Does anyone use The Targums from the files of the Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project

Robert I

I have this in my Scholar Edition, but I have not idea how to use it.  I tool 1/2 of a semester of Hebrew before I had drop out due to needing to work and finishing my last semester of college.  I so wanted to take this, but the professor said that this was a 12 hour course in his opinion that I would only get 3 credit hours for, but I had to study like it was my whole semester.  He felt that one would not appreciate Hebrew if he did not take this drill instructor approach... as you can imagine, only those required to take it for Biblical Languages or M.Div. completed the course (some after 2 or 3 tries).  Personally, I think this was wrong and should have either allowed us to get 8 or 12 hours of credit or offer Hebrew 1 to 4.  That's just me. 

On that note, I have this resource, "The Targums from the files of the Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project," and I am wondering if anyone is using this?  If so, for what and how?  I hid it for now, as it always clutters my search due to the numerous volumes in this set.  I would hate to hide it and miss out on a resource that I just do not know how to use or leverage.  Thanks in advance.  I may just not be ready to leverage it as my level of Logos understanding and that is fine, too.

DMB

Well, relative to your first paragraph, there's nothing preventing you from learning hebrew just from your Scholar's Library! Excuses, excuses. But seriously, hebrew / aramaic 'thinking' is at the root of both the Old Testament and the New as well. I know I'll get in trouble for this (!) but if you had only 1 language to learn, hebrew would be the better choice (compared to greek). Hebrew was the thought process of the writers; greek was simply the lingua franca for a specific group of believers (not to include coptic, syriac and so forth).

Regarding the Targums, it depends on how much you want to get into the 'heads' of the NT writers (as per the above). The problem with the Targums, and very similar to the Mishnah and Talmud, is that they are VERY difficult to date. Scholars that want to be 'safe' put them similar to the Talmud; scholars that see echos of the NT put them earlier.

I use them A LOT, but I also have the Aramaic Bible english translations, apparatus, etc When I'm reading the NT and I can't find a backtrack to the OT, then I look in the Targums, Pseudepigrapha and lastly the Mishnah/Talmud. The specific words are especially important and thus Logos nicely provides the associated lexicon (basic). The other place I use them is where I'm comparing the syriacs (mainly the Sinaiticus, which is in Logos), to the coptics and greeks, and want to track down why the syriac is using a specific word.

But summarizing, hebrew first!

Room4more

I would go with the Hebrew, provided ofcourse you can find a Rabbi, not an american rabbi, a real Hebrew born and bred Rabbi. Then maybe strick up some kind of deal for his knowledge[Targums, Aramaic, Syriac, etc., etc.] and teaching, provided he agree's to teach you. This will make the Greek a little easier to grasp.

Hope this helps..