Translator’s Introduction

These are the goals and opinions guiding this translation. For simplicity, I’ll write in absolute terms, even though there is a wide range of valid opinions on these matters. Some of my points may apply specifically to Classical Rabbinic writings or to works of Chassidus in particular.

Simple Vocabulary

A translation should use simple, commonly used words. Flowery, sophisticated vocabulary is impressive, but it makes the ideas harder to understand. Even where a particular word may be more precise, if the simpler word is good enough, I’ll choose it.

Target-Language Idioms

A translation should follow the idioms of the target language and avoid idioms of the original that don’t carry over naturally. This may mean that entire phrases are omitted or replaced.

For example, “ומעתה יש לבאר היטב” — literally, “And now there is reason to explain very well…” In Hebrew, this kind of transitional formula is a smooth gear-shift. In English, it’s dead weight — no one writes like that, and it makes the text harder to read. In my translation, I would look at the whole sentence and probably omit that phrase entirely.

English Sentence Structure

A translation should be readable. Classical Hebrew writing commonly uses very long sentences which become difficult to understand in English. So when I encounter a long sentence, I will break it up and restructure it. For more on this topic, see here.

Untranslated Technical Terms

Every subject has its technical terms — words used by experts to refer to their conceptualization of a particular concept or group of related concepts. I will leave untranslated only those technical terms that are central to the text and whose standard English translations function more as codewords than as accurate representations of the concept. Where part of a phrase translates cleanly, I’ll translate that part.

For example, “עומק החכמה” becomes “depth of Chochma” — depth carries over fine, but translating Chochma as “wisdom” would suggest something familiar while obscuring what the term actually means in this context.

Similarly, binah and middos are often translated as “understanding” and “attributes,” respectively. It’s nice to see familiar words in a translation — except that binah isn’t “understanding.” Understanding is part of it, but there is much more, as the first few chapters of this book discuss. Rough translations like these create two problems: they’re imprecise enough to mislead, and they leave the reader unprepared for the original Hebrew vocabulary. If you always read binah as “understanding,” then when you encounter the Hebrew term, it will be completely foreign to you.

So in my translation, I will use terms like binah and middos, with a glossary of common literal translations to provide additional context.

Square Brackets

I use square brackets for two purposes — adding brief clarifications, and showing the original term behind a translation choice.

Sometimes the original makes a point that’s clear in context but loses something in English. Rather than add footnotes or lengthy explanations, I’ll insert a few words in brackets to fill the gap. These aren’t commentary — they’re the minimum needed to make the sentence land. For example, “וכמ״ש באריכות בכתבים” becomes:

This is explained more in [other] writings.

The word “other” isn’t in the original — the Hebrew just says “in writings” — but without it, the English sounds like it’s referring to the current text.

Other times, brackets show the original term, or unpack a point that the Hebrew makes implicitly. For example, “והוא הנקר׳ התבוננות בנו״ן הכפול דוקא” becomes:

This is called hisbonenus [התבוננות], with a doubled nun [ננ] [hinting to repeated study].

Here, brackets are doing three things at once: showing the Hebrew behind the transliteration, identifying the letters being discussed, and making explicit a hint that the original leaves for the reader to pick up on.

Transliteration Convention

My transliteration of such terms will follow the common pattern of using Ashkenazi consonants and Sephardi syllables — so binah instead of binuh, and middos instead of middot.

AI Usage

AI tools are occasionally used as a brainstorming aid during translation. When I’m unsure whether a particular phrase reads as clear, natural English, I’ll sometimes ask an AI for suggestions — then carefully review them, often coming up with my own alternatives instead. I only use AI in this way for small, focused sentences or phrases, and every final choice is my own. For example, see this chat.