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“Victim of Reason”

שו”תCategory: faith“Victim of Reason”
asked 2 years ago

Hello Rabbi,
There is an approach according to which God or the Torah demands from us the “sacrifice of reason” by commanding us things that we cannot understand with our minds.
I read that this is also a position of Christianity, but Rabbi Soloveitchik (and there are probably others) also writes in his article Genius and Humility: “What does man value more than reason, which is the focus of the consciousness of human dignity? And it is precisely because of this supremacy of reason in human life that the Torah sometimes demands a suspension of logical authority. Man subjugates himself by responding to instructions that reason does not know how to adapt to his system of values… Man, the rational creature, ignores reason and carries on in a world of laws that he cannot achieve the rational taste of… That which is most desirable and most precious of all, is precisely what man is called upon to give up.”
What do you think of this approach? Do you agree with it?
On the one hand, according to this, this could also be a justification for the workers of the Jewish state. Although it seems like the stupidest thing to do, it is actually a sublime act because we put reason aside…
On the other hand, we do believe that there are things beyond our intellectual understanding, and it is an interesting perspective to see things this way.
Thanks in advance.


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מיכי Staff answered 2 years ago
It depends on what you mean. If you mean to bow down to something I don’t understand – that’s certainly true. All the commandments are like that. But if you mean to accept contradictions – that’s just nonsense. Beyond that, if there is something that doesn’t make sense, I will accept it if I am convinced that it is in the Torah and was delivered by God. The sages don’t have the privilege of saying something that doesn’t make sense and expecting me to accept it. They are human beings like you and me. Putting reason aside is never sublime. It is foolish and childish, and especially when you make an ideology out of it. This is of course a widespread Christian view (Kiergore, Tertullian), and from there it took root in the Jewish field. Sometimes reason itself says that if God said something, then it is probably true even if I don’t understand it. This in itself is a logical consideration, just like a doctor who prescribes me medicine and I believe him even though I don’t understand it. Is this also sublime for a doctor?

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נעמה replied 2 years ago

With a doctor, it is different, because there are past observations that show that he is right, and even if there is no 100 percent certainty, there is a high probability that the diagnosis is correct and the treatment he suggests will help. In contrast, with God, it does not seem that a person has a reward and punishment according to the observance or non-observance of the commandments.

מיכי Staff replied 2 years ago

This is another question that is not related to the discussion.
If this is your opinion then don't listen to him. As far as I am concerned, commitment to the divine commandment is not related to the question of results. It is true that regardless of that, I also have faith that the actions he demands bring good results. I have faith in him and therefore it is similar to a doctor. If you don't have faith then it really is not similar and don't listen. But this is a question that is not related to the discussion here.

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