It was a pleasure to read the article on the completion on the Steinsaltz Talmud (“The Longest Translation,” Nov. 5). I have used these volumes at the Daf Hayomi classes that I attend for almost two decades. The class takes place in the Agudath Israel of Belle Harbor, Queens, and those who lead the class have always been interested in Rabbi Steinsaltz’s approach.
As he wrote in the introduction to Sanhedrin, now that Jews have a state, there is a need to reacquaint ourselves with the Torah’s perspective on how to administer justice. Therefore, the first volume to be published was Sanhedrin (1974) followed by the first volume of Brachot.
One minor correction regarding your article: the tractate, Ta’anit, was published in 1983. It cannot be the last volume in the series to be completed.
May Rabbi Steinsaltz go from strength to strength.
International Synagogue
Editor’s note: The final tractate of the Steinsaltz Talmud is Chulin.
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