Q&A: The Rabbi’s Books
The Rabbi’s Books
Question
Hello and blessings, Rabbi Michi,
For some time now I’ve been reading this distinguished blog, and learning a great deal.
As I’ve gone through it, I’ve become aware of its depth and of the revealed breadth of the Rabbi’s understanding.
I realized that if I want to delve deeper, and not feel like an apologetic religious person, it would be very worthwhile to go through your books.
The thing is, with all my great respect, there are quite a few things in the Rabbi’s approach and outlook that don’t sit well with me. See, for example, prayer, providence, miracles, the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), and the rest of those matters that, in one way or another, are not all that significant in your eyes.
I really don’t want to get into a discussion of those topics; rather, my question and request is this:
If it pleases the Rabbi, could I receive some advice from the Rabbi as to which books, out of all your books (including the trilogy), do not touch on your original-different-eccentric interpretation, so that I can grow wiser and satisfy my hunger.
I would be very glad, if necessary, to receive some filtering even within the books themselves.
I know that a question like this may be a bit tiresome-annoying, but it is Torah, and I want to learn. More than I need.
Thank you very, very much.
Answer
Unfortunately, I can’t give you such an overview. The only books that deal with Jewish thought are the trilogy. So in the other books the discussion is not relevant. As for the trilogy, you’ll have to decide for yourself whether and what to read, and what of it to accept. If you are careful not to read things you disagree with, then I very strongly recommend not reading anything at all that I’ve written.
Good luck.
Discussion on Answer
Elhanan. The Rabbi understood that you meant specifically books in Jewish thought (that is, given Torah and Talmud). Is that indeed what you meant? You wrote something about a “religious person who doesn’t apologize,” and I don’t think religious people tend to apologize much over matters of worldview.
Or do you also want books proving the existence of God (the first book in the trilogy, and the notebooks). A systematic construction of general faith-belief (Two Carts, Truth and Unstable). Various frictions between science and faith (God Plays Dice. And also ‘That Which Is,’ just mentioning it in passing); free choice (Man Is Like the Grass, The Sciences of Freedom). The legal philosophy of Jewish law (The Spirit of Law. Also It Shall Take Root, which I started reading recently after learning that it’s on the website open for all peoples to see). Those are books that deal with the general topic, but according to your path you can pick out from them matters that also touch specifically on religion (or Judaism).
The hermeneutic principles by which the Torah is interpreted (A Good Measure, the first two books in Talmudic Logic). Articles on varied topics? Lessons in conceptual Talmudic analysis and Jewish law? If you focus what you’re looking for, chances are one of the readers will be able to answer you.
Besides, whenever a discussion on some given topic opens up, it is done explicitly, and it’s impossible to miss that a discussion on some given topic has now begun, so if you’re not interested in reading it (for some reason), then this is the counsel decreed for the whole earth and the hand stretched out over all the peoples: grasp a few pages between finger and thumb and flip quickly through them. And I shall illustrate: https://gph.is/g/Znnr6eJ.
Many thanks to everyone who answered in general, and to the Rabbi in particular.
It’s a bit of a shame to me that the Rabbi casts me behind his back, if only when all I want is to become wiser and broaden myself according to the measure of my free time.
Since the above links are blocked for me (for some reason), I’d be happy to get a short rundown of all the topics raised here, namely: the existence of God, proof of the reality of the Revelation at Mount Sinai, commitment to Jewish law despite some of its somewhat strange laws, postmodernism and the fakehood hidden within it, Torah and science.
That’s the general picture 🙂
Which of the books deal directly or indirectly with these topics?
To Elhanan — greetings,
A great deal of material on questions of faith in God and His providence, Torah from Heaven and the Revelation at Mount Sinai, faith and science, and Jewish law and morality — can be found on the “To Know and Believe” website of the Yedaya Institute.
With blessings, S.Tz.
Elhanan. For your topics:
* The existence of God — the first book in the trilogy (and the first 4 notebooks).
* Mount Sinai — there, and the fifth notebook.
* Commitment to Jewish law despite etc. — there is an article on why to obey God (what is called here ontic gratitude). On obligation to rabbinic enactments (as interpreters and/or as legislators) there is material in The Spirit of Law. On obligation to the Talmud, I don’t remember right now where it was written. On the halakhic Platonic conception there is an article (amazing, no less) called “What Is Legal Effect?” On the relationship between Jewish law and morality, he wrote in several places (I don’t know how to refer you; others will come).
* Postmodernism and the fakehood — listen, that’s basically the whole quartet. But if you throw a stick in the air, it lands on its root — the book Two Carts and a Balloon (which is on the website! Unbelievable but true. https://mikyab.net/%d7%9b%d7%aa%d7%91%d7%99%d7%9d/%d7%a1%d7%a4%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%9d) and/or the book Truth and Unstable.
* Torah and science — too general; I don’t know.
You mention here “notebooks,” on topics of faith and so on — where can one read them?
Under the “Miscellaneous” tab up above.
Thanks
The whole quartet is like that. Books by the old Rabbi Michi, of blessed memory-times-a-thousand-whose absence we miss more and more every day. Books from 10–20 years ago.
Two Carts and a Balloon, That Which Is and That Which Is Not, Man Is Like the Grass. Almost classic yeshiva-style books that are very enriching and definitely bring you to the point of being a religious person who doesn’t apologize.
https://www.beitel.co.il/items/1347569-%D7%A9%D7%AA%D7%99-%D7%A2%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%93%D7%95%D7%A8-%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%97-%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%9B%D7%90%D7%9C-%D7%90%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%94%D7%9D