YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Jewish Laws and Thoughts
- Jewish Thought
- Subjects of Jewish Thougts
Translated by Hillel Fendel
Question: How do we know there is a G-d?
Answer: The normal way of the world is that people believe in things that a decisive majority of the world believes in. This is why we accept as fact many historic or geographic statements, even though we have no way of testing them – simply because this is what most of the world believes. And in truth, most of the world believes in the existence of God in one way or another, while unbelievers make up a very small minority.
Ed. note: Out of 98 countries sampled by the PEW Research Center in 2012, atheists were found to comprise less than 1% of the population in about a quarter of the countries, while another quarter had between 1 and 5%; only five countries had more than 50%. The Oxford Handbook of Atheism published a 2017 report finding 450 to 500 million positive atheists and agnostics worldwide (7% of the world's population), with China alone accounting for 200 million of them.
It is in fact such a small minority that we would generally not even have to take its opinion into consideration. But if there are those who still have difficulty finding the way to G-d, they can reach Him in several ways. One way is via the Torah and our tradition, which provide testimony of prophets who spoke or communicated with G-d and transmitted His word to us. (It would have been hard to fabricate to 600,000 people that they had just seen and heard G-d at Sinai if they in fact had not.)
And if this is not sufficient, one can always attain the knowledge of G-d with the help of his intellect, or by looking around at the world and its wonders. There are several logical proofs of the existence of G-d, discussed by both our Sages and wise philosophers of other peoples. (See "The Road Back" by Mayer Schiller, Feldheim, 1981)
But I would say that the best proof of all is simply the chronicles of the People of Israel. One who looks at Jewish history will see that it is simply not natural, but rather something well beyond what would be expected based on the history of the other nations. No other people in the world survived, much less flourished, after going through what we did in our times – and precisely as the prophets foretold in our holy texts. The Nation of Israel is living testimony of the existence of G-d.
In order to get articles like this delivered straight to your inbox every week, subscribe to the Israel National Torah newsletter here.
Question: How do we know there is a G-d?
Answer: The normal way of the world is that people believe in things that a decisive majority of the world believes in. This is why we accept as fact many historic or geographic statements, even though we have no way of testing them – simply because this is what most of the world believes. And in truth, most of the world believes in the existence of God in one way or another, while unbelievers make up a very small minority.
Ed. note: Out of 98 countries sampled by the PEW Research Center in 2012, atheists were found to comprise less than 1% of the population in about a quarter of the countries, while another quarter had between 1 and 5%; only five countries had more than 50%. The Oxford Handbook of Atheism published a 2017 report finding 450 to 500 million positive atheists and agnostics worldwide (7% of the world's population), with China alone accounting for 200 million of them.
It is in fact such a small minority that we would generally not even have to take its opinion into consideration. But if there are those who still have difficulty finding the way to G-d, they can reach Him in several ways. One way is via the Torah and our tradition, which provide testimony of prophets who spoke or communicated with G-d and transmitted His word to us. (It would have been hard to fabricate to 600,000 people that they had just seen and heard G-d at Sinai if they in fact had not.)
And if this is not sufficient, one can always attain the knowledge of G-d with the help of his intellect, or by looking around at the world and its wonders. There are several logical proofs of the existence of G-d, discussed by both our Sages and wise philosophers of other peoples. (See "The Road Back" by Mayer Schiller, Feldheim, 1981)
But I would say that the best proof of all is simply the chronicles of the People of Israel. One who looks at Jewish history will see that it is simply not natural, but rather something well beyond what would be expected based on the history of the other nations. No other people in the world survived, much less flourished, after going through what we did in our times – and precisely as the prophets foretold in our holy texts. The Nation of Israel is living testimony of the existence of G-d.
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
Lessons
fast navigation
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 3
The second speaker invited to convince the Khazar King is the Christian, who presents their beliefs. Even before the questions of the King, "between the lines", the author R. Yehuda HaLevi already begins disproving them.
Ein Aya "Intimacy: Love, Life & Giving or Egocentric Taking & Expiration"
Today, many confuse between intimacy in marriage, based on love, giving and life which are diametrically opposed to empty "sex", pornography and prostitution which destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. The practical importance of clarifying this topic in today's western society is obvious, especially for young adults.