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return to Jerufalem, had feveral Perfons ftanding by him, well skilled both in the Hebrew and Chaldee Languages, who interpreted to the People, in Chaldee, what he first read to them in Hebrew. And afterwards when the Method was established of dividing the Law into Fifty-four Sections, and cf Reading one of them every Week in the Synagogue, the fame Method of Reading to the People the Hebrew Text first, and then of interpreting it into Chaldee, was ftill continued. And as

these several Interpretations, in Time became very Voluminous, certian Rabbins undertook to Collect them together, and this Collection they called the Targum. The two moft famous Targums, or Works of this kind, that are come to our Times, are thofe of Jonathan and Onkelos.

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I am very fenfible that the Jewish Rabbins are not universally agreed, about the precise time when these Targums were compofed; but the most probable Opinion is that R. Jonathan Ben Uzziel, who was bred in the School of Hillel, lived under the Reign of Herod the Great, and that the

Targum

Targum of Onkelos, which is rather a Verfion than a Paraphrafe, is ftill older: And that the reason, why * Jonathan, according to the Opinion of fome Rabbins, paraphrased only the Prophets, was, because that Onkelos ha executed his Targum on Penteteuch with fo much Succefs as to render any further Paraphrafe needlefs.

The Midrafchot's or Derafchots are allegorical Interpretations on the Books of the Scriptures, which have been published by feveral of the moft learned Rabbins, being derived from the radical Word Quare to Inquire. By which Word therefore it is intended to denote that these Works are Inquiries into the hidden or fpiritual meaning which is myftically couched under the literal Expreffions in the Scriptures.

The Word Talmud fignifies the fame Thing with Doctrine or Difcipline; and therefore the Work which goes under B 2 this

There is a Targum on the Penteteuch, faid to have been compofed by Jonathan, which is undoubtedly ancient, though it is contefted, whether it was written by him or hot. There is also a Targum called the Jerufalem Targum, Which is likewife ancient, but not of equal Repute with thofe of Fonarban and Onkelor.

this Title, contains a Collection of all the Traditions of the Jews, which relate either to their Doctrine or Discipline. The occafion of which Collection being made was this. It hath been an established Opinion among the greatest † part of the Jews; that befides the written Law which was delivered to Mofes at Mount Sinai; there was also an oral Law delivered to him at the fame Time, which hath been conveyed down by the Traditions of the Prophets and Rabbins; and which they think themfelves under the fame Obligation to observe as the written Word itfelf. Which Traditions however, were never collected and, fet down together in one Volum, till about 600 Years ago, when Rab* Judas Ben Simon about 120 Years after the Deftruction of the fecond Temple, compiled them together in fix Books, which he entitled na Mifbna or Mifna, which fignifies the repeated Reading. Upon which feveral

+ A great number of Jews however, who are diftinguished by the Name of Karraites, allow no Weight, or at leaft comparatively fpeaking, very little, to any Traditions. and adhere entirely to the written Word.

*N. B. This R. Judah, was on account of the Sancti ty of his Life, called Haccados, i, e. the holy.

feveral of the most learned of the Jews, having immediately employed themselves in writing Comments, thefe Comments were called the Gemara, i. c. Perfection: Because that the Mifna being explained thereby, the whole traditionary Doctrine of the Jewish Law and Religion, was in their opinion perfected and compleated: The Mina being the Text and the Gemara, the Comment thereupon.

But as this Gemara was not the Work of one Man but of several, and that made at various Times and on various Parts of the Mifna; Johanan, about 300 Years after the Deftruction of the Temple, with the affiftance of fome other Rabbins, made a Collection of all thefe Comments, and putting them and the Mina together compofed that Work which goes under the Denomination of the Jerufalem Talmud; because it was compiled by the Jews of Judaa. But these Comments till encreafing; about 436 Years, or according to others, about 500 Years, after the Deftruction of Jerusalem; Rab Alfa undertook making a new Collection, and compofed

that

that Work which goes under the Name of the Babylonish Talmud, because it was compofed by the Jews of Babylon; and is divided juft into as many Parts, which are called Sedarim, Orders or Heads, that is fix, as the Mifna was originally. Which laft Talmud is that which is in the highest Efteem among the Jews, not only on account of its Style, which is lefs antiquated than that of Jerufalem, but also on account of its being fuller than the former one, and for containing fome Traditions more adapted to the Notions of thofe Jews who are unwilling to acknowledge the Meffiah to be already come

Now as this Book of the Talmud is held by most of the Jews, to be very nearly, if not abfolutely of equal Authority with the Scriptures, I hope I fhall be excufed for the frequent Quotations I make out of it. And as I think univerfal Benevolence to be the Duty of all Mankind, I fhall make no further Apology for the Trouble give myself, and thofe who fhall perufe this Addrefs, than to affure them, that it proceeds

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