ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS BY THE NETZIV¹ IN TRUTH, it is not by my [intellectual] power or merit that I prospered at the beginning of my manhood. When I examined my situation,² I realized that I lacked knowledge and was brought low by poverty.³ My eyes are raised to Heaven,⁴ for only because of the merit of my righteous forefathers was I brought to the great Talmudic academy [of Volozhin], the house of my lodging, the source of my happiness that is at the forefront of my thoughts – that is, the four cubits of Halachah that established a foundation for the Torah and [God’s covenant].⁵ This was accomplished by the great genius, the chief of the shepherds,⁶ the nation’s well, our master and teacher, my father-in-law’s father, our master, Hayyim of Volozhin,⁷ of blessed memory. To strengthen [the academy even more, after his demise] his son arose, my father-in-law, our master and teacher, the genius, the glory of Israel, our teacher and master, R. Yitzhak,⁸, and a commentary on Pirkei Avos, Mileli de-Avos. of blessed memory [who became the head of the Volozhin Yeshivah]. He was then followed by the one who upheld its [the yeshiva’s] splendor, the master and genius, my brother-in-law, learned and sharp-witted, our master, Eliezer Yitzhak, of blessed memory.⁹

footnotes: ¹ See Translator’s Preface, which discusses why acknowledgments are included in Part 1. ² Literally “looked at my dwelling,” see Isa.18:4. ³ He could be referring to a poverty of ideas, although in fact he was poor. ⁴ Isa. 38:14. ⁵ Isa. 8:20. ⁶ I Sam. 21:8; Rashi on this verse interprets “chief of shepherds” as “head of the tribunal.” ⁷ Known as R. Hayyim Volozhiner, 1749–1821. ⁸ Known as Reb Itzeleh; 1780–1849. Like his father, R. Yitzhak left few traces of his vast talmudic or halachic scholarship, but he did write a Torah commentary, Peh Kadosh ⁹ R. Eliezer Yitzchak Fried, who was in poor health, passed away only four years after Reb Itzeleh’s death in 1849.

This is the well [the academy] that was dug by the officers of God and the Torah. It was excavated by the philanthropists of God’s people, those who share in its reward;¹⁰id. 21:20*,* explains that this verse refers to both the Sages of Israel and the philanthropists. The officers are those who wage the war of Torah by excavating the well with their deep analysis. Furrows are then dug by those who generously support the scholars, thereby drawing honor (water) for themselves from the Torah (the well). The philanthropists gain honor from the Torah by obtaining at times great insights into the depths of the Torah. those who dug the spring of Torah with their rods of deep analysis by bringing the battle of Torah to the gates [of the academy], and those who with their rods of a generous and pure heart [donated money]. I derived much from the multitude of rivers, the colleagues and students who studied the Torah intensely. They closely examined [my Torah thoughts] and their waters brought prosperity by influencing others to study even more intensely, [to carry out] sincere [and straightforward analysis]. Each contributed according to his particular task and was industrious, so as to fortify it [the academy], each according to his praise,¹¹ [that is], among the illustrious of the scholars, the lion-like colleagues at the academy [of Volozhin]. Many drank from their waters [of Torah], and were satiated according to their ability, each according to his measure. [Drinking their waters of Torah] produced judges who are as life-sustaining as grain¹² on Gen., chapter 66, on the Torah reading of *Toldos,*stating that the Hebrew word dagan, meaning grain, refers to the Talmud. [because of their knowledge] of the Talmud and [their application] of logic. I did not refrain from group discussion, whether the intricate insights of my colleagues or the pilpul of my students. There is a constant cycle of various students [with new and different talents] entering and leaving the [academy]¹³ 14a, which explains this verse as describing how each day God creates a band of new angels, which utters a song before Him and then passes away. Perhaps this alludes to how the students involved in Talmudic discussion are like the angels uttering songs of praise to God. to acquire the teachings of the Talmud. It is through the power [of these group discussions] that I acquired [abilities] with which I gained great success¹⁴ in receiving the Torah little by little, until I amassed much. My fine flour was the result of [undertaking] an arduous analytical path, one that I had taken many times, using the books of the earlier Geonim, for they brighten one’s eyes [with understanding]. Also, the merit of our master [the She’iltos] of blessed memory stood by me to strengthen my weak foundations. For, behold, I have published [brought to light] an explanation of his book, [the She’iltos], which God made available to those who study Torah without ceasing.¹⁵

footnotes: ¹⁰ Numbers 21:18, “A well that the princes dug, that the nobles of the people excavated through a lawgiver. with their staves….” The Netziv in Harhev Davar, ¹¹ Proverbs 27:21. ¹² Similar wording is found in Hosea 14:8. See Midrash Rabbah ¹³ The Netziv is quoting words from Lamentations 3:23, which are translated literally as, “They are new every morning.” See Tractate Hagiga ¹⁴ Similar to the words in Job 11:6. ¹⁵ See Gen. 49:14, which Rashi translates as “resting between the cities.” The Tribe of Issachar is compared to a “strong-boned donkey resting between the cities,” since Issachar bears the Torah ceaselessly, pausing at long intervals to rest – that is, by sleeping in the study halls.

