Hihurim has announced the publication of a book that blog owner and publisher of Yashar Books, Rabbi Gil student did not publish. It is a Yom Kippur Machzor, with a complete commentary by Rabbi Joseph B. Solovetchik adapted from his teachings and edited by Dr. Arnold Lustiger. It was noted in the post that this volume was published by the internationally famous publishing house, K'hal.
That’s right K'hal, you know… the famous publishers of… Yep! This is their only publication. So, what’s my problem?
I don't know. Maybe it is my basically cynical nature, but the first thing that occurred to me upon seeing the picture of the book in Rabbi Student’s blog was how strikingly similar to Artscroll the cover looked and that it wasn’t Artscroll that published it. The fact is, I believe that Artscroll (or more accurately Mesorah Publications) would have never published it.
Although Artscroll has mentioned a few comments by Rav Soloveitchik in its commentary section of the Stone Chumash, that is about as far as they would are willing to go it seems to even acknowledge his existence. I cannot prove my assertions about this but I would be willing to bet money that if this were presented to Artscroll they would have rejected it. In no way can they be seen to endorse a man that the Moetzes of Agudah had problems with as was clearly demonstrated by their obituary in the Agudah mouthpiece, The Jewish Observer.
You know... it is really sad that a successful enterprise like Artscroll has to cater to this mentality. Just think how great it would have been had Artscroll been the one to publish it. Think of the unity that might have generated.
