Chabad-Lubavitch Publishing Arm Releases New Translations of Landmark Discourses

The publishing arm of Chabad-Lubavitch released two new additions to its groundbreaking collection of translations of fundamental Chasidic discourses. One of them represents the first time any part of a lengthy and watershed treatise delivered by the Fifth Lubavitch Rebbe between 1905 and 1908 has been published in English.

The newest offering, entitled The Simple Servant, joins the Kehot Publication Society's Chasidic Heritage Series as its 21st volume.

Translated by Rabbi Yosef Marcus, co-director of North Peninsula Chabad in S. Mateo, Calif., the book provides an easy-to-read text alongside the Hebrew original authored by the Fifth Rebbe, Rabbi Shalom DovBer Schneersohn, known as the Rashab.

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Known in Hebrew as Umikneh Rav 5666, the discourse takes its name from a verse in the Torah describing the actions of the Israelite tribes Reuven and Gad in joining the war to conquer the land of Canaan. Part of a series of 61 discourses delivered in the Hebrew year 5666 by the Rashab, Umikneh Rav discusses three approaches to one's Divine service: the child of G-d, whose commitment to carrying out G-d's will comes naturally; the loyal servant of G-d, who derives pleasure and joy from doing G-d's will; and the simple servant of G-d, who is driven solely by accepting the yoke of heaven, not an overwhelming love for G-d.

The Rashab asserts in the discourse that the service of the simple servant is the most complete, because he has no other identity outside of being a servant of G-d.

Besides the translation, the 104-page edition features a wealth of scholarly footnotes that explain loftier mystical concepts and references.

The Majestic Bride, the other addition to the Chasidic Heritage Series released this month, presents translations of two discourses focusing on the spiritual underpinnings of a Jewish wedding. Both are entitled Lecha Dodi in Hebrew, taking their name from a song in the Kabbalat Shabbat prayers.

The Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory, delivered the first discourse in 1928 at the wedding of his daughter, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka to the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory.

On the occasion of his wedding anniversary 25 years later, the Rebbe delivered the second discourse as an exposition of the first. To this day, many Chabad-Lubavitch Chasidim recite the discourses at their wedding celebrations.

Translated and annotated by Rabbis Ari Solish and Avraham D. Vaisfische, The Majestic Bride contains 116 pages of translation alongside the original Hebrew, with scholarly footnotes appearing throughout.

To order the volumes, visit the Web site of the Kehot Publication Society by clicking here.