In Bereshis Rabbah, chapter 74, on the verse, “Jacob said to his brothers, ‘Gather stones!”¹⁶ the Midrash comments: “How many brothers had he then but one, and would that he buried him! It refers, however, to his sons, whom he calls brethren in the Holy Tongue. R. Hunia said: ‘They were as valiant as he and as righteous as he.’ R. Judan said: ‘When a man dons his father’s raiment, he is like him. Therefore Jacob referred to his sons as brothers because they participated with him….’”¹⁷. From the context of the Midrash, the last sentence appears to refer to how Jacob’s sons participated with their father in the performance of good deeds. I offer thanks to God, for He has granted me sons who are not shy about bringing the battle of Torah to the gates, for they were with me in this service with purity. My son, the rabbi, our master, Hayyim Berlin, from the holy community of Shakalov, took with him some of my manuscripts to edit and to remove errors that resulted from conjecture [without proof]. He is also wise and he added some of his own material, analyzing carefully the words of our master [the She’iltos]. His intent was to make his insights known, and there is more that he wrote than what is published in his name, for much was lost in returning the manuscript [to me]. A small amount is all that remains [from his insights], such as from his letters and the like, those thoughts being recorded [in my book] in his name. It was also [my son] who designated, Ha’amek She’elah, as the title for this book, and thus his name should be equally remembered as its title.¹⁸

footnotes: ¹⁶ Gen. 31:46. ¹⁷ The last sentence, partially quoted by the Netziv, is not found in our version of Midrash Rabbah ¹⁸ Or that his name should be associated with the title of this book.

In addition, my son-in-law, the teacher and master, R. Raphael Shapiro,¹⁹ the son of the genius, our teacher and master, Rabbi Aryeh Leib Shapiro, of blessed memory, the head of the court of the holy community of Kovno, sat with me in group studies and he was [privileged] with strength of the Torah and with an ingenious mind, and he settled [disputes] by expressing and clarifying the profundities of the Halachah. He also added many annotations [to my book] by applying much deep analysis. May God be with them so that the departed of Israel [be revived] as grain²⁰ through the power of the Torah, blossoming like the vine, for they are God’s blessed seed,²¹ men of stature. Their names [will be respected by peoples of the world] as the wine of Lebanon²² [because of] all their sound wisdom and the pure fear of God.²³ It is by the grace of God that the ones who strengthen the warriors [students] in Torah shall not stumble.²⁴ this verse is considered as showing how one strengthens oneself through intense study. May our words be [constantly] uttered in the scholars’ meeting places, and may we merit [to experience] the light emanating from the presence of the Living King, both in the World of Action²⁵, Sha’ar 1, chapter 13, where Rav Hayyim Volozhiner discusses why this world is called the World of Action (Olam ha-Asiyyah). [this world] and in the eternal life. As a person who stands before the multitudes, so do the scribes of Israel tremble.²⁶ 13a, where R. Yishmael instructed R. Meir, who was a scribe, “My son, be careful with your work, as it is the work of Heaven, lest you omit or add one letter and cause the destruction of the world.” Behold, I am the one laden with a great task,²⁷,” as “overflowing,” rather than “laden.” Many of the Netziv’s works end with this statement. The Netziv intends to attribute his great accomplishments to Divine assistance and the merit of his deep involvement in God’s service. See Harhev Davar, Lev. 26:5, where the Netziv states that it is a great blessing when the Jewish people are “he-amus” with God’s service. for my whole salvation and yearning is with her [the Torah].²⁸

footnotes: ¹⁹ 1837–1921. ²⁰ Translated as the way the Targum explains Hosea 14:8. ²¹ Isa. 65:23. ²² Hos. 14:8. ²³ Psalms 19:10. ²⁴ The wording is similar to Eccl. 10:10. In Tractate Ta’anis ²⁵ See Nefesh ha-Hayyim ²⁶ See tractate Eruvin ²⁷ Perhaps it is better to translate the word “he-amus ²⁸ II Sam. 23:5 and Isa. 62:4.