Signpost 4 · Rav Haim Ziegler זצ״ל

The Tsim and the Jerusalem Targum

What the Aramaic translation adds to the verse

A teaching of Rav Haim Ziegler zatsal · Éditions Gueoula

Translated from the French original; the French version remains the reference text.

What the Aramaic translation adds to the verse

The Targum Yerushalmi expands the verse: armies will set out by ship from a great land situated in the sea.

They will join armies coming from Europe.

They will subdue Ashur, then afflict Ever, the other side of the Euphrates.

And the Targum concludes: all of them will fall into the hand of the Mashiah.

1 The Targum’s text

“Many armies will set out by ship, from a great land that is in the sea. Those armies will join armies coming from Europe.” — Targum Yerushalmi

The Targum states what the verse left open: where the tsim come from, and whom they join.

2 The three stages

Ashur — subdued first.

Ever — the other side of the Euphrates, afflicted next.

Then the end: “all of them will fall into the hand of the Mashiah”.

The Rav applied these names to countries of our time. That is his application, not the text: the Targum gives the order, not today’s names.

3 Why Ever last

The Rav recalled an ancient merit: from there came the permission to rebuild the second Temple, when Koresh allowed Ezra to go up.

That merit, he said, protects for a long time — until the end.

An ancient merit protecting a whole nation is a reading of providence, handed on by the Rav, not something that can be checked.

Four questions on the fourth signpost.

What does the Targum Yerushalmi state about the tsim?

And that they join armies from Europe.

Who is subdued first, in the Targum’s order?

Ashur comes before Ever.

What does Ever mean in this passage?

The Targum points beyond the river.

What merit did the Rav recall about that region?

Koresh allowed Ezra to go up.