Sefaria, the nonprofit organization that digitizes and freely shares Jewish texts in Hebrew and in translation, has introduced Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz’s commentaries on Tanach and Mishneh Torah to its digital library. Rabbi Steinsaltz was a prolific rabbi, educator, translator, and commentator whose work encompassed a large swath of Jewish thought.
“Rabbi Steinsaltz actually met with Sefaria’s co-founders over a decade ago and expressed his deep understanding and appreciation for the importance of a free, digital Jewish library,” said Daniel Septimus, CEO of Sefaria. “To add even more of his commentaries to our library, and to link them with other digital texts, will both deepen and expand the learning experience for anyone who uses Sefaria.”
Born in Jerusalem in 1937, Rabbi Steinsaltz made it his life’s mission to make Jewish thought accessible to more people around the globe. His trademarked mantra, “Let my people know,” was the driving force behind his many accomplishments.
The addition is part of Sefaria’s new Jack Nash and Ludwig Bravmann Collection, a digital home for Rabbi Steinsaltz’s expansive body of work, which is a free online library of Rabbi Steinsaltz’s major commentaries in Hebrew and English. In 2017, Sefaria added Rabbi Steinsaltz’s commentary and translation of the Babylonian Talmud to its library. With the new addition of his commentaries on Tanach (available in English and Hebrew) and the Mishneh Torah (available in Hebrew), Sefaria launched the Nash-Bravmann Collection.
“In the coming years, we will add even more of Rabbi Steinsaltz’s texts,” noted Sara Wolkenfeld, Sefaria’s chief learning officer, “Upcoming additions to the collection include commentaries on the Mishneh and the Tanya, among others we’re excited to share with the Sefaria community.”
The Nash-Bravmann Collection was made possible by a generous donation to the Steinsaltz Center from the Pershing Square Foundation in honor of Jack Nash and Ludwig (Lou) Bravmann, two pioneering Jewish philanthropists whose lifelong support of Rabbi Steinsaltz was essential to his remarkable contribution to Jewish scholarship.
