Acknowledgements

I-E. Many people have personally assisted me in my research of this topic, lending me their knowledge, their wisdom, their libraries, or simply (!) their time, and I am grateful to them all. Here I will give insufficient acknowledgement to those I can think of; a detailed account of how each has been invaluable would quickly become as long as this article itself.

N.B. The reader should draw no conclusions about the opinions of any of the people thanked herebelow. Not everyone whom I thank was aware of why I solicited his assistance; and some people, notwithstanding their help, disagree with the premise of this article, or have no opinion on the matter. My acknowledgement indicates only my gratitude; nothing more.

My parents, who have supported me through thick and thin, must top any list of those to whom I am grateful, always.

I wish first to thank my teacher, Rabbi Eliezer Ben-Porat, who has been an invaluable resource in many ways. It is a true privilege to have ready access to his storehouse of knowledge and wisdom.

Simon Basalely, the indefatigable Menachem Butler, Max Friedman, Shlomo Friedman, Michael Goldstein, Rabbi Micah Shotkin, Rabbi Gil Student, and another person who requested to remain anonymous, have made major contributions, each in his own way, to this compilation.

Dr. Moshe Bernstein, Yitzchak Brand, Ari Brodsky, Avi Brodsky, Rabbi Yonah Burr, Rabbi Baruch Clinton, David Hellman, Drew Kaplan, Dr. Hana Kasher, Dani Raymon, Dr. Benjamin Richler, Dr. Bernard Septimus, Dr. Marc Shapiro, Y. Shapiro, Rabbi Zischa Shaps, “Voldie,” Rabbi Dr. Jeremy Wieder, and Rabbi Netanel Wiederblank have all been helpful (some, perhaps, without realising it).

I thank the following great teachers and leaders of our generation for allowing me the honour and privilege of speaking to them about this topic: Rabbi Ephraim Greenblatt, Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky, Rabbi Hershel Schachter, Rabbi Aharon Schechter, and two other great rabbis who requested not to be named. Please note, again, that this acknowledgement should not be taken as an indication of their position on the subject of Chazal and science, or on any other topic.

I wish to express my appreciation also for my extensive use of the libraries of the Jewish Theological Seminary; the Kollel of Ottawa; the Soloway Jewish Community Centre of Ottawa (with special thanks to librarian Estelle Backman); and Yeshiva University. Rabbi Moshe Schapiro, Zalman Alpert and Zvi Erenyi of the Mendel Gottesman Library of Yeshiva University have been superbly helpful in a multitude of ways, and without them much of this article could not have been written.

I apologize to anyone whom I have neglected to mention.