BOOK REVIEW BY RABBI DOVID KAPLAN

THE MALBIM ON IYOV: THE SEARCH FOR FAITH AND MEANING

AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE MALBIM’S CLASSIC COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF JOB

Translated by Herbert Weisberg and Yosef Y. Kazarnovsky

Rav Moshe Sherer, z”l, was known for his efficiency and precision in just about all areas of life. He once noticed that a form of some sort had been left in the wrong place in the office, and he reacted with a touch of irritation. One of the office workers asked him why something so slight bothered him to such a degree.

He said, “If this isn’t right, what else isn’t right?”

Carelessness in one area indicates that carelessness exists elsewhere, with the result that things are not as they should be. Eventually the whole enterprise falls apart.

When a new book comes into my hands, the first thing I notice—without even making a conscious effort to do so—is the degree of professionalism. There is an old saying that says, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” Well, those in the know say, “Anyone who says you can’t judge a book by its cover has never been in the publishing industry.”

The resplendent cover of The Malbim on Iyov, published by Brand Name Publishing, is an indication that a professional and conscientious job follows between the covers of the book. One who spends time looking through this work will find that it is indeed a superb piece of workmanship.

The translators’ preface grabs you and kindles your interest. The layout incorporating the Hebrew and English translation of the entire sefer of Iyov is top-notch. But most important, of course, is the translation itself. The translators  clearly chose their words carefully in order to facilitate clarity in understanding the thickly obscure language and concepts of Iyov and the profound commentary of the Malbim.

When the translation of a Torah text comes out, the reaction of many is, “This is absolutely meant for beginners and novices.” However, this is not at all accurate. As the Novominsker Rebbe, shlita, wrote in his approbation to the Hebrew edition of the Schottenstein Shas, “A translation is an entryway for one to gain the basics and then be able to delve deeper.” This translation of the Malbim’s commentary on Iyov, while certainly indispensable for a novice, is just as beneficial for a veteran Torah scholar. When learning the Hebrew original of Iyov and the Malbim’s commentary, one certainly comes away with an understanding of what the Malbim wants to convey. However, seeing it in one’s “mama loshen”—in this case, English—can trigger a new depth of thought that comes from the subtleties of a finer understanding. Everyone at every level can gain from this exceptional work.

In any translation, one must strike a balance between literal translation and flowing readability at the expense of accuracy. This is a difficult challenge—especially so regarding the book of Iyov and its commentaries—but the translators succeeded to an impressive degree. All that is left is for the reader to take advantage of this outstanding work.

Brand Name Publishing, under the direction of Rabbi Hershel and Suri Brand, has once again lived up to the high standards that has come to be expected of them.

To order online click here.

“Children, I forbid you to enter the ghetto! Those trapped in the ghetto will be transported to the Place of No Return…You must pack your most vital belongings immediately…and flee for your lives!”

With his father’s final plea ringing in his ears, young Pinchos Yeshaya Kornbluh said goodbye to his days as a serious and diligent bachur in yeshivah, and began his escape flight, always attempting to keep one step ahead of the Nazis…

Yes, it’s the Three Weeks, and with thoughts of the Churban painting all of our everyday interactions in somber tones, which type of reading would be more appropriate than a Holocaust book?

And Tatteh said, “Run!” is a Holocaust book that you will not be able to put down—guaranteed!

Originally written in Yiddish, and then translated to Hebrew, this book has been a bestseller for years. Now it has been translated to English, and is bound to take up residence on the bookshelves of all English-speaking book-lovers out there.

In this book, you will read about the long chain of hardships and miracles experienced by Pinchos Yeshaya, the split-second decisions, whose outcomes often spelled life or death, that were his constant companions. Yet from his time in the Hungarian army, where the commander of his battalion, noting the youngster’s daring spirit and leadership qualities, soon put him in charge—even submitting to the boy’s decisions himself—through the misery of the Gunskirchen concentration camp, from where he was eventually liberated, Pinchos Yeshaya persevered. He learned to look danger right in the eye, to keep his cool and outsmart even the wiliest of German guards, armed only with his pure faith, his zeal to keep as many mitzvos as possible, and his determination to stay alive.

Just as Tatteh had mandated.

…sounds like a fiction book, doesn’t it? But it’s not. It’s a true story, the story of Pinchos Yeshaya Kornbluh, and, in a sense, the story of our entire nation…

So read more about it—discover what Tatteh said, “Run!” is all about!

Click here to purchase online.