“Personally, at no point along the way did I feel concerned that my Talmud commentary would displace the traditional Gemara.
With people much greater than I, who did have such intentions, it turned out that the power of the tradition still remains and the many books that were written became aids to the traditional approach.
In my case, the more heartwarming responses I receive are from people who came to fully embrace Judaism through this commentary.
Oftentimes the other responses are from people who learned in different ways, and if not for my elucidation, they would have stopped learning.
I have several other projects that I don’t know exactly how to prioritize.
One of them is also a very big undertaking that has to do with the Yerushalmi, and another is publishing the ‘smaller masechtos,’ which have not yet been published with suitable commentary.
In general these plans and projects, some of which I’m already engaged in, don’t leave much free time.
According to my calculations they might entail another 100 years of work.
Afterwards I’m thinking of going into retirement.”
–Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz
From a recent interview with Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz on YNET