The belief of the wise
It’s clear to me that you’re smarter than me, so I’m not exactly a force against you. But it’s equally clear to me that all the wise men of Israel in the periods before us were smarter than you and me combined. The fact that you are an intellectual relative to a poor generation like ours does not make you wiser than a sage. Where in your daily life do you uphold the concept of the faith of the sages if you publicly declare that you have no problem disagreeing with them because you are wiser. And I am sure that you will give me a bombastic answer to a question that includes all sorts of sophisticated explanations and how I just choose to believe blindly without using reason, etc. But I am sure of one thing – if you were to meet one of the sages of Israel right now, and not necessarily a Tanna or an Amora, but even the Vilna Gaon, then you would feel like a cockroach next to him. And even if you say no, then I will not believe you. Because unlike most of the Haredi public, then I do not think you are an apocryphal. But I do think that you remind me a little of Moshe Mendelssohn. You both have a somewhat cold approach to the whole subject of Judaism. I personally think that a little innocence is needed in Judaism and that this is the secret of the survival of the Jewish people in all the troubles they have gone through. I would be happy if you answered me even though I do not think it will change my mind and not because I am an ultra-Orthodox who was raised to believe the rabbis, because the truth is that I was not raised to believe that much. But I believe that this is what God wants from me, and even though the mind sometimes tells me to argue, I think that in such things it is worth listening to the Jewish heart and soul. And I don’t care if it sounds primitive.
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- Moshe Mendelssohn was certainly not cold in his attitude towards Judaism. It is worth reading some of his writings.
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1. You wrote: “Einstein was smarter than you and me and probably most of all the sages of Israel combined. Does that mean you have to adopt his worldview?” –
Why is that so strange?! Isn't it more likely that a smarter person reaches more correct conclusions (of course, not always, since there are also different and strange tendencies and he may also be wrong) and it is natural to adopt what he said?
2. You wrote: “The concept of the belief of the sages is problematic in my opinion. Because if I have such a belief, then I don't need to be commanded. And if I don't – what good is the command? And because I am commanded, I will trust someone I don't believe in” – What does that mean? There is absolute trust in the Torah, and therefore, even though you do not believe in the sages, you must trust the Torah, which gives you trust in the sages. Do you mean that in such a case you assume that the Torah did not intend these sages but other sages? So how do we know this? Everyone according to their own perception. So what is the point of the beliefs of the sages if you believe in them anyway?
1. So you adopt Einstein's views? Or maybe Newton (who was a devout Christian)? For some reason you quoted my words and did not address them.
As for your words, he may reach more correct conclusions, but what can you do when many sages reach different and contradictory conclusions. So the way to formulate a position is to administer an IQ test to everyone? I am not sure that the result will be that your faith will increase. Among other reasons, for this reason (and others), a person should formulate his own position and not trust this or that sage.
2. Where do you get the idea that the Torah gives trust in the sages? I do not know of any statement in it on the matter. Where does it command us to trust them? I do not know of such a command.
Beyond that, my argument is also correct with respect to the command of the Torah. If I have trust, then I have it, and if I do not have trust - I will not fulfill such a command. Perhaps when I do not have a position, there is room for deviation from the command (if it really did so. And it does not).
The Mishnah in Avot says that the Torah is purchased through the faith of the Sages. What does this mean?
I don't know. Maybe give them credit and discuss their method seriously. See the introduction to Shaari Yashar, and what I wrote in columns 304 and 431.
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