Onkelos replied:
“That product that men despise is the one to go after and acquire. I shall therefore go after the Torah and to the Lord. For it is this product that few seek and most of the masses of the world despise. I, however, shall go after it and realize from it great spiritual wealth.”
Upon his arrival in Eretz Yisrael, he went directly to the yeshiva of Rabi Eliezer and Rabi Yehoshua.
“My masters,” he said, “I have come from Rome and am of the royal household. I have decided to become a Jew and desire to learn Torah.”
The two scholars began to teach him Torah and were amazed at the brilliance of his mind and the diligence of his soul. Soon he took his place among the scholars of Israel.
In those days, few of the common people spoke or understood Hebrew. Because of this, the Chumash was foreign to most.
Onkelos decided to translate the Torah into Aramaic, the language most of the people spoke, so that everyone would have the opportunity to learn Torah.
Chazal were so impressed with its clarity they decreed that every week one should review the parsha: twice in the original text and once with the translation of Onkelos.
Hadrian Sends An Army
Back in Rome, Hadrian’s anger knew no bounds and he ordered a battalion to go to Judea and bring Onkelos homes.
When the troops arrived, Onkelos met with them and proceeded to describe the beauty and truth of Judaism. So well did he speak that he convinced all the soldiers to become Jews.
Hadrian sent another battalion. However, the same thing happened again.
Hadrian gathered a third battalion and warned them: “When you see Onkelos, do not listen to his attempt to convert you.”
When the troops appeared before Onkelos, he said: “I know that the emperor has warned you not to listen to me, but at least answer one question that has bothered me very much.”
When the troops agreed to listen to just one question, Onkelos said: “We all know that when the lieutenant goes out at night, the sergeant carries a torch to light his way. Similarly, the lieutenant holds the torch for the captain and the captain for the general. The general in turn holds it for the emperor. For whom, however, does the emperor hold the torch?”
They had no answer.
“Just so,” replied Onkelos. “There is no greater being than the emperor, and therefore he holds a torch for no one.
“When the Almighty took the Jews from the land of Egypt, it was He, Himself, who lit the path for His people, as the Torah states: ‘And the Lord goes before them in the day in a cloud to guide them and at night in a pillar of fire…’”
When the Romans heard this, they said to themselves:
“It is true. This proves how great are the people of Israel. Let us, too, become a part of this noble race.”