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Kol Menachem is a non-profit Chabad publishing house founded by philanthropist Meyer Gutnick and Rabbi Chaim Miller in 2000. Its goal is "to organize the teachings of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson and make them universally accessible and useful."

The Gutnick Edition Chumash

Rabbi Chaim Miller wrote a Chumash with a translation that incorporates Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson's "novel interpretation" of Rashi's commentary, which was delivered in a series of public talks that began in 1964 and continued for more than 25 years. The translation, called "The Gutnick Edition Chumash" after its sponsor, Meyer Gutnick, was published in a bilingual Hebrew-English edition that includes a running commentary anthologized from classic rabbinic texts.

It also includes the haftarot, mystical insights called "Sparks of Chassidus", a summary of the mitzvot found in each Parashah according to Sefer ha-Chinuch, an essay on public reading of the Torah, and summary charts. It was Kol Menachem's first publication.

According to Miller's foreword, unlike most other translations, the Gutnick edition does not intersperse transliterations among the translations; this is intended to make the text more reader-friendly. However, the translation does includes Rashi’s commentary in parentheses, and the foreword explains that these are Rashi’s words and not a translation of the chumash.

In November 2002, the first volume of The Gutnick Edition Chumash was released. The inaugural issue published was Shemot, to coordinate with the then-current Torah readings. The publication of the 5-volume series was completed in 2006.

The series is reported to have been quite successful: "The public reception was so overwhelming that the Kol Menachem staff was inspired to work 14-hour days to finish the project. ... Can you imagine how it feels to have phone calls, letters and emails flying in all day from people whose lives have literally been changed by the Chumash and are begging for more? For many thousands of people, it was their first exposure to the Rebbe’s teachings. Others tell us how it has enabled them to bring Torah study into their busy lives, and it has even inspired many to become baalei teshuvah. So we just had to pull out all the stops to get this project finished.”

Kol Menachem Haggadah

In 2008 the Slager edition of the Haggadah was released by Kol Menachem, in two versions: according to the liturgy of Nusach Ashkenaz as well as Nusach Ari. The Kol Menachem commentaries are essays on the Haggadah written by Rabbi Schneerson and culled from throughout his voluminous public addresses and adapted into English. Each commentary is identified and fully annotated. In addition, the volume also incorporates an English question-and-answer running commentary by Rabbi Chaim Miller, integrating many classic commentators.

Other projects

Kol Menachem has released a book of Haftarot with commentaries from the Rebbe. It was released in November 2006.

Kol Menachem has begun a series on Maimonides' Thirteen Principles of Faith, which draws “from over 100 classic texts such as Talmud, Midrash, Jewish Philosophy, Halachic codes and the works of Kabbalah and Chassidus (with special emphasis on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe)." These teachings have been anthologized into a series of 28 lessons. 446 pages.

Kol Menachem has begun the Leviev edition of the Gutnick Chumash, which is a rendition of the Gutnick Chumash in Hebrew sponsored by philanthropist Lev Leviev. So far, the books of Bereshit, Shemot and Devarim have been released.

References

1. Chabad Groups Celebrate Late Rebbe’s Teaching Legacy
2. Chaim Miller, Rashi's Method of Biblical Commentary, Chabad.org
3. Gutnick Edition Chumash, World Jewish News Agency.
4. Jewish Press review of The Gutnick Edition Chumash
5. ^ New Gutnick Haggadah
6. The Kol Menachem edition of the Haftarot
7. Rambam: Thirteen Principles of Faith

External links

• Kol Menachem website
• Reviews

• Chabad organisations
• Book publishing companies of the United States
• Jewish printing and publishing
• Religious organizations established in 2000