Kehot Publication Society
Encyclopedia
Kehot Publication Society and Merkos Publications, the publishing divisions of the Chabad-Lubavitch
movement, were established in 1942 by the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe
, Rabbi
Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn. Under the leadership of his successor, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
, Kehot claims it has become the world's largest publisher of Jewish literature, with more than 100,000,000 volumes printed to date in Hebrew, Yiddish, English, Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, German, Persian and Arabic.
The name Kehot is an acronym for Karnei Hod Torah ("the rays of the Torah's glory"), and the three Hebrew letters feature in the publishing house's logo. The letters also refer to the Hebrew year, תק"ה, in which the founder of Chabad, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, was born.
In its early years there was a shortage in the USA of basic Jewish books, such as Mishnayot
and Gemarot
, so Kehot published these works. As other publishers began to make such works available, Kehot withdrew from the field, and concentrated on its core mission, which is to publish the teachings of Chabad Chassidus. With some exceptions, such as Rabbi Chaim Hezekiah Medini
's Sedei Chemed, Rabbi Nissan Telushkin's "Taharas Mayim" it no longer publishes works unrelated to Chabad Chassidus.
Kehot has started to host an annual book-a-thon with the purpose of promoting Jewish literacy as well as helping to build Jewish libraries.
Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...
movement, were established in 1942 by the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe
Rebbe
Rebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the Hebrew word Rabbi. It often refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...
, Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn. Under the leadership of his successor, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
Menachem Mendel Schneerson
Menachem Mendel Schneerson , known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe or just the Rebbe among his followers, was a prominent Hasidic rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. He was fifth in a direct paternal line to the third Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, Menachem Mendel...
, Kehot claims it has become the world's largest publisher of Jewish literature, with more than 100,000,000 volumes printed to date in Hebrew, Yiddish, English, Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, German, Persian and Arabic.
The name Kehot is an acronym for Karnei Hod Torah ("the rays of the Torah's glory"), and the three Hebrew letters feature in the publishing house's logo. The letters also refer to the Hebrew year, תק"ה, in which the founder of Chabad, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, was born.
In its early years there was a shortage in the USA of basic Jewish books, such as Mishnayot
Mishnah
The Mishnah or Mishna is the first major written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions called the "Oral Torah". It is also the first major work of Rabbinic Judaism. It was redacted c...
and Gemarot
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, so Kehot published these works. As other publishers began to make such works available, Kehot withdrew from the field, and concentrated on its core mission, which is to publish the teachings of Chabad Chassidus. With some exceptions, such as Rabbi Chaim Hezekiah Medini
Chaim Hezekiah Medini
Chaim Hezekiah Medini, , also known by the title of his chief halakhic work, Sdei Chemed- was a rabbinical scholar during the nineteenth century. His name was originally Hezekiah, Chaim, "life", was added during a period of serious illness...
's Sedei Chemed, Rabbi Nissan Telushkin's "Taharas Mayim" it no longer publishes works unrelated to Chabad Chassidus.
Kehot has started to host an annual book-a-thon with the purpose of promoting Jewish literacy as well as helping to build Jewish libraries.