Q&A: Authority in Matters of Belief
Authority in Matters of Belief
Question
You write that it is impossible to command thoughts. But if there is a “correct” opinion, then although it is impossible to change someone’s opinion directly and only to persuade him, it is still possible to raise children in light of the correct opinion, and then they will grow up thinking “correctly.” That is, disqualifying a halakhic ruling in matters of belief that have no practical implications is incorrect. I sense other reasons, but not the impossibility.
Answer
I didn’t understand the claim. I will raise children according to my opinion, whether it has been ruled on or not.
Discussion on Answer
Too logical for me. I can’t follow.
I don’t know anyone who would deny what you said. Of course it is possible to shape an environment that will lead to a certain belief, or to adopt habits that will lead to a certain belief (and Pascal already recommended this in his famous argument). It seems to me that what bothers Rabbi Michi is the attempt to command facts. You can create a community all of whose members believe that God watches over each and every movement they make (and are even incapable of thinking otherwise), but there is no meaning, philosophically or pedagogically, to things like: “Book of Commandments, positive commandments, commandment 1: to believe that God watches over each and every movement you make.”
My claim was that it is possible to change and shape opinions not only through persuasion. Therefore the assumption that you can’t command thought falls away. It is true only לגבי someone who already has an opinion. There are many people, children and also many adults, who have not invested thought in this until now, and it is possible to bring them to the “correct” way of thinking. Therefore, commanding thoughts is not absurd because it is impossible, but for other reasons.