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Beit Midrash
- Jewish Laws and Thoughts
- Jewish Thought
Translated by Hillel Fendel
Question: Every person finds himself at junctures in life, facing many possible paths to take, and he must choose one of them. If he is searching only for what is convenient and comfortable, then any of the choices could be appropriate – but if he is a man of truth, then only one road is the right one for him. For me, as someone searching for the truth of life, my question is: Is Judaism 100% correct? I have tested the Jewish faith from many angles – its tradition, its logical proofs, its prophecies – and they all seem to indicate that Judaism is the right approach. But is there even the smallest possible chance that I am mistaken? Could it be that the tradition was corrupted, or that the events in the Torah exaggerated? Could the proofs be incorrect because we have forgotten to include one detail in the equation? Could it be that the fulfillment of the prophecies is simply an amazing coincidence? I would like to know: Is the path of Judaism and its faith absolutely certain
Answer: We cannot change who we are: creatures that cannot be 100% objective in anything! We have emotions, desires, and our own vantage points from which to see and consider things. The desire to lead our lives only in accordance with absolute objectivity and certainty is impossible. We know this from all areas of life, where we make decisions not because they are impossible to refute or negate, but because they are the most reasonable and logical of the choices that face us.
This is true even in matters of life and death. For instance, one who is ill and in mortal danger chooses one doctor over another to operate on him based on all the information he can gather – but not because he is then 100% sure that this doctor's assessment and ability are totally and absolutely correct.
The same is true for other fateful decisions, such as choosing a spouse, career, or place to live. And so it must be regarding our faith as well. If one seeks to find the right religion by comparing various faiths, he has no choice but to follow the one that is most reasonable and logical – for this is how people who are healthy in mind and spirit behave.
The attempt to force ourselves to intellectually prove everything down to the smallest detail places us in an impossible position – one in which we cannot function as human beings. It is impossible to reduce life only to those things that can be indisputably proven. We must acknowledge that there are certain truisms, even if we do not know how to prove them 100% - and in fact, most things in our lives are of this type. That is how we are.
As such, why should our faith be any different? To say that faith must be proven beyond any doubt while everything else in our lives cannot be so, is itself an unreasonable approach. Our intellect simply cannot handle such a demand!
Still and all, one who wants to build up his faith and feel its strength and truth, has a way to do so: He should cleave to the Nation of Israel! Just as one's absolute love for his children, and for his spouse, are not "objective," so too, the love of Israel imbues us with faith in the G-d of Israel in a most genuine and unshakeable manner – more than any intellectual and logical proofs. For a person's inner sense provides more certainty than his intellect can prove. One who loves the G-d of Israel, given his knowledge of the great kindnesses that He has done and does for His nation, Am Yisrael, merits to feel a certainty in his faith, with no doubts.
In order to get articles like this delivered straight to your inbox every week, subscribe to the Israel National Torah newsletter here.
Question: Every person finds himself at junctures in life, facing many possible paths to take, and he must choose one of them. If he is searching only for what is convenient and comfortable, then any of the choices could be appropriate – but if he is a man of truth, then only one road is the right one for him. For me, as someone searching for the truth of life, my question is: Is Judaism 100% correct? I have tested the Jewish faith from many angles – its tradition, its logical proofs, its prophecies – and they all seem to indicate that Judaism is the right approach. But is there even the smallest possible chance that I am mistaken? Could it be that the tradition was corrupted, or that the events in the Torah exaggerated? Could the proofs be incorrect because we have forgotten to include one detail in the equation? Could it be that the fulfillment of the prophecies is simply an amazing coincidence? I would like to know: Is the path of Judaism and its faith absolutely certain
Answer: We cannot change who we are: creatures that cannot be 100% objective in anything! We have emotions, desires, and our own vantage points from which to see and consider things. The desire to lead our lives only in accordance with absolute objectivity and certainty is impossible. We know this from all areas of life, where we make decisions not because they are impossible to refute or negate, but because they are the most reasonable and logical of the choices that face us.
This is true even in matters of life and death. For instance, one who is ill and in mortal danger chooses one doctor over another to operate on him based on all the information he can gather – but not because he is then 100% sure that this doctor's assessment and ability are totally and absolutely correct.
The same is true for other fateful decisions, such as choosing a spouse, career, or place to live. And so it must be regarding our faith as well. If one seeks to find the right religion by comparing various faiths, he has no choice but to follow the one that is most reasonable and logical – for this is how people who are healthy in mind and spirit behave.
The attempt to force ourselves to intellectually prove everything down to the smallest detail places us in an impossible position – one in which we cannot function as human beings. It is impossible to reduce life only to those things that can be indisputably proven. We must acknowledge that there are certain truisms, even if we do not know how to prove them 100% - and in fact, most things in our lives are of this type. That is how we are.
As such, why should our faith be any different? To say that faith must be proven beyond any doubt while everything else in our lives cannot be so, is itself an unreasonable approach. Our intellect simply cannot handle such a demand!
Still and all, one who wants to build up his faith and feel its strength and truth, has a way to do so: He should cleave to the Nation of Israel! Just as one's absolute love for his children, and for his spouse, are not "objective," so too, the love of Israel imbues us with faith in the G-d of Israel in a most genuine and unshakeable manner – more than any intellectual and logical proofs. For a person's inner sense provides more certainty than his intellect can prove. One who loves the G-d of Israel, given his knowledge of the great kindnesses that He has done and does for His nation, Am Yisrael, merits to feel a certainty in his faith, with no doubts.
In order to get articles like this delivered straight to your inbox every week, subscribe to the Israel National Torah newsletter here.
Rabbis in Midrash
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
