Judaism? Why?

Dear Rabbi Dr. Lebens,
Hello!
I’m a young Jewish thinker with a deep passion for philosophy, currently studying computer science and physics, but always pulled back to the deepest existential questions.
I’m reaching out to you because I’m in the middle of a very personal and philosophical search. I’ve read some of your work, and I get the sense that you’re one of the few religious thinkers who engage seriously with the modern mind. That’s exactly what I need right now.
I am not an atheist. I believe in God, not as a leap of faith, but as a philosophical conclusion. Through reasoning, I’ve come to accept that there is a non-physical, necessary first cause’ a Creator. In that sense, I’m a deist.
But my central question, the one I can’t let go of, is this:
Did this God actually give us the Torah?
Is Judaism really the revealed truth? Or is it a human attempt to respond to the divine? Is there even any “truth” as a concept?
I want to be clear: I’m not searching for absolute certainty, I know that’s philosophically unattainable. What I’m seeking is the strongest probable case for belief. Not “true beyond doubt,” but “true enough to live by, to commit to with integrity.” That’s the kind of truth I’m after, grounded in reason, tested by doubt, and able to stand even in a probabilistic world.
Many people argue that Judaism must be true because it “works”, that its moral vision shaped the modern world.
But that’s not how I see it.
I think Judaism only “worked” in the moral sense because it seeded its values ​​into Christianity and Islam, which later spread those values ​​through empire and culture. The modern world sees certain Jewish ideas, like human dignity, rest, compassion, justice, as moral, because Judaism helped define what “moral” means in the first place.
In other words:
Judaism didn’t conform to existing morality, it created the moral framework that now makes it look “good.”
But if some other system had shaped history, say, Greco-Roman paganism, we might now consider cruelty in the arena or domination as moral too.
So saying “Judaism is moral” is circular, because the moral lens was built by Judaism itself (via Christianity and Islam)….
It “worked” because it got there first, not necessarily because it’s true.
And even within Judaism, not all mitzvot feel moral.
Some feel meaningful, beautiful, symbolic, but not moral.
Even when I understand their historical or ritual reasoning, I wouldn’t claim that something like tefillin or sha’atnez promotes justice or compassion. or any other moral value.
So if the truth claim depends on the moral perfection of the Torah – I don’t buy it.
Last but not least, I don’t trust the historical “Evidence”
I’ve also heard the argument that Judaism is historically unique, that the national revelation at Sinai is a once-in-history event, and that such a story could not have been fabricated.
But I don’t trust that logic either.
History is full of examples of entire nations believing in things that didn’t happen, or were later mythologized, like the Trojan War, or Romulus and Remus, or countless origin myths. Humans are brilliant at telling stories as if they were history. Especially in a world full of naive people…
So when people say, “If it wasn’t true, how could an entire people believe it?”, I don’t find that convincing. It’s happened before and after…
And if we’re being rigorous with inductive reasoning, the odds don’t favor Judaism either:
We both agree that dozens of religions were invented by people.
If we use that pattern, it’s more probable that Judaism is also a man-made system, even if it’s the best one.
It’s the same standard we apply to every other religion, so why should Judaism be immune?
Despite all this, I haven’t rejected Judaism.
But here’s my core question, the one I can’t stop asking:
Is Judaism true in the strongest sense?
Not just meaningful.
Not just beautiful.
Not just “ours.”
But actually, metaphysically, true (Probably would be more precise in this context, I think…)
What I’m Asking You
I’m not looking for apologetics. I’m not looking to be convinced emotionally.
I just want to know, from someone I respect intellectually:
What are the strongest rational reasons to believe that God, the real, non-human, first-cause God, actually gave the Torah to the Jewish people?
How do you distinguish true revelation from myth, especially when every myth looks real from the inside?
And how do you, personally, stay committed to Judaism without compromising your rational integrity?
If you’ve written or spoken on this already, I’d be truly grateful for a reference.
Even a short response from management would mean a lot to me.
Thank you for your work, and for showing people like me that thinking deeply and staying honest can still be part of a religious life.
With respect and curiosity,
Ori