Acknowledgments
This work owes its existence to many teachers, mentors, and benefactors.
My introduction to Pachad Yitzchak came through Rabbi David Bigman during my time as his student at Yeshivat Ma’ale Gilboa’. Later, I had the pleasure of studying Pachad Yitzchak under the guidance of Dr. Shmuel Wygoda at Herzog College. It was largely due to Dr. Wygoda that I chose to pursue further academic studies. My M.A. thesis on Rabbi Hutner was written under the supervision of Prof. Jonathan Meir at Ben Gurion University, and I am deeply grateful for his training in the historical study of Jewish texts.
This book is adapted from my doctoral dissertation, which was written under the supervision of Prof. Benjamin Brown at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Prof. Brown’s guidance proved invaluable for the completion and success of this study.
I owe a particular debt of gratitude to two scholars who provided support in the form of encouragement, advice, and recommendations throughout my academic journey: Prof. Jonathan Garb and Prof. Oded Yisraeli. I am also grateful to Prof. Rami Reiner, who assisted on more than one occasion, and to Dr. Shlomo Tickochinski for providing me with important materials.
Special thanks to Dr. Daniel Herskowitz, who greatly assisted me with all matters related to Heidegger. The discussion of Heidegger in this book is heavily informed by our collaborative work. I am also deeply thankful to my friend and longtime companion on the challenging road to academic qualification, Dr. Tsachi (Isaac) Slater, for his help and camaraderie.
I extend my sincere thanks to the series editor, Prof. Patrick Benjamin Koch, and the staff at Brill, who made the publication of this book possible.
No academic work is feasible without patronage. I am profoundly grateful to the Kohelet Policy Forum, particularly its chair, Prof. Moshe Koppel, for awarding me a doctoral scholarship and providing a generous grant to assist in the publication of this book. I also benefited from the support of the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture, the Shlomo Glass and Penny Balaban Fund, the Annenberg Foundation, the Karl Bender Fund, and the De Picciotto Fund. My gratitude also extends to the Kogod Research Center for Contemporary Jewish Thought at the Shalom Hartman Institute for providing me with an academic home in which to pursue my intellectual passions, and to my research assistant, Ophir Lapidot, who interned with me at the research center.
Lastly, and certainly not least, I express my deepest gratitude to my family. To my grandfather, Dr. Avraham Shalev, a talmid ḥakham, scholar of American Jewry, and educator, who introduced me to the world of Torah study, scholarship, and wisdom – this book is dedicated to his memory. To my parents, Dr. Susan and Uri Shalev, whose encouragement and support has made it possible for me to pursue a career as an intellectual. And finally, to my wife Liora and our three children, who shoulder the burden of having a scholar for a spouse and parent – you fill my life with meaning.