Category: New Releases

Pandemics. Looting. Tragedies, both personal and communal. And the imploding of many parnassah opportunities — and so many dreams for the future.

Tough times.                                                  

Tough times call for tough measures. Measures like ramping up our tefillos. Like performing sensitive and effective acts of chesed. Like looking out for everyone who lives alone, who needs food or just a listening ear.

And deepening our faith in Hashem’s goodness, so we can respond to challenges the way our people have always responded — with emunah.

With more than 200,000 copies in print, the Living Emunah series has transformed so many of our lives. Now, as we struggle to deal with new and frightening challenges, ArtScroll has just released Living Emunah 5. With its stories of emunah, its Torah insights, and its clear, practical suggestions, Living Emunah 5 gently shows us how to move our faith from our minds to our hearts — and to our everyday lives.

This volume was written in the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic. In a special section on the pandemic, Living Emunah author Rabbi David Ashear shows us how the power of emunah can support and guide us, even in the dark times when we feel utterly powerless.

Serenity, tranquility, hope: All things are possible, when we face them with “living” emunah.

Order your copy today on artscroll.com!

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Rabbi Nachman Seltzer offers fast-paced inspiration in Our Man in Jerusalem, his new book that readers are beginning to call “The new Incredible.”

Renowned as the “Ish Yerushalayim,” the “Man of Jerusalem,” Rabbi Yisroel Gellis, the subject of the book, is also a journalist, radio broadcaster, and historian — and a tenth-generation Yerushalmi who knows the Holy City like few people on this earth. He is a man who loves adventure, rappelling into deep caves to discover their dusty secrets, dodging Jordanian bullets during the Six-Day War, jumping into the choppy Mediterranean waters (and falling in!) to broadcast his radio show. Israel’s Mossad needs someone to smuggle hundreds of Sifrei Torah out of war-torn Iraq? Yisroel Gellis is part of the team. When an Arab who discovers his mother was Jewish wants to rebury her in a Jewish cemetery, whom does he call for help? Yisroel Gellis, of course!

Bestselling author Rabbi Nachman Seltzer combines his brilliant storytelling talents with Rabbi Gellis’s unusual and exciting life and immense knowledge of all things Yerushalmi to give us a book as unexpected and multifaceted as Yerushalayim itself.

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AS: The Pnei Menachem, does not follow a chronological timeline. Can you tell us about the format you chose and why you decided to write it this way?

RAB: I wanted readers to connect with the Pnei Menachem and his unique character traits before reading details about his life. Once readers connect with his unique personality through stories about his sensitivity, his exceptional intuitiveness, and his towering greatness in Torah and kedushah, I knew they would also be interested in learning about his life. That is why I included the short biographical section at the end.

AS: How did you go about choosing the stories and photos for the book?

RAB: This was a difficult task. I had enough material for several books. I left out many amazing stories about the Pnei Menachem’s bein adam l’Makom. We decided that most readers would better connect with bein adam l’chaveiro areas of his persona. I have a dream of writing another volume with a greater emphasis on his inner avodas Hashem as well. I was greatly helped by “Hotzaas Pnei Menachem,” a wonderful organization that gathered material and pictures about him.

AS: Can you tell us which story in the book touched you most?

RAB: There are so many! Some literally brought me to tears. His deep understanding of the feelings of widows, orphans, older singles and special children moved me. Here is one of my favorites: On Simchas Torah, with great love, the Rebbe would extend his hand and kiss each Sefer Torah as it passed. As this was happening, the Rebbe noticed a special child standing not far from him. He walked over and touched the child, kissing him in the same way he had just kissed the Sifrei Torah. ‘He too is a Sefer Torah!” the Rebbe exclaimed.

AS: The Pnei Menachem was born to greatness. What message do you think his life has for us “ordinary” people?

RAB: Everything! True, he was born to greatness but didn’t live with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. As a child, his life was upended by the Holocaust. He suffered much during those years. For a while he lived in abject poverty. He had tremendous challenges in his personal life, including the birth and eventual death of a special needs child and the tragic accident that killed his 27-year-old son. How he dealt with adversity and how he remained exceedingly humble despite his “royal” pedigree, is deeply instructive for all.

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Mrs. M. Kenan’s previous books, The Betrayal, The Outcast, and The Dark Secrets, have earned her thousands of fans. Wildlands, her newly released epic novel, is sure to delight her old fans and will bring her many new ones as well.

Wildlands is one big and juicy read: 570 pages of breathtaking excitement and adventure set in a fascinating place and time. In a Kenan novel we know we will find multifaceted characters, nuanced and subtle social commentary, and a dazzling plot full of twists and turns and surprises. In Wildlands, we get all that — and more!

