At Sea, At the Sea, On the Sea?
Post date: Sep 13, 2016 8:44:48 AM
Comparing different translations of the same source-text is fascinating. It offers a glimpse into the mind-set of the translator and opens a window to the language-use of the period the translation was created. When later Haggadot adapt these translations and change them, they are not always aware that they are opening Pandora's box. Let's look for example at the Standard Haggadah, Published by Bloch Publishing Co. (New York) in 1943 (5th printing) with a translation of Hyman E. Goldin. And let's zoom in on the mathematical explorations of Rabbi Yossi, Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiva after the 10 plagues. We find:
Rabbi José, the Galilean, said: “Whence can you infer that the Egyptians were afflicted with ten plagues in Egypt, and at the sea with fifty plagues? (Concerning the ten plagues brought in Egypt), it is said (Ex. 8, 15): And the magicians said to Pharaoh: ‘This is the finger of God’ but (concerning the punishment) at the sea, it is said (Ex. 14, 31): ‘And Israel saw the mighty hand wherewith the Lord smote the Egyptians, and the people feared the Lord, and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.’
Now, if by the finger they were afflicted with ten plagues, hence, you can infer from this that in Egypt (where the word finger is used) they were smitten with ten plagues, and at the sea (where the word hand is used) they were smitten with fifty plagues.”
In 1972 the Russian artist Mark Podwal produced the "Let My People Go" Haggadah with illustrations in which the Land of Egypt is depicted as the Soviet Union and the evil Pharaoh as Czar Nicholas II. In the introduction we read that "the text for this Haggadah is taken from the Standard Haggadah published by Bloch Publishing Company…..In some instances, I have changed the translation slightly to make the language a little more clear and direct."
Here I present the same text as above but from the "Let My People Go" Haggadah:
Rabbi Yosay, the Galilean, said: “How can you infer that the Egyptians were afflicted with ten plagues in Egypt, and on the sea with fifty plagues? Concerning the ten plagues in Egypt, it is said: And the magicians said to Pharaoh: ‘This is the finger of God’ but concerning the sea, it is said: ‘And Israel saw the mighty hand with which the Lord smote the Egyptians, and the people feared the Lord, and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.’
Now, if by the finger they were afflicted with ten plagues, you can infer from this that in Egypt (where the word finger is used) they were smitten with ten plagues, and at the sea (where the word hand is used) they were smitten with fifty plagues.”
It is interesting to note that Rabbi José became Rabbi Yosay (Russian spelling?) but what struck me was the inconsistency of the preposition of place. Goldin used the term "at the sea" three times whereas the 1972 Haggadah uses "on the sea", "the sea" and "at the sea". In the subsequent passage we even find "at sea". Does all this matter? I think it does.
"At the sea" means at the seaside (on the shore) e.g. We had a wonderful holiday at the sea.
"At sea" means in/on the water e.g. There are many boats at sea today.
"On the sea" means on the surface of the sea e.g. A piece of driftwood was floating on the sea.
The Hebrew term to be translated is בים (BaYam). ים"" (Yam) means the sea, the prefix "ב" (Ba) can mean "at" or "in" depending the context. In certain cases it can also mean "on" e.g. "BaYam uBaYabasha" = at sea and ON land.
The question therefore becomes WHERE did the miracle discussed in this passage take place? Although we might never have given that question any thought, these translations force us to think about it.
The book of Exodus tells us how the Israelites came to the Red Sea and couldn't advance. The Egyptians chased after them. Moses lifted his staff and God opened the sea so that the Israelites went through dry. The Egyptians chased after them but God closed the sea so that they all drowned. What exactly was the miracle referred to by Rabbi José/ Yosay? The opening of the sea while they were still standing "at the sea", walking through the water "at sea", the drowning of the Egyptians "in the sea"?
The bible quote given as support in this passage reads: ‘And Israel saw the mighty hand with which the Lord smote the Egyptians, and the people feared the Lord, and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.’ This is AFTER the crossing and the drowning of the Egyptians. Meaning, the Israelites were already safely on the shore, they were "at the sea". But the Egyptians were afflicted with ten plagues in Egypt, and AT sea with fifty plagues". Their affliction was definitely NOT "at the sea(shores)". Still, many respectable translations use "on the sea" instead. But by mixing all these up within the context of one passage, the 1972 "translator" clearly showed that he himself was "all at sea" (confused/ lost)...
Amazing how a small change in translation opens up a whole new way of looking at a text.