The version of the Talmud translated by world renowned scholar Rabbi Adin Even Israel Steinsaltz, will be accepted into the US's National Library of Congress, the largest library in the world. It will be released to the library in a celebratory event due to be held on Thursday. The translation from Hebrew to English took Rabbi Steinsaltz 8 years to complete.
The event, first of its kind, will feature Jewish elected officials Congressman Eliot Engel, member of the United States House of Representatives, and Carla Hayden, Principal Director of the Library of Congress.
During the event, representatives of Steinsaltz's family will grant the library the full volume of the translation, followed by a certificate of honor which will be given in return to Steinsaltz's family which is said to be one of the most influential in contemporary Judaism.
According to Rabbi Steinsaltz's legacy knowledge is something that connects and mediates cultures and peoples.
Translating the Talmud became the center of Rabbi Steinsaltz's life after he founded the Israel Institute for Talmudic publications in 1965, together with the Israeli government. Steinsaltz is considered by the Chabad as one of the most important rabbis of our time. His work is devoted to addressing education, the study of Talmud, Chassidism and philosophy. He has published over 60 books in many languages, and won the Israel Prize, as well as the President's medal and the 'Worthy Citizen of Jerusalem' award.
"It's a great honor for the both Diaspora and Israeli Jews to receive such honor from a great institution as important as the US National Library of Congress. For all the Talmud's thousands of years of existence, it is very exciting and meaningful for us, especially during times like these, when Judaism suffers from antisemitism," announced Mani Even Israel, the head of the Steinsaltz center.
The library is a research library that serves members, committees, the staff of the US congress and offers general lectures, concerts and exhibitions to the general public.