New from OU Press “Chumash Mesoras Harav: Sefer Shemos” With Commentary By Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik

02 Feb 2015
Chumash Mesoras HaRav: Sefer Shemos.

OU Press announces the publication of Chumash Mesoras HaRav: Sefer Shemos, the second volume in this series which contains a running commentary based on the teachings of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik on the Chumash. The “Rav,” Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, the towering rabbinic thinker of the twentieth century, was also a master of Biblical exegesis, and his extensive writings and lectures on Chumash exhibit his characteristically profound insight and brilliant creativity. However, the Rav never penned a systematic commentary on Chumash, and, until now, studying his thoughts on Chumash required combing through a complex array of writings, audio recordings, and student notes.

The Chumash Mesoras HaRav: Sefer Shemos, compiled and edited by Dr. Arnold Lustiger, continues the project of making the Rav’s Torah readily accessible. Drawing upon material from dozens of published sources in Hebrew, English and Yiddish, as well as many previously unpublished lectures, this material is presented in elegant and concise English as a running commentary alongside the Chumash text. Significantly, the Chumash Mesoras HaRav presents the gamut of the Rav’s teachings, including not only philosophical insights, but also homiletic interpretations and Talmudic analysis. The Rav’s multi-dimensional character emerges from within these pages. By collecting the Rav’s teachings, this Chumash not only makes them more accessible but transforms them from a diverse array of sources into a timeless commentary. The Chumash Mesoras HaRav: Sefer Shemos will no doubt become a classic companion to the book of exile and redemption.

Two launch events celebrating the publication of Chumash Mesoras HaRav: Sefer Shemos will take place on Sunday, February 22. The first will take place in Young Israel of New Rochelle at 9:30 a.m., and the second will take place in Congregation Rinat Yisrael, of Teaneck, NJ at 8 p.m. Both events will feature remarks by Rabbi Steven Weil, Senior Managing Director of the Orthodox Union.

This is the latest work from OU Press, which publishes sophisticated works of Jewish thought and commentary, including many books devoted to the legacy of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. In addition to the Chumash Mesoras HaRav, OU Press has also published the Mesorat HaRav Siddur and Kinot, as well as The Seder Night: An Exalted Evening, a Passover Haggadah with the commentary of the Rav, and Majesty and Humility: The Thought of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik  by Rabbi Reuven Ziegler, a comprehensive introduction to the Rav’s philosophy.