Nosson Scherman
Encyclopedia
Nosson Scherman born 1935, Newark, New Jersey
) is an American
Haredi rabbi
best known as the general editor of ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications
.
as a dormitory student at the age of about 10. Afterwards, he studied in Beth Medrash Elyon
in Spring Valley, New York
. He later was a rebbi for about eight years at Torah VoDaas of Flatbush, later known as Yeshiva Torah Temimah
. Afterwards, he was a principal at Yeshiva Karlin Stolin of Boro Park
for six years.
During his tenure as principal, he was recommended to Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz
, director of a high-end graphics studio in New York named ArtScroll Studios, as someone who could write copy, and they collaborated on a few projects of brochures and journals.
In late 1975, a close friend of Zlotowitz, Rabbi Meir Fogel, died in his sleep, prompting Zlotowitz to want to do something to honor his memory. As Purim
was a few months away, he decided to write an English
translation and commentary on the Book of Esther
, and asked Scherman to write the introduction. The book was completed in honor of the shloshim (the 30-day commemoration of a death) and sold out its first edition of 20,000 copies within two months. With the encouragement of Rabbi Moses Feinstein, Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky
, and other Gedolei Yisrael, the two continued producing commentaries, beginning with a translation and commentary on the rest of the Five Megillot (Song of Songs
, Ecclesiastes
, Lamentations
and Ruth
), and went on to publish translations and commentaries on the Torah
, Prophets
, Talmud
, Passover Haggadah, siddur
s and machzors. The name ArtScroll was chosen for the publishing company to emphasize the visual appeal of the books.
In its first 25 years, ArtScroll
produced more than 700 books, including novel
s, history books, children's books and secular textbooks, and is now one of the largest publishers of Jewish books in the United States.
, Stone
Chumash, Tanakh
, Siddur
, and Machzor series. They co-authored Megillas Esther: Illustrated Youth Edition (1988), a pocket-size Mincha/Maariv prayerbook (1991), and Selichos: First Night (1992). They have also produced a host of titles on which Scherman is author and Zlotowitz is editor.
Scherman contributed translations and commentaries for ArtScroll's Stone
Chumash, the ArtScroll Siddur
im and Machzorim, and the Stone Tanach. He served as general editor of the 73-volume translation Schottenstein
edition of the Talmud
from 1990 until 2005.
Scherman attributes his strong English language skills to the stronger general-studies departments that yeshivos had when he was a student, and his correspondence with two out-of-town high school classmates, Mendel Weinbach
and Nisson Wolpin. He has said: "During the summers we used to write letters. Does anyone correspond today? We wrote to each other – that helped. We tried to outdo each other; we were big-shot teenagers. The only way to learn how to write is to write."
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Haredi 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...
best known as the general editor of ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications
ArtScroll
ArtScroll is an imprint of translations, books and commentaries from an Orthodox Jewish perspective published by Mesorah Publications, Ltd., a publishing company based in Brooklyn, New York...
.
Biography
Scherman began his studies in public school and went to Yeshiva Torah VodaasYeshiva Torah Vodaas
Yeshiva Torah Vodaas is a yeshiva located in the Kensington neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.- History :...
as a dormitory student at the age of about 10. Afterwards, he studied in Beth Medrash Elyon
Beth Medrash Elyon
Beth Medrash Elyon is a yeshiva in Spring Valley, New York. It was considered one of the elite yeshivas during the 1950s and 1960s. It closed in the 1960s due to disagreements among the leaders of the yeshiva. Its Roshei Yeshiva have included Rabbis Reuven Grozovsky, Gedalia Schorr, and Yaacov...
in Spring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, incorporated on July 9, 1902 is a village spanning the Town of Ramapo and Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Nanuet; east of Airmont and Monsey; south of Hillcrest and west of West Nyack...
. He later was a rebbi for about eight years at Torah VoDaas of Flatbush, later known as Yeshiva Torah Temimah
Yeshiva Torah Temimah
Yeshiva Torah Temimah is an Orthodox yeshiva with branches in Brooklyn, New York and Lakewood, New Jersey that was founded and is run by Rabbi Lipa Margulies...
. Afterwards, he was a principal at Yeshiva Karlin Stolin of Boro Park
Borough Park, Brooklyn
Borough Park , is a neighborhood in the southwestern part of the borough of Brooklyn, in New York City in the United States....
for six years.
During his tenure as principal, he was recommended to Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz
Meir Zlotowitz
Meir Zlotowitz is an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, author, and founder of ArtScroll Publications.-Biography:Zlotowitz was a talmid of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein at Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem....
, director of a high-end graphics studio in New York named ArtScroll Studios, as someone who could write copy, and they collaborated on a few projects of brochures and journals.
In late 1975, a close friend of Zlotowitz, Rabbi Meir Fogel, died in his sleep, prompting Zlotowitz to want to do something to honor his memory. As Purim
Purim
Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from destruction in the wake of a plot by Haman, a story recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther .Purim is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th...
was a few months away, he decided to write an English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation and commentary on the Book of Esther
Book of Esther
The Book of Esther is a book in the Ketuvim , the third section of the Jewish Tanakh and is part of the Christian Old Testament. The Book of Esther or the Megillah is the basis for the Jewish celebration of Purim...
