Hebrew text with Russian translation and classical commentary
Commentary by Dr. J. Hertz, Chief Rabbi of the British Empire (1872-1946).
Publisher: Gesharim.
 
Ask any English-speaking Jew from a religious family in the synagogue, and he will tell you, "Oh yes, I grew up with this book."
What is the secret of such success?
The erudition of the author, the breadth of views, the ability to explain concepts, situations, the nature of people with the utmost clarity.
Each book is followed by articles on the main topics. So, for example, after the book of Bereishit, there are articles that contain a comparative analysis of the Torah's ideas about the process of creation and other peoples of the world. The concept of God, His names. In these articles, the author often explains a concept using historical examples.
Brief comments also accompany the texts of the prophets, which are read on Saturday every week after reading from the Torah scroll an excerpt from the weekly chapter.
 
In agreement with the editor Gesharim, the text was not only translated, but also processed.
Rav Hertz worked very quickly and a whole series of articles required streamlining and editing. Short biographies of the prophets were added before each Gaphtora. And much more.
The book went through several editions and sold over 80,000 copies.
 
"Sonchino": A family of Italian publishers, Ashkenazi Jews, from the city of Soncino in the Duchy of Milan. In 1483, the first work was published. The editions of the Soncino family, although not the first in time, surpassed others in the perfection of printing and careful proofreading. The first Torah in Hebrew was published. In our time, books on the Torah, published in this printing house, are called "Sonchino." "Khumash Soncino" with comments by Rav Hertz is very popular. The edition with a translation into Russian was sold in the amount of eighty thousand copies.
 
About the author of the commentary: The commentary was written by the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire with the aim of bringing closer the Jews who departed from the Torah after the catastrophe during the Second World War. Josef Hertz was born in Rebryn, Hungary (now Slovakia) in 1872, at the age of 12, he emigrated to New York. He studied at New York City College (Bachelor of Arts), at Columbia University and at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (the first graduation and rabbi's death in 1894). In 1913, Hertz was appointed Chief Rabbi of the United Jewish Communities of the British Empire. Post of chief rabbi Hertz held until his death in 1946. It was said of him that he preferred to resolve differences through calm dialogue after all other means had been exhausted. Hertz was not a universally recognized rabbinical authority. The Fellowship of the Jewish Communities of the British Empire, which he led, was considered by some of the new ultra-Orthodox immigrants to be insufficiently Orthodox. Trust in the ultra-orthodox environment, Hertz managed to achieve after he persuaded R. Yehezel of Abram to lead the London beit din.R. Hertz was an active supporter of religious Zionism in the 1920s and 30s, when most prominent Jewish figures opposed the idea of settling Israel, fearing that they would be accused of dual loyalty.R. Hertz also strongly opposed Reform and liberal Judaism, without, however, reaching personal enmity. His commentaries on the Pentateuch can be found on the shelves in most synagogues and Jewish homes both in Britain and around the world. In 1942, together with the Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple, he founded the Council of Christians and Jews to Combat Anti-Semitism. His great-granddaughter is the writer Norina Hertz.