Chumash: The Gutnick Edition - All in one - Synagogue Edition

by Chaim Miller

This Torah tells a story - your own. It invites you to discover yourself within its pages.
With a charming, colorful presentation, multiple strands of commentary and groundbreaking, interactive features, the Lifestyle Books Torah transforms the text into an experience-personalized, engaging and happening now. Its goal is to uncover the spiritual potential and human relevance in every line.
Features include:
Acclaimed Translation that makes each Torah portion flow like a story. An easy read for you and your family in a fresh, contemporary voice.
Full Hebrew Text of the Five Books of Moses, with complete Haftarah cycle, beautifully typeset by an award-winning designer.
Personalized Running Commentary that gives voice to hundreds of Jewish thinkers and mystics, in a chorus that will speak to your life. The insights address profoundly relevant issues at the core of the human experience: questions of purpose, relationships, identity and meaning.
Spiritual Treats on every page that will delight and nourish your soul. Glimpse new vistas of reality with compact "Kabbalah Bites." Potent meditations follow you off the page, into the head-on challenges of the world; and our "Food for Thought" selections will draw you and your loved ones into hours of discussion, as you participate in the Torah's ongoing conversation.

Genres: Jewish, Judaism

1624 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Rabbi Chaim Miller is one of the leading international authorities for the interpretation of the Torah-related works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. His laudable publications and significant original contributions to the field of Jewish education have garnered unprecedented attention for the Chabad-Lubavitch Movement. Rabbi Miller's achievement as an international scholar is substantiated by the vast dissemination of his works as well as the acclaim and prestige they have won him amongst his colleagues and in the educational and religious communities in which his works circulate.

Reviews

[Michael Lewyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

How does the Gutnik compare to other Orthodox-oriented chumashim? It differs from Artscoll (the market leader) primarily in its translation: its translation is so intermingled with parentheticals based on Rashi that it is hard to tell where translation ends and commentary begins. Also, the Gutnik reflects one or two voices (Rashi and the Lubavitcher Rebbe) to a somewhat greater extent than does Artscroll.

Compared to the works of Joseph Hertz and Samson Raphael Hirsch, it is more medieval (though perhaps more timeless as well); much of the Gutnik reads to me like it could have been written in 1600 or 1700, while Hertz and Hirsch seem to me to very much be creatures of their times (the early 1930s and the late 19th century respectively). I think a modern Orthodox reader would typically be a little more attuned to Hertz and Hirsch, while a haredi or hasidic reader (or one very inclined towards mysticism perhaps) might prefer the Gutnik.

[H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing edition of the chumash. Very Hassidic/kabbala oriented, with bits of wisdom and p'shat from very famous to somewhat obscure sages and rabbis. Insightful, with sources and citations for every sefer and quote, very nicely done graphically (nice color scheme), interesting translation including commentary to make sense of pesukim, and nice little features including the name and time-period of every source/author quoted. I think this chumash would be appreciated by scholar and layperson alike.

[David Rullo]

A fine, Orthodox edition of the Chumash. My biggest complaint is that the book is what it says, a translation with criticism by the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Why do I say that? Often, I would have enjoyed more analysis of the text that isn't highlighted. There are particular verses that are spotlighted and they are the only verses you find analysis. It is a nice collection to have on the book shelf and a good version to reference back to as a source. I would also have on hand a few other versions as well.

[Michael Lewyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similar to the Gutnik, but a little more accessible and a lot more kabbalistic.

[Isaac Schultz]

I try to read a little bit of Torah every day. It's like food for the soul.