President Herzog and Even-Israel Family Share Personal Moment

By COLlive reporter
Photos: Kobi Gideon, GPO

Israeli President Isaac Herzog hosted a reception the President’s Residence in Jerusalem to celebrate the publication of the final volume of the Mishnah series with a modern Hebrew translation and commentary by the late Rabbi Adin Even-Israel (Steinsaltz) OBM on Monday.

This is the last project translated by Rabbi Adin, thus completing the work of translating the entire Jewish canon and making him the only commentator in Jewish history to have achieved this feat.

Rabbi Adin was an educator, researcher, commentator of the Talmud and Chassidic thought, philosopher, social critic, and author of over 300 works in various languages. He also established a network of educational institutions and received a variety of awards, including the Israel Prize and the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor.

His teachings included a new edition of Judaism’s core texts, featuring a clear and concise interpretation and inviting students to delve deeper into various fields, concepts, halachic ruling, and historical background of the topics discussed.

The Koren Steinsaltz Mishnah includes 13 volumes, 63 tractates, 4182 mishnayos over a total of some 9,000 pages. The modern Hebrew translation of the Mishnah alone took 12 years. Each volume of the Koren Steinsaltz Mishnah contains an average of 750 color photographs and illustrations.

“This is an amazing enterprise!” President Herzog commented. “Its advantage is that it serves the entire nation and connects it to its sources. The fact that you have made it accessible to the whole People of Israel is a great privilege.”

Rabbi Meni Even-Israel, son of Rabbi Adin and Director of the Steinsaltz Center, said: “We are proud to present to the President the final volume of the Mishnah, bringing us full circle.”

He explained that his father presented the first volume of the Talmud to President Zalman Shazar. “This presentation of the final volume of the annotated Mishnah is the fulfillment of my father’s motto, ‘Let my people know’,” he said.

At the event, Mrs. Sara Even-Israel, wife of Rabbi Adin, told the President of an encounter with his mother, the late Mrs. Aura Herzog, former First Lady of Israel and wife Chaim Herzog, the sixth President of the State of Israel.

Mrs. Even-Israel said she called Mrs. Herzog to invite her to the N’shei Chabad convention in Jerusalem. “Your mother graciously accepted the invitation, which led to a very successful convention, with many women attending.”