Congress, a complete set of the Arts Girl Talmud.

00:01:52.436 --> 00:01:53.141
This is something.

00:01:53.141 --> 00:02:01.346
This Arts Girl Shas is the crowning achievement, a real tour de four of the Jewish people.

00:02:01.346 --> 00:02:04.986
But it also translated the Torah.

00:02:04.986 --> 00:02:12.229
So what makes it different In King Ptolemy's great debacle of the Septuagint?

00:02:14.580 --> 00:02:23.246
I asked this question to multiple of my rabbis, ones that are full of wisdom, and that I really wanted to know the answer and their unique perspective.

00:02:23.246 --> 00:02:39.330
Some answers are too controversial to share, but the answer that stuck with me most was that what defined the difference between the Septuagint and Arts Girl one great rub, told me was their intent, their kavanah.

00:02:39.330 --> 00:02:53.996
One sought out, just with ill will, to degrade the Torah, to debase the Torah, to turn the holy, holy Torah into nothing more than a Shakespeare sonnet and remove God from it.

00:02:53.996 --> 00:03:01.769
And the other sought out, with lofty intentions, to bring God more accessible.

00:03:01.769 --> 00:03:19.610
To make God more accessible, to bring Tyra up, to make Tyra more palatable for the mouth, so that one could understand it, to then therefore connect more to real truth and wisdom.

00:03:19.610 --> 00:03:52.883
His kavana, his intent, his aim, his desire, his goal Was that people should be able to understand the wisdom of God and connect to him and understand what God wants from him even more, to know the ins and outs of Allah, to not even change an iota of the authenticity and the genuine kite of the Holy Talmud, but to make the Pshat and the Lumdus now accessible, to make Tyra great and understood.

00:03:52.883 --> 00:04:01.028
That was what Artscroll did and what they endeavored to do, and what they have achieved.

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The difference between the Septuagint and Art Scroll was their intent.

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You hear that.

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That's what that Rav told me.

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Your Kavana, your intention, changes everything.

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The same Misa, the same action, whether it be dry or whether it be totally, totally gushing with energy, is what the Maisa, your Kavanah, the soul of it, your intention and your aim.

00:04:28.629 --> 00:04:36.550
You could even take one of the most destructive acts and make it one of the most ultimate Kiddush Hashems.

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I challenge you to organize, clarify and define your Kavanos in life, your kavanos before you act, your kavana in what it is that you're doing, to reassure yourself and reaffirm to yourself that it is proper and just, because with the right kavana you can make a tremendous kiddush Hashem.

00:05:03.206 --> 00:05:15.141
But, God forbid, with the wrong Kavanah, some ill will and ill intent, you can even take a great action and turn it into a massive desecration of the holy name of Hashem.

00:05:15.141 --> 00:05:29.144
Thank you.

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