Richard Schulz And Aggada
One of the many special things about Richard Schulz was his love and attention to the Gemara’s Aggadic tales. He even delivered shiurim on Aggada at Manhattan’s Spanish and Portuguese synagogue. In honor of his fourth yahrzeit, we dive into a story Richard would thoroughly enjoy.
Avoda Zara 11a
Onkelos is one of Jewish history’s most remarkable characters. The nephew of Titus, the Roman general who led the Second Temple’s destruction (Gittin 56b), Onkelos, made a giant positive impact on our people. The Gemara (Megilla 3a) regards Onkelos’ translation of the Chumash as if it was given at Sinai (the Gemara states that the original was forgotten, but Onkelos restored it). Although this is not meant literally, for Rashi often disagrees with Onkelos (e.g., Rashi to Bereishit 15:11, Bereishit 43:2, and Devarim 17:5), Chazal’s esteem for Onkelos is almost boundless.
The Gemara (Avoda Zara 11a) relates the following story about this great man:
Onkelos bar Kelonimos converted to Judaism. The Roman emperor sent a troop [gunda] of Roman soldiers after him to seize Onkelos and bring him to the emperor. Onkelos drew them toward him with verses that he cited and learned with them, and they converted. The emperor then sent another troop of Roman soldiers after him, and said to them: Do not say anything to him, so that he cannot convince you with his arguments. The troops followed this instruction, and took Onkelos with them.
When they were walking, Onkelos said to the troop of soldiers: I will say a mere statement to you: A minor official [nifyora] holds a torch before a high official [apifyora], the high official holds a torch for a duke [dukasa], a duke for the governor, and the governor for the ruler [koma]. Does the ruler hold a torch before the common people? The soldiers said to Onkelos: No. Onkelos said to them: Yet the Holy One, Blessed be He, holds a torch before the Jewish people, as it is written: “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light” (Exodus 13:21). They all converted.
The emperor then sent another troop of soldiers after him, to bring Onkelos, and said to them: Do not converse with him at all. The troops followed this instruction, and took Onkelos with them. While they grabbed him and were walking, Onkelos saw a mezuzah that was placed on the doorway. He placed his hand upon it and said to the soldiers: What is this? They said to him: You tell us.
Onkelos said to them: The standard practice throughout the world is that a king of flesh and blood sits inside his palace, and his servants stand guard, protecting him outside; but with regard to the Holy One, Blessed be He, His servants, the Jewish people, sit inside their homes and He guards over them outside. As it is stated: “The Lord shall guard your going out and your coming in, from now and forever” (Psalms 121:8). Upon hearing this, those soldiers also converted to Judaism. After that, the emperor sent no more soldiers after him.
Onkelos and Eliyahu HaNavi
My sons, Binyamin and Hillel, who love Richard, pose the crucial question. Why did the Romans not kill Onkelos? The Romans were ruthless and cruel, punishing their dissidents in the most brutal ways imaginable. The Romans even tortured members of their government to death who were guilty of minuscule micro-aggressions against the emperor (Avoda Zara 10b). Onkelos’ survival contrasts sharply with the famous 18th-century “Vilna Ger,” the son of the Lithuanian aristocrat Count Potovsky, who was burned to death by Lithuanian authorities for his conversion to Judaism.
One could try to identify the Roman emperor who reigned during Onkelos’ lifetime and discover the weaknesses that rendered him unable to murder Onkelos. However, one misses the point by doing so. The Gemara teaches profound spiritual lessons, not history lessons.
Moreover, identifying a weak Roman emperor does not explain why Onkelos swayed every soldier. Although Onkelos makes a solid case for Hashem by distinguishing between the self-centered temporal rulers and Hashem’s giving and protective embrace, how was every soldier convinced to profoundly and instantly dramatically change their lives?
A compelling answer lies in the similarity of the Onkelos’s story to the thoroughly terrible Achazya ben Achav’s attempt to eliminate Eliyahu HaNavi (Melachim II Perek 1). Three times, this evil man sent soldiers to kill Eliyahu HaNavi. Eliyahu HaNavi responded by miraculously eradicating by fire those seeking his destruction.
Onkelos, in turn, miraculously eliminated the threat with his words instead of force. Eliyahu HaNavi lived at a time of Jewish sovereignty that wielded power. Eliyahu HaNavi needed to clarify that the authentic authority is Hashem and His Torah. During Onkelos’ era, we were politically powerless, but Onkelos showed us that our strength lies in our words and allegiance to Hashem.
Conclusion
While Titus inflicted great damage upon our people, his nephew Onkelos made an even greater contribution to our people. While Titus destroyed and disgraced the Beit Hamikdash, Onkelos built the Torah and enhanced its prestige and reach immeasurably.
Without Onkelos, it is hard to imagine how we would have survived. Since Hashem guarantees our physical and spiritual survival (Devarim 31:18 with Rashi), He made exceptional miracles to sustain Onkelos against the Roman onslaught. While Titus wielded great power with his sword, ultimately, the power of his nephew’s pen was greater. Jews until today and through eternity delve deeply into Onkelos’ profound teachings. No wonder Hashem made such great miracles to sustain this great man, who sustained our people and the Holy Torah!
The Roman leadership realized they could not overcome Onkelos with the sword’s power and left him alone. His incredible swaying of droves of soldiers coming for his capture made him unconquerable. Hashem’s miracle for Onkelos reassured us, a generation after Churban Bayit Sheini, of the Torah’s and our people’s eternity.
Postscript
The Rama (Yoreh Deah 285:2) records the custom of kissing the mezuzah, which stems from our story. The simple explanation is to remind us of Hashem, as the Rambam (Hilchot Mezuza 7:13) states, is the mezuzah’s purpose. However, it also connects us to Onkelos’ lesson that unlike temporal rulers who do not serve their subjects but rather exploit them, Hashem serves us. Touching the Mezuza reminds us of our special relationship with Hashem: “Ani L’Dodi V’dodi Li, we serve Him and He serves us (Shir Hashirim 6:3).” What a powerful message that the Roman soldiers (with some divine influence) droves of hardened Roman soldiers found irresistible.
Rabbi Jachter serves as the rav of Congregation Shaarei Orah, rebbe at Torah Academy of Bergen County, and a get administrator with the Beth Din of Elizabeth. Rabbi Jachter’s 17 books may be purchased at Amazon and Judaica House.
