Jonathan ben Usiel

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Tomb of Jonathan ben Usiel

Jonatan ben Usiel (also: Jonathan ben Usiel ) was an ancient Jewish scholar and was one of the Tannaites of the first century AD.

He is traditionally considered to be the author of the Aramaic Bible translation ( Targum ) of the Neviim (prophets) ; the Torah- argum bears his name wrongly (perhaps the abbreviation was Taw Jod , which was wrongly interpreted as Targum Jonathan , but actually meant Targum Jeruschalmi ). Since this was recognized, this Targum has therefore been referred to as Pseudo-Jonathan (or later as Targum Jeruschalmi I. [ Fragment Targum = Targum Jeruschalmi II. ]).

In fact, however, Jonathan ben Usiel appears to be the author or main writer of the Targum Jonathan , the official Babylonian prophet targum. This work of his was so highly valued that Jonatan ben Usiel received the highest praise (various references: bMeg, bSukk, BB, jNed): He was the most important of Hillel's 80 students and was even in school with the last prophets gone, and as soon as he began his study, the birds above him were burned in the air by the fire of his spirit. The planned translation of the Ketuvim had forbidden him, so that the final secrets of the messianic time would not be revealed, God himself forbade him by a heavenly voice (so-called bat qol ); even with Jonathan's translation of the prophets the earth shook for miles.

Jonatan ben Usiel's venerated tomb is in Amuka in Galilee near Safed . It is especially sought after by unmarried people who are hoping for a blessing to find a suitable candidate for marriage. To explain this alleged power of blessing, there are various theories or derivations based on various passages in the text from Pseudo-Jonathan , Jebamot , explanations from the biography of Jonathan etc.

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