A festive event at the residence of Israeli President Isaac Herzog marked the completion of the French translation of all volumes of the Babylonian Talmud in the commentary of Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz, of blessed memory. The project was supported by the Patrick and Lina Drahi Foundation, led by Amalia Zarka.
Rabbi Meni Even-Israel, Steinsaltz’s son and president of Steinsaltz institutions in Israel, told Srugim that the family connection to France is especially meaningful. “French is the third most spoken language in the world and is considered the language of intellectuals,” he said, adding, “On a personal level, France is also the birthplace of my mother, of blessed memory.”
The date chosen for the celebration, 9 Tammuz, also marked 782 years since the 1242 burning of the Talmud in Paris, when thousands of volumes were destroyed on the orders of King Louis IX. Organizers said the launch of the Steinsaltz Babylonian Talmud in French on that day stands as a response to persecution and antisemitism throughout history.
In the interview, Even-Israel described the process of translating his father’s life work and the distinctive method behind the commentary, which aimed to bring the Talmudic discussion and its sages to life. “Father saw Abaye and Rava alive in his mind’s eye,” he said. He also revealed the next major project, translating Steinsaltz’s books on Hasidism into English and additional languages.
