The Hand upon the Lord's Throne
This chapter explains the simultaneous translation of scriptural lections that are recited in the synagogue into the Aramaic vernacular. It discusses scriptures that are variously infused by midrashic sources or legal and theological traditions that enter its warp and woof. From the notable variety of translations, the play of Midrash can be witnessed in different settings, and its oral mediation and diverse emphases. The chapter also describes the comparison of scriptures with the classical genres of midrashic material, which provides a striking glimpse into how the Midrash was filtered and re-presented in the synagogue. It illustrates the transformation which Scripture undergoes in midrashic operations, which is different from its targumic transformations.