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Why does the Mishna require the Meturgeman to translate only one pasuk at a time? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod that translation must be considered "reading from the text" (mikra b'chtav), not oral Torah (תורה) (ba'al peh). When limited to one pasuk, the Meturgeman is still reading from what he just heard; more than that becomes mere memory and violates the prohibition of reciting Torah Shebiksav ba'al peh.
This shiur on Megillah 23b-24a analyzes the Gemara (גמרא)'s discussion of the Meturgeman (translator) in Kriyat HaTorah and resolves several fundamental difficulties in Rashi (רש"י) and the Rambam (רמב"ם). The shiur begins with Rashi's statement that the Meturgeman cannot make more than one pasuk at a time, otherwise "lo nafkan min halachos" (the halachot don't emerge properly). The language is strange, and the rationale unclear. The Rambam's presentation is even more puzzling: he states twice that only one pasuk may be read to the Meturgeman, first when describing the original minhag instituted by Ezra, and then again as a separate din that "ein hakorei rashai likrot la-Meturgeman yeser me-pasuk echad" — seemingly a redundant restatement. The shiur then examines the underlying sugya in Sukkah 34b and related places. The Gemara discusses whether Kriyat Shema can be recited in any language or only in Hebrew, and whether "kol haTorah kulah b'chol lashon nemrah" (the entire Torah (תורה) may be said in any language). Rashi explains this refers to "likrot b'beit hakneset" — reading the Torah in shul. The problem: how can a rabbinic institution (Kriyat HaTorah) determine whether a Torah-level obligation (Kriyat Shema) requires Hebrew? Rashi seems to be saying that if Torah reading in shul can be done in any language, then Kriyat Shema would need a special pasuk (ve'hayu) to restrict it to Hebrew.
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Megillah 23b-24a
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