Q&A: Trust in the Sages
Trust in the Sages
Question
It’s clear to me that you’re smarter than I am, so I’m not exactly on equal footing with you. But by the same token, it’s also clear to me that all the sages of Israel in earlier generations were smarter than both of us put together. The fact that, relative to a pitiful generation like ours, you’re an intellectual does not make you wiser than the sages of the Talmud. Where, in your everyday life, do you practice the idea of trust in the sages, if you publicly declare that you have no problem disagreeing with them because you’re smarter? And I’m sure you’ll give me some explosive answer to this question, full of sophisticated explanations about how I’m just choosing to believe blindly without using my mind, etc. But of one thing I’m sure—if you were now to meet one of the sages of Israel, not necessarily a Tanna or an Amora, but even the Vilna Gaon, you would feel like a bug next to him. And even if you say otherwise, I won’t believe you. Because unlike most of the Haredi public, I don’t think you’re a heretic. But I do think you remind me a bit of Moses Mendelssohn; both of you have a somewhat cold approach to the whole subject of Judaism. Personally, I think Judaism needs a certain simplicity and innocence, and that this is the secret of the survival of the Jewish people through all the troubles they’ve gone through. I’d be glad if you answered me, even though I don’t think it will change my mind—not because I’m Haredi and was raised to believe rabbis, because the truth is I wasn’t really raised that way. But I believe that this is what the Holy One, blessed be He, wants from me, and even though the brain sometimes tells me to argue, I think that in matters like these it’s worth listening to the heart and the Jewish soul. And I don’t care if that sounds primitive.
Answer
I don’t see a question here. So I’ll just make a brief comment.
- Moses Mendelssohn was not at all cold in his attitude toward Judaism. It would be worth reading some of his writings.
2. Einstein was smarter than you and me, and probably than most if not all of the sages of Israel put together. Does that mean you should adopt his worldview? What kind of strange criterion is that—deciding that someone is right simply because he is smart? You won’t get very far that way.
3. The concept of trust in the sages seems problematic to me. Because if I have such trust, then there is no need to command me. And if I don’t have it—what good will the command do? Just because I’m commanded, am I supposed to trust someone I don’t believe in? Indeed, I do not have trust in sages who are presumed to be wise just because some people think they are wise. I have trust in sages whom I consider wise. And even then, my trust is not absolute, and I do not accept things just because they said them.
As for bugs and the like, you should consult a certified exterminator.
Discussion on Answer
1. So do you adopt Einstein’s views? Or maybe Newton’s (who was a devout Christian)? For some reason you quoted my words without addressing them.
As for your point itself: it may be that he reaches more correct conclusions, but the fact is that many sages reach different and contradictory conclusions. So is the way to form a position by giving everyone an IQ test? I’m not sure the result would strengthen your faith. Among other reasons, this is why a person needs to form his own position and not rely on this sage or that.
2. How do you know that the Torah places trust in sages? I don’t know of any statement by it on that matter. How do you know it commands us to place trust in them? I know of no such command.
Beyond that, my argument is also correct regarding a command of the Torah. If I have trust, then I have trust; and if I don’t have trust, I won’t fulfill such a command. Maybe when I have no position of my own there is room for the Torah to command such a thing (if it really did so. And it doesn’t).
The Mishnah in Avot says that Torah is acquired through trust in the sages. What does that mean?
I don’t know. Maybe it means giving them credit and discussing their approach seriously. See the introduction to Sha'arei Yosher, and what I wrote in column 304 and 431.
“How do you know that the Torah places trust in sages? I don’t know of any statement by it on that matter. How do you know it commands us to place trust in them? I know of no such command.”
It is written: “And you shall observe to do according to all that they instruct you”; admittedly this was said regarding the Sanhedrin, but the Sanhedrin is still proof that the Torah places trust in (some of) the sages.
1. You wrote: “Einstein was smarter than you and me, and probably than most if not all of the sages of Israel put together. Does that mean you should adopt his worldview?” —
Why is that so strange?! Isn’t it more reasonable that a smarter person arrives at more correct conclusions (of course not always, since he too may have various odd tendencies, and he too may be mistaken), and therefore it is only natural to adopt what he says?
2. You wrote: “The concept of trust in the sages seems problematic to me. Because if I have such trust, then there is no need to command me. And if I don’t have it—what good will the command do? Just because I’m commanded, am I supposed to trust someone I don’t believe in?” — What do you mean? There is absolute trust in the Torah, and therefore even if you do not trust the sages, you must rely on the Torah, which places trust in the sages. Do you mean that in such a case you assume the Torah did not mean these sages but other sages? If so, then how is that determined in the first place? Everyone according to his own outlook? If so, what is the whole point of trust in the sages, if in any case one believes in them?