Kehot Releases The Art of Giving

Kehot Publication Society has just released The Art of Giving, a discourse on tzedakah, as part of the acclaimed Chasidic Heritage Series.

Delivered by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, third Lubavitcher Rebbe, this discourse opens with the Talmudic statement, “Each and every coin [of tzedakah] adds up to a large sum.”

At the heart of the discourse is the question: What is the ideal way to give to tzedakah? Specifically, is it best to give whatever we can at any given time regardless of the amount or should we postpone our giving until such time as we can afford to make a more sizable contribution. In the process the Rebbe touches on various Talmudic dictums and kabalistic insights and formulas as brought together through the inspired teachings of Chasidus.

The discourse was translated by Rabbi Shmuel Simpson and edited by Rabbi Avraham D. Vaisfiche. The introduction and summary is by Rabbi Ari Sollish.

As has become the hallmark of the Chasidic Heritage Series, the presentation of this 150 year-old discourse has been thoughtfully prepared to facilitate the modern reader’s thorough comprehension without assuming much prior knowledge, with a user-friendly translation.

“The value of the these discourses,” says Rabbi Yosef B. Friedman of Kehot, “is that they are not adaptations but true translations, and thus retain the flow and grandeur of lashon harav, the ‘voice’ and ‘language’ of the Rebbe.”

The book features an extensive introduction, a vowelized Hebrew text, captions for easy reference, footnotes that explain obscure concepts and source references for further study, an index and bibliography. An appendix to the text presents two fascinating charts that map out the kabalistic permutations of the Hebrew Alphabet’s numeric values and their spiritual levels.

The discourse was dedicated by the Ben-Oni family in memory of the late shluchim: CHS co-founder Rabbi Shaya Gansbourg and Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz.

The Art of Giving is available online.

An excerpt from the book is presented below. Click on the images to enlarge.

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4 Comments

  • Amazing!

    Thank you Kehot guys.
    Keep up your great work!
    Suggestion to all: like Kehot Publication Society on FB. They sometimes raffle off a book.

  • Tzemach Tzedek

    Why is this painting of the Tzemach Tzedek used ?
    The original one is so much better!
    Note the way the coat is here, left to right?

  • proud of...

    as always Rabbi Shmuel Simpson has done another great job in translating the Mamer

  • friend

    Rabbi Shmuel, once again, great clear and accurate translation! Looking forward to more, yasher koach.