Wildlands resembles Mrs. Kenan’s other novels in quality, but there is one huge difference — in this new, absorbing novel, we leave the mythical land of Khazar, with its princely battles and betrayals, for two real-life places — America’s 19th-century Wild West, and Tsarist Russia. Instead of reading about King Istrak and his long-lost son Mehalalel, we will be following the adventures of mysterious Russian aristocrats, suffering Jewish cantonists, and gun-toting Americans facing danger in America’s rugged plains.

Is Pyotor Tropimovitz Barnov an expatriate Russian aristocrat, searching for adventure in America’s Wild West? Or is he a socialist on the run from Tsarist forces? An apostate Jew? A faithful follower of Torah? And why is his life inextricably tied to the fate of Chaim Gedaliah Kagan, a young Jew mistakenly conscripted into the Tsar’s brutal army?

No one knows. All that is certain is that Barnov is an expert marksman, a man of courage who leaps into the fires of a burning railroad car to save something precious, and who stares down outlaws bent on his destruction.

Wildlands is a hard novel to define. It’s a mystery. And a thriller. And a dramatic work of historical fiction. Most of all, it’s a compelling and thought-provoking story that keeps us enthralled right through Barnov’s final shocking adventure.

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The Power of Tranquility shows us how to achieve peace of mind and spirit, explaining basic concepts in a way that is easy to read and understand, with many stories and examples. ArtScroll spoke with Rabbi Meyer Yedid about this important new work.

AS:  Why did you choose to focus on this topic?

RMY: When we enjoy peace of mind, we are able to make the decisions needed to live a successful life. With peace of mind, we have the power to overcome life’s challenges, and we can tap into our wisdom to navigate the often-complicated maze of this world. In addition, peace of mind and serenity of the soul are the most important factors for happiness. The great Mashgiach, Rav Shlomo Wolbe, writes in Alei Shur that the goal of all personal spiritual practice is to be at peace with yourself, with your environment, and with Hashem.

AS: You discuss the importance of discovering our own identities, rather than just reflecting other people’s expectations. What are some techniques that can help on a journey to self-discovery?

RMY: When we fill our days with values such as wisdom, kindness, prayer, good deeds, and spiritual growth, we will realize our own value. The more value we add to ourselves and our days, the less other people’s expectations will matter to us. It’s also important to know that each person is unique and was given specific tools for his or her own special mission in life.

AS: What is the power of “talking” to Hashem?

RMY: We should “talk to Hashem” not only during the three daily prayers. Talking is essential to build any meaningful relationship, and living with a relationship to the Creator is the highest pleasure in life.

AS: In these difficult days, how can we still find tranquility and peace of mind?

RMY: Difficult days can bring a person to a state of confusion and panic. In such situations, people lose access to their wisdom, which causes them to make very poor decisions that can cause serious damage. The ability to find tranquility in such times is critical. A person can achieve tranquility if he has learned and understood the foundations that it is built on. To help us understand those foundations — that is the goal of this sefer.

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Rav Chaim Kanievsky shlita is the “Sar HaTorah,” the gadol ha’dor whose simple home is a magnet drawing all of Klal Yisrael to him. From the four corners of the earth they come, for advice, berachos, Torah insights, or just for the opportunity to gaze at a face that radiates kedushah.

But those who can’t travel to that small and holy home on Rechov Rashbam can still bask in Rav Chaim’s presence and learn from his wisdom, his customs, and his life experiences. They can bring a touch of Rav Chaim to their Shabbos table – through The Rosedale and Wilheim Families Edition – Rav Chaim Kanievsky on Chumash.

The recently-released first volume, on Sefer Bereishis, was hailed by thousands of readers as an instant classic. Now, as we follow Bnei Yisrael through their slavery and liberation in Egypt during the weekly Torah readings, we can enhance our understanding of Sefer Shemos with Rav Chaim Kanievsky on Chumash, Volume 2, Sefer Shemos.

Rabbi Shai Graucher, who compiled Rav Chaim Kanievsky on Chumash, is a frequent and welcome visitor to Rav Chaim and a close friend of the Kanievsky family. He pored through all of Rav Chaim’s many Torah writings, learned with him, and collected his insights and comments on the Chumash. He has been privileged to hear many true stories directly from Rav Chaim and his family and these, too, are included. Everything has been adapted and translated for maximum readability and clarity.

In these pages, we will be fascinated by Rav Chaim’s minhagim and practices. We will be inspired by his compassion and care for others. And we will enjoy Rav Chaim’s Torah insights.  He has a way of taking puzzling maamarei Chazal and making them crystal clear – and a delight to share with family and guests.

