Q&A: Introduction
Introduction
Question
Rabbi, what do you mean when you say that “an introduction is for experts, not beginners”? I didn’t understand. Seemingly it’s the opposite: someone who is starting needs the introduction first of all in order to see things in a general way and to know what’s going to happen in the book, and so on.
Answer
A basic descriptive introduction is for beginners, but usually it is not very helpful.
But meaningful introductions contain principles and a way of looking at things, and on that there are of course disagreements and nuanced understandings. Therefore, if you read an introduction by an expert when you are not an expert, you are captive to him and will think that what he says is pure, agreed-upon truth. You also will not understand the significance and the nuances except after you have acquired some degree of expertise.