The style adopted by Rabbi Lifshitz in writing Zahalti va-Eira is one that makes heavy demands upon its readers. Poetic language, passing allusions to biblical passages, rare word combinations used to express novel meanings, complex concepts from both Western and Jewish thought, and an elliptical style, oftentimes designed to hide as much as it reveals, are deliberately utilized so that the reader is forced to study the work, not just glance through it. Footnotes, verse references and lengthy explanations are eschewed, though a glossary is provided to define and explain basic, theoretical concepts; all in an attempt to ensure that the reader toils over the text to extract its riches.

In translating Zahalti va-Eira , the decision was made to preserve as much as possible of the original style. For while the process of translation provides the opportunity for embedding explanations into the translated text or adding footnotes, this has not been done. Notwithstanding, certain parts of the text have been mildly reshaped following discussions with the author, and a dynamic translation, taking the educated lay reader's needs into account, has been created - a process that inherently legitimizes some mild forms of interpretation. With G-d's help, the complexity and allusiveness of the original text have been preserved in the English version, so that the English-language reader can still experience the sweet success of achieving a full understanding of Rabbi Lifshitz's Torah.

Translations of Nahmanides' Commentary On The Torah are taken from Charles B. Chavel's classic 1979 translation.

The glossary translation has been borrowed from www.SadnatEnosh.com.