, and asked Scherman to write the introduction. The book was completed in honor of the shloshim (the 30-day commemoration of a death) and sold out its first edition of 20,000 copies within two months. With the encouragement of Rabbi Moses Feinstein, Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky
Yaakov Kamenetsky
Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky , was a prominent rosh yeshiva, posek and Talmudist in the post-World War II American Jewish community....
, and other Gedolei Yisrael, the two continued producing commentaries, beginning with a translation and commentary on the rest of the Five Megillot (Song of Songs
Song of songs
Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon, is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. It may also refer to:In music:* Song of songs , the debut album by David and the Giants* A generic term for medleysPlays...
, Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes
The Book of Ecclesiastes, called , is a book of the Hebrew Bible. The English name derives from the Greek translation of the Hebrew title.The main speaker in the book, identified by the name or title Qoheleth , introduces himself as "son of David, king in Jerusalem." The work consists of personal...
, Lamentations
Book of Lamentations
The Book of Lamentations ) is a poetic book of the Hebrew Bible composed by the Jewish prophet Jeremiah. It mourns the destruction of Jerusalem and the Holy Temple in the 6th Century BCE....
and Ruth
Book of Ruth
The Book of Ruth is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible, Tanakh, or Old Testament. In the Jewish canon the Book of Ruth is included in the third division, or the Writings . In the Christian canon the Book of Ruth is placed between Judges and 1 Samuel...
), and went on to publish translations and commentaries on the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
, Prophets
Nevi'im
Nevi'im is the second of the three major sections in the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh. It falls between the Torah and Ketuvim .Nevi'im is traditionally divided into two parts:...
, Talmud
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....
, Passover Haggadah, siddur
Siddur
A siddur is a Jewish prayer book, containing a set order of daily prayers. This article discusses how some of these prayers evolved, and how the siddur, as it is known today has developed...
s and machzors. The name ArtScroll was chosen for the publishing company to emphasize the visual appeal of the books.
In its first 25 years, ArtScroll
ArtScroll
ArtScroll is an imprint of translations, books and commentaries from an Orthodox Jewish perspective published by Mesorah Publications, Ltd., a publishing company based in Brooklyn, New York...
produced more than 700 books, including novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s, history books, children's books and secular textbooks, and is now one of the largest publishers of Jewish books in the United States.
Selected bibliography
Zlotowitz and Scherman are the general editors of ArtScroll's TalmudTalmud
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....
, Stone
Irving I. Stone
Irving I. Stone was an American philanthropist, businessman, and founder-chairman of American Greetings, which was founded by his father Jacob Sapirstein....
Chumash, Tanakh
Tanakh
The Tanakh is a name used in Judaism for the canon of the Hebrew Bible. The Tanakh is also known as the Masoretic Text or the Miqra. The name is an acronym formed from the initial Hebrew letters of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: The Torah , Nevi'im and Ketuvim —hence...
, Siddur
Siddur
A siddur is a Jewish prayer book, containing a set order of daily prayers. This article discusses how some of these prayers evolved, and how the siddur, as it is known today has developed...
, and Machzor series. They co-authored Megillas Esther: Illustrated Youth Edition (1988), a pocket-size Mincha/Maariv prayerbook (1991), and Selichos: First Night (1992). They have also produced a host of titles on which Scherman is author and Zlotowitz is editor.
Scherman contributed translations and commentaries for ArtScroll's Stone
Irving I. Stone
Irving I. Stone was an American philanthropist, businessman, and founder-chairman of American Greetings, which was founded by his father Jacob Sapirstein....
Chumash, the ArtScroll Siddur
Siddur
A siddur is a Jewish prayer book, containing a set order of daily prayers. This article discusses how some of these prayers evolved, and how the siddur, as it is known today has developed...
im and Machzorim, and the Stone Tanach. He served as general editor of the 73-volume translation Schottenstein
Schottenstein
Schottenstein is surname of:* Schottenstein's, founded in 1917 by Ephraim Schottenstein* Jay Schottenstein , an entrepreneur from Columbus, Ohio; son of Jerome* Jerome Schottenstein , Jewish American entrepreneur and philanthropist...
edition of the Talmud
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....
from 1990 until 2005.
Scherman attributes his strong English language skills to the stronger general-studies departments that yeshivos had when he was a student, and his correspondence with two out-of-town high school classmates, Mendel Weinbach
Mendel Weinbach
Mendel Weinbach is an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and one of the fathers of the modern-day baal teshuva movement in his capacity as co-founder and dean of Ohr Somayach Institutions, a Jerusalem-based educational network for young, non-Hasidic Jewish men...
and Nisson Wolpin. He has said: "During the summers we used to write letters. Does anyone correspond today? We wrote to each other – that helped. We tried to outdo each other; we were big-shot teenagers. The only way to learn how to write is to write."