ArtScroll has done it again with the publication of the inaugural volume of a major new Torah project: the translation and elucidation of Midrash Rabbah.
The Kleinman Edition Midrash Rabbah is a 16-volume project covering all of Midrash Rabbah, on the entire Chumash and the Five Megillos. The inaugural volume (volume 2 of the entire series) covers Sefer Bereishis/Genesis, from Parashas Lech Lecha through Parashas Toldos.
Midrash Rabbah is the best known and most widely studied of all the Midrashic works. Rabbi Nosson Scherman, General Editor of ArtScroll/Mesorah, explains in his introduction: “Midrash Rabbah is our richest lode of Aggadic comment and exposition on the Torah and the Five Megillos. The Talmud and the Midrash are both parts of the Oral Law. The primary emphasis of the Talmud is to expound upon and define the legal parameters of the Torah and the mitzvos. The Midrash delves into the spiritual essence of the revealed Torah, adds detail and information to the Torah’s narrative, and provides the ethical tradition that was passed down orally from generation to generation until it was committed to writing. Midrash Rabbah is one of the primary sources of ethical discourse, Chassidic and mussar teaching, and homiletic literature.”
The Kleinman Edition Midrash Rabbah features the Hebrew text, newly typeset, on pages facing the English translation and commentary. It includes many classic Hebrew commentaries, including Rashi, Matnos Kehunah, Eitz Yosef, and Maharzu, plus the out-of-print classic Eshed HaNechalim.
The English translation and commentary follows ArtScroll/Mesorah’s acclaimed phrase-by-phrase translation and elucidation of the Midrash text, for optimum understanding of the Midrash. Explanatory footnotes help clarify difficult concepts and passages.
A special feature is the “Insights” section, which complements and broadens the words of Midrash. As a primary source of Jewish ethical and spiritual teachings since Talmudic times, the Midrash has been mined for its treasures particularly by the masters of Mussar and Chassidic thought. In “Insights” we see the Midrash through the eyes of major medieval and contemporary giants of Torah thought, from Ramban and Rabbeinu Bachya to Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch, Sefas Emes, and Rav Eliyahu Dessler, and scores of others.
{Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}
Why didn’t they put the volume number on the spine?
They were smart not to. Look at what happened with the Shas – 73 volumes marked 1-72 (Sotah is in two volumes sharing a single number due to an unanticipated overrun – the individual volumes are differentiated by one star and two star marking in addition to the shared volume number). The Parshios covered in the volume are clerly marked. That should be sufficient to maintain the order.
This website is a kosher one that allows comments by bnai torah.
Hatzlacha to you and your torahdik endeavors.
There really is no way they can really know the amount of volumes there will be up front as they don’t know how many pages of translation will be on each part of the medrash! Another reason idls based on that they plan on eventually redoing (at least) the first volumes because it will take them some time to work out in what way the medrashim would be explained. Therefor how can they know how many volumes it would take up on the second run?
this is the sort of articles Matzav should be publishing more of yasher koach again
Better late than never. This volume has from Lech-Lecha through Toldos. Nice to put it up in time for Vayeishev