And the stories! Oh, those stories, of his beloved wife, Rebbetzin Batsheva Kanievsky a’h, and the others in his illustrious family – his father, the Steipler; his uncle, the Chazon Ish; his father-in-law, Rav Elyashiv, zecher tzaddikim livrachah – and, of course of Rav Chaim himself.

As we read through Rav Chaim Kanievsky on Chumash, we can almost hear the voice of this incomparable gadol b’Yisrael, in his Torah insights, his guidance in all matters large and small, and in his warm and personal stories of his family.

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ArtScroll is proud to announce the publication of the Schottenstein Edition Ein Yaakov, Maseches Berachos Volume 1 (Chapters 1 – 4), which will bring our understanding of the Talmud’s Aggadah to a whole new level.

Sefer Ein Yaakov is the classic collection of the Aggadic material found in Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi. Aggadah, the non-legal portion of Gemara, is so rich in meaning, so vivid, so full of the teachings that define us as Jews — and, sometimes, so hard to understand. Aggadah is a treasure house of stories, parables, fundamental Jewish beliefs, ethical teachings, and life lessons. The Schottenstein Edition Ein Yaakov gives us the keys we need to unlock those treasures and make them a part of our own lives. 

Designed to enhance our understanding of Aggadah and allow us to apply its many lessons and insights into our own world and its challenges, this volume is written in a narrative style, with an emphasis on maximum readability. There is a wealth of information in the notes, based on the primary commentaries on Ein Yaakov and other sources. The “Insights” section brings out the many lessons and principles that are relevant in our daily lives, drawn from commentaries ranging from the Rishonim to the masters of Chassidus and Mussar.

Another valuable feature: This edition includes the complete Mesoras HaShas edition of Sefer Ein Yaakov, including the classic commentaries, all newly typeset.

For those who study Gemara regularly, and particularly for those who will be following the new Daf Yomi cycle, the series offers a unique resource. Each volume includes copies of the classic Vilna page of Gemara, for the pages whose text is covered in Ein Yaakov. The Ein Yaakov text is highlighted on the Gemara page, making it easy for those studying the daf to access the many insights, notes, and references in the Schottenstein Edition Ein Yaakov.

An “Additional References” section offers many different sources, with short descriptions of which points are discussed, so that the reader can decide which he wishes to explore further.

This exciting new project is designed for scholars and laymen, kollel members and seminary students, talmidei chachamim and the newly observant; indeed, the Schottenstein Edition Ein Yaakov is designed for anyone who wants to access the infinite treasures of Aggadah.

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ArtScroll has just released Rav Chaim on Chumash (volume one – Sefer Bereishis), by Rabbi Shai Graucher – a collection of Rav Chaim Kanievsky’s writings on Chumash, together with stories about Rav Chaim and his illustrious family. We spoke with Rabbi Graucher about this exciting new project:

AS: How did you go about compiling Rav Chaim on Chumash?

RSG: After I saw the incredibly positive response to Rav Chaim’s sefer, Orchos Yosher, which ArtScroll published in English, and which included Maran’s Torah together with stories,  it was only natural to move on  to my next dream: a  sefer of Rav Chaim’s Torah – and stories — on Chumash.

I went through dozens of Rav Chaim’s sefarim, and, of course, his monumental sefer on the Torah, Taama D’Kra. Together with a team of talmidei chachamim, I began the process of choosing what should be included. Then came the editing, translating, and polishing, until we were satisfied that this will be a classic that will grace every Shabbos table.

AS: Tell us a little about your relationship with Rav Chaim.

RSG: My connection with Rav Chaim began when I was quite young. I still remember the first time I came to him for a berachah. He lifted his piercing eyes from the Gemara and stared directly at me, and I could feel my little boy’s neshamah start to tremble. I remember his words so clearly: “If you want to learn – you will learn,” followed by his berachah: “You should grow up to be a talmid chacham.” I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything that touched me so deeply. Those words of his became my guiding light:  “If you want to learn – you will learn.” Baruch Hashem, after I married I created a close relationship with him. I took every opportunity to visit him. All through Elul I traveled every day from Yerushalayim to Bnei Brak for vasikin davening with him; during Selichos I would arrive an hour earlier.

AS: How did Rav Chaim react when you brought him the sefer?

RSG: He expressed satisfaction from the “zikui ha’rabim” – those were his words.  I made a “Shehecheyanu” on the sefer, we drank a l’chaim, and he gave me a berachah that I should merit to publish sefarim on all of Shas. With one dream fulfilled, I’ll be working on finishing the rest of this project and then – with the help of Hashem and Rav Chaim’s merit – there’s so much more to do!

Get your copy today on artscroll.com!