I am honored to be able to thank all those who have helped me, and without whom this book could not have been written. First and foremost, my teacher and advisor Yaakov Elman z”l, whose recent passing has left a terrible void. His scholarship and methodology are manifest on practically every page of this book: Not only did he teach me how to read Talmudic passages in a critical way, but he has done far more than could ever be expected of an academic mentor, such that I do not think I can fully do justice to the gratitude I owe to him. His unflagging guidance and encouragement did not waver over the course of years and miles. Throughout what I now know were his final months, he was reading and commenting on my work, writing letters on my behalf, and rallying others to support me. What I will always be most grateful for is the belief that he had in me, which continues to inspire me to today.
I would also like to express my gratitude to David Brodsky, Jeffrey Rubenstein, and Shai Secunda who read earlier versions of this book as part of my doctoral dissertation, and whose feedback and critiques greatly helped my dissertation and the revisions I have subsequently made. I am grateful to Oktar Skjærvø for hosting me as his student at Harvard University and for teaching me Middle Persian. It was well worth my weekly roundtrip from Detroit to Boston for the opportunity to learn under such a dedicated scholar and lucid teacher. The late Zvi Arie Steinfeld z”l, who served as an early member of my committee, was essential in teaching me the critical methodology of reading Talmudic sugyot, for which I will always be grateful. I am also honored to thank David Weiss Halivni for discussing several of the sugyot in this study with me.
Suzanne Last Stone guided me in exploring legal theory, both one-on-one and along with Aryeh Edrei, at their research seminar at the Van Leer Institute in Jerusalem. I am grateful for her guidance, support, and friendship. Steven Friedell kindly read several passages, offered his insights, and explained to me the nuances of negligence law.
I am grateful to Ishai Rosen Zvi who shared his unpublished works with me and discussed some of the issues of intentionality, and Moshe Halbertal for discussing with me his work on intention in Talmudic law. Leib Moscovitz introduced me to the work of David Daube and has frequently offered his guidance and advice.
A special debt of gratitude is owed to Steven Fine for helping me in the final processes of writing this book. I thank him for his mentorship and along with his wife Leah, for their close friendship, for which I feel to be mostly on the receiving end. Barak Cohen likewise offered indispensable support and advice
I would like to thank several friends and colleagues who read parts of this study in earlier versions including Yonatan Feintuch, Rebecca Feldman, Rachel Furst, Ayelet Hoffman Libson, Sara Labaton, Pinchas Roth, and Moshe Shoshan. I thank the editors of Dinei Israel, jlas, and jsq for allowing me to make use of material published previously for Chapters One, Three, and Four.
My students, both in the US and Israel, helped me to sharpen many points and offered new perspectives that I would have otherwise overlooked. This study has been improved by their insight and enthusiasm. In particular, I wish to thank Yona Berzon, Eliana Hirsch, Ruchama Katz, and Tehilla Katz as well as Arielle Listokin Achdut, for proofreading.
I am indebted to Rabbi Moshe Kahn, my rebbi in Stern College and in the Graduate Program in Advanced Talmudic Studies, who taught me how to learn gemara with a careful eye. My research draws from the skills I have learned from him and the faith and high expectations he has in all his students to acquire high proficiency in learning gemara.
Finally, I must give thanks to my family. My incredibly loving parents, Joseph and Cheryl Strauch, who provided me with every opportunity I could ever need and particularly my mother, who has always encouraged me to pursue my dreams. My in-laws, Allen and Miriam Schick, have constantly been supportive and never ceased to express their great pride. My sweet and adorable children, Saadyah, Noa, Aviyah, and Avraham Chananel are the most wonderful blessings in my life and through their excitement, curiosity, and love enhance my life in every way. Aharon Aharon haviv: my husband, Ari, introduced me to the field of academic Talmud and to Dr. Elman, and took time from his own research to painstakingly edit large swaths of this study, offering astute observations and critiques. I cannot adequately express the love and support he gives me and how grateful I am to have him as my partner in life.