Koren Publishers has released The Koren Shalem Humash by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, featuring his complete English translation and commentary on the Five Books of the Torah, alongside the classical voices of Rashi and Targum Onkelos.

The volume represents more than forty years of Rabbi Sacks’ scholarship and teaching, with the work being described as “his greatest work” and magnum opus. The release comes as Rosh Hashanah approaches later this month, with the restarting of the cycle of reading the weekly Torah portion a few weeks later. Thousands of copies have already been pre-ordered and donated to synagogues worldwide to enhance Torah readings, while its extensive bibliography supports serious, long-term study.

At its core, this Humash embodies Rabbi Sacks’ lifelong project: Torah commentary that engages the world. His insights bridge ancient tradition with contemporary thought, offering intellectually rigorous and spiritually deep Torah study for a generation seeking relevance without compromise.

Targum Onkelos is the primary Jewish Aramaic translation of the Torah, accepted as an authoritative translated text of the Five Books of Moses and thought to have been written in the early second century CE. Authorship of the Targum Onkelos is traditionally attributed to Onkelos, a famous convert to Judaism in Tannaic times (c. 200 CE). According to the Talmud, the essential content of Targum Onkelos was already known in the time of Ezra (immediately after the Babylonian captivity). However, it was later forgotten by the masses, and rerecorded by Onkelos.

Matthew Miller, Publisher at Koren Jerusalem, said: “Rabbi Sacks created Torah commentary for our generation – deeply rooted in tradition yet fully engaged with the modern world. This Humash reflects that vision, bringing his insights to the heart of Jewish study and synagogue life, and ensuring his voice continues to inspire future generations.”

Joanna Benarroch, President of The Rabbi Sacks Legacy, added: “This Humash is the fulfillment of one of Rabbi Sacks’ lifelong dreams and the culmination of his life’s work. It brings together his translation and commentary in a way that makes his thought accessible to every reader, and we are proud to see it now in the hands of communities around the world.”

Lady Elaine Sacks said: “I find it very special to see how many people, in so many parts of the world, are already using the Koren Shalem Humash. To know that my husband’s voice will continue to guide future generations, is deeply moving for myself and my family.”

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (1948-2020) was one of the most significant Jewish voices of modern times, whose moral clarity and intellectual depth inspired both religious and secular audiences worldwide. He served as Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth from September 1991 to September 2013, a position he held for 22 years with distinction.

Rabbi Sacks was knighted in 2005 for “services to the Community and to Inter-faith Relations” and later elevated to the House of Lords. He was awarded the Jerusalem Prize and was a Templeton Prize Laureate in 2016, recognized for work that “affirms life’s spiritual dimension”.

A prolific author and profound thinker, Rabbi Sacks authored over 40 books, with his seminal work “Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times” (2020) becoming a top ten Sunday Times bestseller and named as the 2020 ‘Book of the Year’ by the National Jewish Book Council. His works have been translated into 15 languages, making him not only a bestselling rabbinic author but a household name in Israel and beyond.

Before becoming Chief Rabbi, he served as Principal of Jews’ College (now the London School for Jewish Studies) from 1984-1990. Rabbi Sacks passed away in November 2020 from cancer at age 72, with King Charles writing upon his death: “With his passing, the Jewish community, our nation and the entire world have lost a leader whose wisdom, scholarship and humanity were without equal”.

His philosophy was always of a Judaism engaged with the world: showing how Western thought could enrich Jewish tradition, and how Jewish values could, in turn, heal a fractured world. Through his books, lectures, and public presence, he influenced hundreds of thousands, establishing himself as a moral voice whose impact extended far beyond the Jewish community.

The new volume is expected by many to change how millions of Jews and non-Jews around the globe learn and relate to Judaism’s primary text for years to come. Each spread features the words of the Humash in Hebrew written in the clear Koren font on one side, with modern English translation on the other.

The Koren team, in partnership with the Rabbi Sacks Legacy, has meticulously crafted this Humash to make Rabbi Sacks’ teachings more accessible than ever, ensuring his voice continues to guide future generations. For individuals, this Humash offers Torah commentary that connects timeless wisdom to the questions of modern life – family, ethics, purpose, and meaning. For institutions, it provides a resource for communities seeking Torah study that speaks seriously to contemporary thought while remaining deeply anchored in tradition.

The release of the Koren Shalem Humash represents not just a publishing milestone, but the continuation of Rabbi Sacks’ enduring legacy as a teacher, leader, and moral voice whose wisdom continues to inspire and guide communities worldwide.