By COLlive reporter
Photos: Dovi Meyer
Chabad House Publications announced today the release of the much-anticipated Synagogue Edition of the Kehot Publication Society Chumash.
The Synagogue Edition Chumash contains the acclaimed interpolated translation made popular by the expanded, five-volume edition of the Kehot Chumash, which has revolutionized the study and understanding of the Torah.
The interpolated translation renders the text of the Chumash intelligible to the reader while simultaneously enabling him or her to understand the Chumash as Rashi explained it and as the Rebbe elucidates Rashi’s commentary.
Hundreds of Chasidic insights culled from the Rebbe’s works and those of his predecessors supplement the lucid translation. Each parsha is preceded by a concise introduction, which highlights the theme of the parsha and describes its place in the development of the Torah’s message.
Helpful introductions precede each haftarah, designed to provide the reader with the historical and literary background necessary to understand and appreciate the prophetic lessons of the haftarot and their connection to the weekly parsha.
“The publication of this Chumash heralds a new era in the availability of Torah and the Rebbe’s teachings to the public,” said Rabbi Chaim Nochum Cunin, director and general editor of Chabad House Publications.
The first copy arrived at Kehot Publication Society in New York for Shabbos Parshat Lech Lecha, and was brought into the Rebbe’s room and formally placed on the Rebbe’s desk at “770” before Shabbos.
The second copy was received and celebrated at Chabad House Publications, together with Moishe Lipszyc, one of the distinguished dedicators who underwrote this project. Lipszyc and his wife Shterna Soroh Lipszyc are the founders of Camp Leah Rivka in Burks Falls and the Bais Chaya Mushka Girls School in Toronto.
The Synagogue Edition was dedicated by the Michaan family of S. Paulo, Brazil.
Individual sections were sponsored by the Lipszyc family of Toronto (Bereishit), the Bussel family of Los Angeles (Shemot), the Schochet family of Miami and the Rappaport family of Toronto (Vayikra), Dan ben Esther and family (Bemidbar), the Nissel family of Beverly Hills (Devarim), and the Glowinsky family of Toronto (the Haftarot).
The editorial team responsible for this project is under the direction of editor-in-chief Rabbi Moshe Yaakov Wisnefsky and general editor Rabbi Chaim Nochum Cunin.
The team includes Rabbis Baruch Kaplan, Betzalel Lifshitz, Yosef Marcus, and Dov Wagner. The experts and scholars who assisted in preparing this work include Rabbis Yosef B. Friedman, Dovid Olidort, Avraham D. Vaisfiche, Aaron Leib Raskin, Shmuel Rabin, and Yisroel Noach Shneur Wichnin.
Dozens of illustrations and detailed diagrams were especially created for this work by accomplished artists Marc Lumer, Ian Webster, and Spotlight Design, together with comprehensive, high-quality maps produced by acclaimed cartographer Reuven Soffer.
These graphic elements combine to make the meaning of the Chumash’s words more readily comprehendible. The contemporary, modern layout was designed by award-winning typesetter Raphäel Freeman and Renana Typesetting.
The 1536-page book is designed to remain rigid and intact for heavy use: the text is printed on custom paper manufactured in Europe; the exquisite cover is made of nylon-reinforced tear-free leatherette material; and the binding is hand-stitched and specially reinforced.
“We are confident that this monumental work will be the Chumash of choice not only for Chabad Houses and synagogues, but for families, students, and the public at large,” says Rabbi Yosef B. Friedman of Kehot Publication Society.
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The “Rebbe’s Chumash” project began 14 years ago under the leadership of West Coast Chabad and Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin, with the vision and support of Yuri and Deana Pikover, pillars of the Chabad of Malibu community headed by Rabbi Levi Cunin.
Publication of the Synagogue Edition of the Kehot Chumash by Chabad House Publications follows the success of Daily Wisdom, a collection of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s insights on the Torah-readings of every day of the year culled from material that is highlighted in this book.
Daily Wisdom won the coveted Benjamin Franklin award of the Independent Book Publishers Association, and is now being translated and released in Hebrew, French, Spanish, and Russian, and has been published in compact form as the Asher David Milstein compact edition.
