‘The Book of Genesis’ Chumash Goes to Third Printing in One Year

577 Commentators, nearly 800 Pages – The English Chumash that presents a multitude of interpretations from all generations that sold 10,000 copies in a less than a year – Critics are singing its praises, calling it “a complete masterpiece.” Here’s the Chumash you won’t want to put down.

23 Oct 2024, 15:41 by COLlive Admin · COLlive

Just in time for Simchas Torah and Shabbos Bereishis, the publishers of the Open Book Torah announce that a third printing of masterpiece The Book of Genesis—described by rabbis and professors as the best translation of the Torah into English ever—has arrived in bookstores across the US and other English-speaking countries. At the same time, the marketing of the book has also begun in Israel. “There’s no better time to start selling the book in the Holy Land than now, when Israel’s enemies seek to destroy us, especially in light of Rashi’s interpretation of the first verse in the Torah,” say the sellers at the Pomeranz bookstore in Jerusalem.

The hefty book, which contains nearly 800 pages, presents and tastefully arranges selection from the commentaries of no less than 577 of the greatest scholars of the generations on Sefer Bereishis, translated into English. The first edition received many glowing reviews, and now the editorial team is working on the book of Exodus, aiming to complete the compilation of all five books of the Torah within five years.

The work of compiling, translating, and editing the the Book of Genesis took more than ten years in total. The chief editor is Rabbi Yanki Tauber from New York, a renowned scholar and editor known for his groundbreaking translations of classic Torah texts. He is the author of 12 books and has written over 1,000 articles in all areas of Torah, including biblical commentary, Talmudic dialectics, and Chasidic philosophy.

The translation of the Torah and its commentaries has been a 30-year dream for him, aiming to make abstract and complex Torah texts accessible to a diverse audience without compromising their authenticity and depth. The book is intended for all readers, from accomplished scholars to those who have never opened a Torah book, which is why it has already been printed in a third edition and sold so many copies.

(Rabbi Tauber was previously the chief editor of the first Chabad website, Chabad.org, from 1999 to 2014, when he left the position to focus on producing this Chumash.)

As mentioned, the work on Genesis took nearly a decade. In fact, this is the first time that more than 500 biblical commentators, both early and modern, have been brought together, with a focus on the multiple perspectives that Torah scholarship presents on key topics, such as the Tree of Knowledge, Noah’s Ark, etc.

According to Rabbi Tauber, “In addition to the commentary, this book includes a new translation of the biblical text, which has several advantages: first, it offers a direct approach to the core meaning of the biblical text, capturing the depth and richness of the original and its various interpretations; second, it features a ‘Biblical Lexicon’: a glossary that presents alternative meanings and interpretations of the text through hundreds of biblical commentaries, providing the reader with insight into the internal workings of Torah exegesis. Alongside this, there is of course comprehensive commentary, in accordance with the idea that ‘the Torah has seventy faces,’ as it represents the full spectrum of classical Torah commentators and encompasses all central ideas and perspectives in Judaism.”

“A no less important element,” says Rabbi Menachem Shagalow, a New York businessman who was inspired by the project and became one of its supporters in an effort to bring the Torah to every Jew at an unprecedented level, “is expressed through a wealth of charts, diagrams, maps, and illustrations that clarify complex ideas and structures in the narrative and interpretations. Additionally, this special Torah book includes midrashic texts attached to each chapter, enriching the reader’s experience and broadening their understanding of the biblical narrative. Another important point is the emphasis on the ‘soul of the Torah’—the mystical teachings of Kabbalah and Chasidut, which are well-represented in the commentaries and overviews.”

To prepare each parashah, a team of researchers, writers, and editors survey thousands of Torah works authored through 33 centuries in order to select the best “representative examples” from each genre of Torah learning. This is what led to the very high costs of the project, with the investment in the book of Genesis alone reaching some 1.2 million dollars and the estimated total cost for the entire Torah exceeding $6 million. A significant portion of the funding for the project is pledged by philanthropist Rabbi Yekusiel Kalmenson, and the Chumash bears the title “The Kalmenson Edition” in his honor. Other donors have dedicated a specific chumash or parashah, with the book of Exodus dedicated by the famous philanthropist Mr. George Rohr. “We still need to raise about half of the budget, and there are chumashim and parashiot available for dedication. But the financial burden doesn’t deter us. This is a sacred work like no other, and therefore we continue regardless,” says Tauber.

One rabbi who purchased the book noted that it is the only Torah where on one page you can find the commentaries of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and the Satmar Rebbe on the same page, and those of Rav Kook and the Brisker Rov side by side. “This is a book in which the reader discovers the unity and oneness of Torah, even while reading different interpretations that may even disagree with each other.” Indeed, the final product has been received with great acclaim by prominent rabbis and public figures in the Jewish community.

For example, when the renowned Jewish-American author Herman Wouk (1915-2019) reviewed an advance copy of one of the parashiot from the book of Genesis before his passing, he expressed his admiration, saying: “When I see this, I want to make a ‘Shehechiyanu.’ This is the Chumash I would have wanted to write!”

Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, a well-known American rabbi and lecturer whose book Jewish Literacy is the best-selling book on Judaism in English, said: “This Chumash is a sophisticated and highly elegant presentation of Torah filled with information and a broad range of commentaries…. Thousands of years of Jewish insights into the Torah… Many Torah commentaries have been published and are available, but this one is special (and needed). There is an exciting openness in how the information and commentaries are presented…. Readers will use this book year after year, inspiring them to as greater knowledge of Torah, while helping them to incorporate Torah teachings into their daily behavior.”

Professor Lawrence Schiffman, a professor of Hebrew and Jewish Studies at New York University, wrote after receiving a copy: “A fantastic job… The final product is beautiful and excellent.” Rabbi Yossi Goldman, who served for many years as the rabbi of the main synagogue in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is also president of the South African Rabbinical Association, wrote: “This is unbelievable! I can’t wait to see the future volumes. This is a complete masterpiece!”

The Chumash is designed by master typographer Baruch Gorkin, who is the co-founder of Open Book Press and its creative director. Baruch has worked with a variety of international brands such as Kodak, IBM, and even Harley-Davidson. “I have done many complex and prestigious projects, but there’s no doubt this is the project I am most proud of,” says Gorkin.

‘The Book of Genesis’ Chumash Goes to Third Printing in One Year

577 Commentators, nearly 800 Pages – The English Chumash that presents a multitude of interpretations from all generations that sold 10,000 copies in a less than a year – Critics are singing its praises, calling it “a complete masterpiece.” Here’s the Chumash you won’t want to put down.

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