Q&A: Faith or Knowledge
Faith or Knowledge
Question
Hello Rabbi!
I saw in your books that I read a discussion of a question for which I don’t have a clear answer. I would be happy if the Rabbi could give me a reasoned, substantive answer, since it was hard for me to extract an answer from the books.
The question is whether faith in God is knowledge, and if so, why it is called “faith”—a word used for something about which I have no certainty, but only believe that this is how it is. Or perhaps the concepts of “faith” and “knowledge” should be explained differently.
In addition, I heard that the Rabbi is about to publish a new book soon that deals more with Judaism. Is that true? I am looking forward to it eagerly, because in your books the discussion of this appears only in a few chapters at the end of the book. It seems as though there is some fear that the book will be considered a “religious” book. But the need is great.
Thank you very much, and all the best!
Answer
Hello Liel.
In my dictionary, faith = knowledge. I do not accept the myth that assigns a different meaning to the term faith. I know that there is a God just as I know that there is a law of gravity or the principle of causality. True, none of these items of knowledge is certain, and that is the case with all of our knowledge. We have no ability to attain certainty. But that is what is called knowledge, and therefore I do not see a difference between that and faith.
I am indeed currently writing a trilogy of books on Judaism (philosophy, Jewish thought, and Jewish law). I have no fear at all that the book will be considered religious. I still do not know how and when it will be published.