The Synagogue Edition Chumash is being launched in time for the upcoming International Conference of Shulchim, where it will be able for purchase at a special, reduced price. The Chumash will be available at Judaica stores worldwide, and online at kehot.com.
“It is our ardent hope that the illumination of these wellsprings of the Rebbe’s teachings on Chasidus will hasten the advent of our Redemption, when ‘the earth will be filled the knowledge of G-d as water covers the sea bed,’” says Rabbi Chaim Cunin.
The Rebbe’s Chumash can be purchased at leading book stores and at kehotonline.com
Moishe and Sara are the most generous people around, the camp they have is the best!
Looks very nice and very user friendly how does it compare to the Gutnick version?
mazal tov to our mechutanim moishe and sara! always involved in spreading the words of the Rebbe and helping out Anash and Shluchim. Keep up the good work!
The Gutnick is good for a lomdishe crowd who enjoy the Rebbes thorough analysis of Rashi. Kehos focuses more on the chasidus part of the Sichos and all of chasidus, and gives only the maskanos of the Rashi Sichos, which are weaved into the translation/interpolation.
Looks lovely, can’t wait to get my hands on one of those.
Can you post the link where to purchase it? I went to the Kehot site but couldn’t find it.
Nice to see the Rebbe’s work presented with the elegance and beauty it deserves. Well done!
Gutnick-1 Rashi per possuk with Rebbe’s explanation.
Cunin-almost all the Rebbe’s sichos on any given posuk.
Moshe and Sarah Lipszyc should be בענשט with אריכות ימים ושנים טובות, much נחת from his children & grandchildren for doing this beautiful work in Toronto & worldwide!
Proud parents:
Rabbi Menachem & Miriam Lipszyc
also some incredible exterior design.
I love projects such as this, now they should figure out how to make ease-learning progressive chassidus books.
Moishe & Soroh, keep up your great work spreading Yiddishkeit and connecting Yidden to the Rebbe with simcha.
Wow! Beautiful! Much Hatzlocho!
Looks very nice and very user friendly how does it compare to the Gutnick version?
Moishe and Sarah Lipszyc – – thanks for sponsoring this amazing Chumish. It’s people like you who allow many people to learn Chumish!! Keep up the great work!! From your family on Union St..
I know it has to be a great Chumesh.
As when ever Moshe Lipszyc gets involved with anything he puts his whole Neshomah into it and makes sure it is the Best. He Is a true Chosid of the Rebbe. Wishing Moshe Lipszyc and every one else who is involved lots of Hatzlochoh and Nachas in every thing they do
I have read much of the expanded 5-volume edition of this Chumash. Truly impressive. The introductions to each Parsha are excellent. The interpolated translation is just perfect. The commentary adapted from the Rebbe’s teachings are refreshing, and brilliantly presented. I strongly endorse and recommend this superb work. It may be the finest edition of the Torah ever produced.
What is the difference between this & the Gutnick chumash which has been in use in Chabad Houses for many years?
I’ve been enjoying Daily Wisdom for the past year and am excited to experience more of these Chasidic gems in this new Chumash.
i have been using the kehot chumash for 2 years and it has completely changed my understanding of the text of torah. a truly remarkable work. i strongly recommend it, especially for someone like me who was not lucky enough to be raised with a torah education.
Where can I buy it online?
Can’t wait to purchase my copy. Thank you to all who worked on making the Rebbe’s teachings available to the public.
תודה מושי היקר על הצדקה שאתה נותן כל שנה לכל המשולחים מהארץ
בכל פעם שאני מגיע לטורונטו תמיד אתה פוגש איתי הרבה פעמים ובכל פעם שאתה מגרש אותי מהמשרד שלך אני מרגיש שמגיע אולי מחאה גדולה יותר ממה שהבחטת
how does this compare to the gutnick chumash?
Truly the Rebbe’s Chumash.
For 40 years Artscroll was the only real choice a Chabad house had for a English proper Chumash. 15 years ago with the Chaim Miller Gutnick Chumash it was declared already that Kehos is not needed for a Chumash ;).
Yasher koach to Rabbi cunin, Rabbi eisnefsky, and the most generous Moshe Lipszyc and all the other sponsors!
A big thank you to the supporters and the Lipszyc Family