חדש באתר: NotebookLM עם כל תכני הרב מיכאל אברהם

Q&A: A Question About Becoming Stronger and Truth

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Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.

A Question About Becoming Stronger and Truth

Question

Hello Rabbi Michael, I’m currently becoming stronger in my religious observance, and I read that you wrote something like this: “I’m not saying that the truth is with me; I’m saying that there is truth and one must reach it.”
If I adopt that assumption, how will I be able to grow stronger in faith without doubts?

Answer

Hello G.,
Let me begin by saying that the question of whether some claim is true or not is not judged by its implications—that is, by the harm or benefit in it (whether it helps or harms becoming stronger in faith). A claim should be examined on its own merits and according to its content. After one reaches the conclusion that it is true (or not), one can discuss its harm and benefit and how to deal with both.
 
Now to your actual question. I don’t know where you read that sentence, but I definitely think that the truth is with me (though not with certainty; every person can make mistakes). In addition, I also say that there is truth and that one is obligated to strive to reach it. It is possible that in the place where you read those words I was dealing with the second claim and not the first.
And one last thing: there is no such thing as faith without doubts. We are human beings, and as such we are destined to live with doubts. A person cannot reach certainty (for it is always possible that what you thought was mistaken. You never have a guarantee that you are not mistaken). Becoming stronger means acting according to your best understanding despite the doubts and despite the concern that maybe you are mistaken, but as a flesh-and-blood human being you are neither required nor able to eliminate the doubts. Postmodernism is mistaken in identifying lack of certainty with doubt, and with a multiplicity of truths or with there being no truth. Each of us has different beliefs, and if that is what a person thinks, then that is the truth from his perspective, and he should act accordingly. But one must always take into account that maybe you are mistaken, and at the same time not let that neutralize the conduct of your life according to your understanding. We are destined to live with a certain degree of uncertainty, but that does not mean there is no truth and that it is impossible to reach it. Contrary to the postmodern assumption, truth is not identical with certainty.

Discussion on Answer

Moshe (2017-05-16)

Dear G.,
What the Rabbi is actually telling you is this:
A person should follow his faith in the direction he is more inclined to agree with; in the Rabbi’s case, he is more inclined to believe.

Honorable Rabbi, if you were asked what percentage you feel the right is on your side, would you answer 80% confidently?

Michi (2017-05-16)

I don’t know how to quantify it. To my mind, it’s reasonable.

Yoni (2017-05-18)

To the Rabbi;
If indeed there is no certain confidence in the correctness of the path, then that will have an effect when the correctness of the path conflicts with other desires. For example: in a situation that is explicitly forbidden in the Torah, but there is a very strong temptation, or very significant profit considerations—the complete lack of certainty in the correctness of the path will affect the decision and will be added to the considerations of satisfying the temptation and generating profits.

Michi (2017-05-18)

Indeed, that’s true. Such an effect is certainly possible. So what should I do? Should I deceive myself into thinking I have confidence when I don’t?

Oren (2017-05-18)

By the way, when you think rationally, there is almost no difference between 100% certainty and 90% certainty when deciding in a dilemma between a Torah value and a non-Torah desire. When you calculate the expected “gain” or the expected importance in the dilemma, you get an equation in which the percentage of doubt only reduces the importance of the Torah value by about 10%. That is, if, say, someone offers me a million dollars to eat a pork steak—if when I had 100% certainty in terms of faith I would evaluate eating the pork steak at, say, a billion dollars, then when I have 90% faith, I should evaluate it at 900 million dollars, which is still much greater than one million. The percentages of doubt come into expression more on the psychological / emotional / existential plane, and less on the plane of decision-making (except in extreme cases of life and death).

Michi (2017-05-18)

That somewhat resembles Pascal’s wager. And distinctions should be made.

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