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Question
Just like the title says: Why is the preposition vor is used in this context? I could understand if the translation was: To not see the forest in front of all the trees but it translate to To not see the forest for (because of) all the trees.
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It's a slightly old fashioned way "vor" is used here. It doesn't mean "in front of" here, but here, followed by "lauter" it means something like "because of all the".
You can use it outside this fixed expession "den Wald vor lauter Bäumen nicht sehen können" too.
"Vor lauter Vorfreude konnte ich nicht schlafen."
"Vor lauter Angst konnte ich nicht sprechen."
"Vor lauter Air B&Bs findet man kaum eine normale Mietwohnung."
"Vor lauter" is almost a fixed expression, but you can use "vor" even without "lauter" in this way.
"Vor Angst gelähmt sein", "Vor Kälte zittern" or "Vor Neugier platzen".
Thank you very much for your reply! Much appreciated
Also see meanings 5 & 6 in the Duden. And the English saying using "for" is actually pretty much identical in meaning and use.