The connection between faith and the resurrection of the dead
I wanted to thank the rabbi very much for all his work, the books, articles, and interviews. I am an ultra-Orthodox person who studied/and studies in the Lithuanian method. It is important to me that everything be logical and not “because they said so,” and thanks to the rabbi, a lot of order was created for me in many areas that were very incomprehensible to me.
My question is this: One of the principles of faith (according to the Mishnah at the beginning of the chapter) is belief in the resurrection of the dead.
The definition I understand of the concept of faith is not the fact that I have some knowledge that sits in my head, but rather, based on knowledge/assumption/feeling, I am willing to act on it. For example, “one witness is faithful in forbidding” does not mean that you know that what he says is a piece of fat is the absolute truth, but rather that the Torah said, rely on what he says and act on it. Of course, believing based on feelings is foolishness and believing in logical things is the right thing to do, but Pierre’s definition of faith is not what my starting point is, but how I apply it.
So my question is simple, what is the connection between faith and the resurrection of the dead? How should my daily routine look different if I assume there will be a resurrection or not? I will wear the same tefillin, eat the same matzah, so how do resurrection and faith even go together? (The question is also valid regarding the coming of the Messiah). And since the result of faith in the resurrection is the fact that God will reward the righteous and punish the wicked, then what is the difference between faith in the resurrection and faith in the afterlife? It is the same faith from two different assumptions, so in the end it is the same “faith” (so why does the Mishnah list this as two separate principles?)
I tried to summarize the email, but still, sorry for the length.
Thanks for everything!!
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Your assumption that faith is just a matter of implementation seems strange to me. In any case, it’s a semantic matter. So the resurrection is not going to be implemented, so don’t call it “faith” but “opinion.” What’s the problem now?
Why are these two main points different? A possible explanation: Awab is the permanence of the soul even without regard to reward. Simply knowing that there is also something in us that is not physical. The resurrection of the dead is perhaps part of the reward (and even that is not certain. Perhaps it is the realization of God’s plan and not just a reward for us).
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Thank you very much for the response
I would be happy to clarify my words.
My definition of faith as I presented is not a semantic matter but a matter of principle of definition, knowledge is one thing as the rabbi noted and it does indeed fold together with the "knowledge" that there will be a resurrection of the dead, unlike faith as I presented which does not fold.
My necessity for this definition of faith, beyond the example I gave of loyalty in possessions or prohibitions and the rest (where faith is not expressed in the fact that you assume or know that this is the reality, but rather that you are supposed to act) is from the words of the Rishonim, first of all, the one who teaches about the commandment of faith. He asks a fundamental question about the commandment of faith (and the rabbi mentions this question in his book "The First Commandment"): How can one command faith, after all, if one believes then why command? And if one does not believe then why should one obey the commandment? But necessarily the commandment of faith is to put the knowledge from power into action (more or less in his language).
And so I ask again, if this is the definition of faith, then what is the "action" involved in the resurrection of the dead?
Regarding my question, what is the difference between faith in the Hereafter and the resurrection of the dead? I only meant to ask about the assumption that the "action" in the resurrection of the dead can be that a person knows that there will be a stage in which God will pay reward and punishment, and in any case he will act in fulfilling the Torah and mitzvot. So according to this, there is no difference in terms of application if you base it on the Hereafter and the resurrection of the dead. In terms of application, you are applying the same thing (fulfilling the Torah and mitzvot) from two (quite similar) factors.
Regardless, I would like to know whether, according to the Rabbi (if the Rabbi is not convinced by what I said above), there is a difference between knowledge and faith? Beyond semantics…
Thank you for everything
You have not clarified anything, since you have not yet gone beyond the realm of semantics. So I am talking about knowledge and not faith, and then there is no need for practical implications. What is the problem here?
I will not go into the statements of the Menach, which are unfounded and this is certainly not the intention of the Rambam. But the Rambam is indeed harsh.
Beyond that, belief in the resurrection of the dead, according to your view, belongs only if by virtue of this we are free from a commandment. That is, it is assumed that a person must work not for its own sake (but for the hope of reward). This is of course clearly unreasonable. Certainly not according to the Rambam, Rafi Mehali Teshuva.
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